The row over Sam Pitroda's remarks about China has mounted, with Congress General Secretary Jairam Ramesh entering the scene to explain the party's stance.
Pitroda, chairman of the Congress' overseas wing, had indicated that the Chinese threat has been overstated and that India should not continue to consider China as an enemy. He challenged the account of China's role, contending that the U.S. tends to define an enemy, and stressed that countries need to work together and not against each other.
Pitroda's remarks were soon denounced by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), which interpreted them as reflective of the Congress party's attitude. BJP spokesperson Sudhanshu Trivedi accused Pitroda of compromising India's national security and sovereignty, describing his comments as a blow to the nation's prestige and inferring that they meant India, rather than China, was the aggressor.
In response to the controversy, Jairam Ramesh took to the microblogging platform X to issue a strong clarification, asserting that Pitroda’s views were his own and did not reflect the official stance of the Indian National Congress (INC). Ramesh emphasized that China is still a major challenge for India, both foreign policy and security-wise, and reaffirmed that the INC has always questioned the Modi government's approach to China, including the prime minister's controversial statements in June 2020.
"The reported views of Sam Pitroda on China are most certainly NOT those of the Indian National Congress. China is still our top foreign policy, external security, and economic challenge," Ramesh wrote in his post.
Ramesh also asserted that the Congress party has long spoken of an assertive stance against China, and he regrets that the Indian Parliament has not been permitted to debate the subject.
The Congress leader also drew attention to the fact that the last statement on China by the party was in January 2025, indicating that the party is still troubled about China's position in India's security dynamics.
This development comes against the backdrop of India's internal debate on how to deal with China, with some calling for increased engagement and others emphasizing the importance of a stronger approach in light of increasing security concerns.
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