July 7, 2025 — The political atmosphere turned heated on Sunday as the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) launched a sharp offensive against Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, alleging he has repeatedly undermined Indian military interests and indirectly supported China’s propaganda efforts — particularly those aimed at discrediting the French-made Rafale jets.
This accusation follows an Associated Press investigation, which revealed that Chinese embassies globally engaged in a misinformation campaign to cast doubts on the Rafale’s performance during India-Pakistan clashes. The campaign, allegedly orchestrated during Operation Sindoor, aimed to damage the reputation and global sales of France’s flagship fighter jet — a critical component of India’s air defence arsenal.
Amit Malviya, head of the BJP’s IT and Communications Department, spearheaded the attack, accusing Gandhi of habitually echoing pro-China sentiments. “Rahul Gandhi’s curious obsession with Chinese military tech is alarming. From praising PLA drone tactics to advocating China-style surveillance strategies, his commentary consistently favours enemy models over Indian advancements,” Malviya wrote in a post on X (formerly Twitter).
He listed three separate instances to bolster the claim:
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In 2021, during a Lok Sabha debate, Rahul Gandhi questioned India’s drone surveillance capabilities, allegedly admiring Chinese tactics used in Ladakh.
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At a 2023 academic discussion in London, Gandhi reportedly said China is “winning the technology race” and called for India to learn from Chinese military innovation.
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In 2022, during a closed-door defence roundtable, he is said to have urged India to “explore Chinese-style tactical drone deployment” in sensitive border regions.
“Whether it’s undermining India’s armed forces or amplifying enemy models, Rahul Gandhi has a knack for ending up on the wrong side of patriotic discourse,” Malviya said.
Rahul Gandhi’s curious obsession with Chinese military tech.
Time and again, Rahul Gandhi has found himself batting for Chinese military hardware — both inside and outside Parliament.
🔹 In Lok Sabha (2021), he questioned why Indian forces weren’t using Chinese-style…
— Amit Malviya (@amitmalviya) July 7, 2025
The Congress hit back strongly. Pooja Tripathi, party spokesperson, dismissed the BJP’s allegations as “ironic and diversionary.” “Irony died a thousand deaths today. The BJP is accusing us of supporting Chinese interests, while they themselves avoid hard questions about national security,” she said.
Tripathi referred to earlier comments made by Rahul Gandhi warning against India’s strategic missteps. “In 2022, Rahul Gandhi clearly said in Parliament that the worst move India can make is pushing Pakistan into China’s arms, forcing us into a dangerous two-front war,” she noted.
The Congress also raised concerns about real-time Chinese military intelligence during past standoffs, hinting at deeper breaches of Indian security. “An Army General has confirmed that China was feeding real-time inputs during previous border conflicts. That’s the real threat to national security — not a few critical remarks from the opposition,” Tripathi said.
The Congress has demanded a special session of Parliament to address these revelations and seek accountability from the government. “Rahul Gandhi does not run this country. The BJP does. They owe the people answers, not finger-pointing,” Tripathi added.
The row over Rafale and China’s influence has once again spotlighted India’s defence preparedness, foreign policy tightrope, and the deepening political polarization on national security issues.
