Proud to see Bajaj, Hero and TVS do well in Colombia, can win with innovation not cronyism, says Rahul Gandhi

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Friday (October 3, 2025) said two-wheeler manufacturers Bajaj, Hero and TVS were doing well in Colombia and asserted that it shows Indian companies can win with innovation, not cronyism.

Mr. Gandhi, who is in Colombia during his four-nation tour of South America, posted a picture on X standing in front of a Bajaj Pulsar motorcycle.

“Proud to see Bajaj, Hero and TVS do so well in Colombia. Shows Indian companies can win with innovation, not cronyism. Great job,” the Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha said.

Speaking at a seminar titled ‘The Future is Today’ at the EIA University in Medellin, Colombia, Mr. Gandhi had slammed the idea of three or four businesses taking over the whole economy.

During the seminar on Wednesday (October 1, 2025), Mr. Gandhi said India has a much more complex system as compared to China and its strengths are very different from that of the neighbouring country.

India also has a very old spiritual tradition and a thought system with profound ideas that are useful in today’s world, he had said, adding that there is a lot that the country can offer in terms of tradition and way of thinking.

“I am very optimistic about India, but at the same time, there are fault lines within the Indian structure. There are risks that India has to overcome. The single-biggest risk is the attack on democracy that is taking place in India,” the Leader of Opposition had said.

“India has multiple religions, traditions and languages. India is actually a conversation between all its people. Different ideas, religions and traditions require space. The best method for creating that space is the democratic system,” he said.

“Currently, there is a wholesale attack on the democratic system in India, so that is a risk. The other big risk is different conceptions — some 16-17 different languages, different religions… So, allowing these different traditions to thrive, and giving them space to express themselves is very important for a country like India. We cannot do what China does, which is to suppress people and run an authoritarian system,” Mr. Gandhi said.

“Our design will just not accept that,” he added.