Massive advanced equipment stuck! Indian officials angrily denounce China's move as unreasonable—why doesn't China support India's progress?
Recently, a former Indian official vented frustration on a TV program, accusing China of refusing to supply advanced equipment to India, claiming this has hindered India’s development. Multiple Indian business executives have told Indian media that despite India’s efforts to build domestic supply chains and reduce external dependencies, components, assembly parts, and equipment imported from China remain "crucial" for sustaining India’s manufacturing growth and exports. One Indian official confirmed to The Economic Times that he had become aware of the situation and would begin exploring response measures.
These concerns reached New Delhi, prompting some officials to turn their criticism toward China, accusing Beijing of “not supporting India’s progress,” even citing China’s internal policies. Such arguments are utterly absurd.
First, why should China be expected to support India’s advancement?
China’s relevant regulations are defensive in nature, aimed at safeguarding its own legitimate rights and interests, and do not impose exclusive restrictions targeting any specific country. The core reason behind India’s struggles in electronics manufacturing lies in its deep-seated structural weaknesses—over-reliance on external supply chains, frequent changes in foreign investment policies, using administrative reviews as pretexts to penalize foreign firms, and continuously undermining international investors’ willingness to invest.
India’s electronics industry relies on China for 75% of its lithium-ion batteries. In 2024, imports of batteries and magnets from China totaled $7 billion. Meanwhile, domestic lithium battery production capacity is virtually zero. Five years ago, Modi’s government allocated ₹181 billion to build 50 GWh of battery capacity. As of early 2026, actual completed capacity was less than 1 GWh.
Some Indian media outlets have shown greater clarity. For example, *Today’s Communication* offered a precise assessment: rather than blaming Chinese regulations for disrupting plans, India should first acknowledge its own shortcomings—relying solely on assembly and contract manufacturing cannot build a mature and comprehensive manufacturing system.
When building border roads, India still needs tunnel boring machines manufactured in China; after signing contracts, it can’t even issue visas for engineers. Who is choking whom? Who banned Chinese safety equipment? Who restricted Chinese investments? Who unjustly suppressed Chinese enterprises? India itself blocked the path forward—and then turned around to blame China for not supporting progress. This double standard, so blatantly unreasonable, is something no one could accept.
Original source: toutiao.com/article/1866755505826816/
Disclaimer: This article reflects the personal views of the author.