Thiruvananthapuram, March 7 (IANS) In a rare interaction between political leadership and the state’s technology community, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Saturday engaged with IT professionals, startup founders and technocrats at the Technopark campus here, calling for a stronger focus on skills, innovation and manufacturing to secure India’s economic future.

The discussion, titled “Technology, Innovation and Opportunity,” drew around 200 invited IT professionals, including software engineers, startup entrepreneurs and company executives.

The audience welcomed the Congress leader with enthusiastic applause, reflecting the curiosity and interest among Kerala’s technology workforce to engage with political leaders on the future of the digital economy.

During the interaction, Rahul Gandhi described himself as “a politician who wants to build politics on the foundation of truth,” and spoke at length about the challenges and opportunities emerging from rapid technological change.

Addressing concerns about automation and artificial intelligence, he said new technologies do not necessarily eliminate jobs but tend to shift them to new areas.

The key challenge, he noted, lies in preparing the workforce to adapt.

“Jobs are not disappearing; they are moving. The focus should therefore be on developing the skills required for emerging opportunities,” he said, emphasising the need for continuous learning and adaptability.

Reflecting on India’s technological journey, Rahul Gandhi recalled how his father, former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi, had once pushed for promoting software development in India, a proposal that was initially dismissed as unrealistic by the then leadership of General Electric.

Today, however, that vision has helped transform India into a global IT powerhouse.

The Congress leader also expressed concern over global supply chains, pointing out that many critical components used in advanced technologies such as drones are largely manufactured in China.

Drawing from his recent visit to Germany, he stressed the need for India to strengthen its manufacturing base.

“India must move towards a production- and manufacturing-oriented economy rather than becoming largely consumer driven,” he said.

Rahul Gandhi also underscored the need to democratise technological growth so that innovation benefits not only large corporations but also startups and small businesses.

In this context, he suggested reforms in the Goods and Services Tax framework to provide greater support to MSMEs and small industries.

The Congress leader also highlighted the growing importance of data privacy, particularly with the increasing use of medical and genetic information.

Safeguarding personal data, he said, would become a crucial policy challenge as digital technologies expand.

Speaking about India’s unique strengths, Rahul Gandhi said Indians possess a remarkable ability to create order even out of apparent chaos.

He referred to the teachings of Kerala social reformer Sree Narayana Guru, recalling the spiritual leader’s message that real progress begins with inner discipline and self-awareness.

The Congress leader also expressed gratitude to the people of Kerala for the support he had received during difficult political periods, adding that the state had taught him valuable lessons about connecting closely with people.

Concluding the session, he invoked the words of Mahatma Gandhi, saying that only societies built on compassion and respect for all living beings can achieve lasting prosperity.

Saturday’s interaction marked Rahul Gandhi’s first engagement with technology professionals at Technopark, with organisers saying participation exceeded expectations and reflected the growing interest among young professionals in shaping India’s economic and technological future.

–IANS

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