India`s dependence on Chinese products and PM Narendra Modi`s clarion call for Atmanirbhar Bharat

Prime Minister Narendra Modi has given a clarion call for Atmanirbhar Bharat and stressed the importance of local manufacturing, local market and local supply chains, amid the coronavirus COVID-19 pandemic. Addressing the nation on May 12, he had said, "All our demands during the crisis were met ‘locally’. Now, its time to be vocal about the local products and help these local products become global."

However, in such a situation, it is also important to know how much India is dependent on other countries. Taking an example of India's dependence on China, we import 16 per cent of our required things from China.

Speaking on India's dependence on China in the medical field, a total of 90 per cent of India's lifesaving medicines come from China, 75 per cent of the ingredients used to make medicines come from China and China also supplies 80 per cent of India's medical equipments.

On the other hand, 30 per cent of India's automobile components are met from China, 60 per cent of electronic goods requirements are imported from China and about 90 per cent of the country's toy market is occupied by Chinese products. Another 50 per cent of the demand in the country's bicycle market is met by imports in which China has a large share.

If we have to be vocal on local, then it has to minimize its dependence on China first. Therefore, to fulfill the dream of self-reliant India, India still has to prepare a lot.

Talking about the pre and post COVID worlds, the Prime Minister had observed that in order to fulfill the dream of making the 21st century India’s, the way forward is through ensuring that the country becomes self-reliant. Talking about turning a crisis into an opportunity, he gave the example of PPE kits N-95 masks, whose production in India has gone up from almost being negligible to 2 lakh each, on a daily basis.

The PM remarked that the definition of self-reliance has undergone a change in the globalized world and clarified that when the country talks about self-reliance, it is different from being self-centred. He said that India’s culture considers the world as one family, and progress in India is part of, and also contributes to, progress in the whole world.  He noted that the world trusts that India has a lot to contribute towards the development of the entire humanity.