Kharge poses 3 questions to Centre on China, demands Modi come clean
Synopsis
Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge has fired a three-pronged challenge at the Modi government on China — flagging fresh PLA face-offs in Arunachal Pradesh, a 102% surge in Chinese imports since Galwan, and 23 Modi-Xi meetings he says have delivered no visible gains. The post crystallises Opposition pressure ahead of the winter session and puts India’s China policy squarely in the political crosshairs.
Key Takeaways
Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge posted three questions on X on 23 October 2026 demanding PM Modi come clean on India’s China policy.
The ITBP Director General has confirmed continuing PLA face-offs in Arunachal Pradesh , even 47 days after Corps Commander-level talks at Wacha–Damai .
Chinese imports have risen 102% and the bilateral trade deficit has grown 155% to $112.16 billion since the Galwan clash in FY 2020–21 .
Kharge questioned the value of at least 23 Modi-Xi meetings , 25 rounds of NSA Doval-led Special Representatives’ talks, and 36 working-mechanism meetings .
The Congress chief demanded to know whether India’s pre- May 2020 patrolling rights along the border had been fully restored.
Kharge urged the PM to stop attacking the Opposition and instead place the full facts before Parliament .
Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge on 23 October 2026 launched a sharp offensive against the Union government over its handling of relations with China, demanding that Prime Minister Narendra Modi take Parliament and the nation into confidence rather than targeting the Opposition. In a strongly worded post on X, Kharge declared, “Enough clean chits to China. PM Modi must come clean before India!” and raised three pointed questions spanning national security, economic security, and diplomatic accountability.
National Security: Fresh Face-offs in Arunachal Pradesh
Kharge expressed deep alarm after the Director General of the Indo-Tibetan Border Police confirmed continuing face-offs with the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) in Arunachal Pradesh. Recalling earlier confrontations at Doklam and Galwan, he questioned whether another serious standoff was unfolding. He cited reports of Chinese incursions near Taksing that emerged in August and noted that even 47 days after Corps Commander-level talks held at Wacha–Damai — reportedly just 180 kilometres away — the confrontations had not ceased.
Kharge demanded to know whether India’s patrolling access had been compromised, stressing that Arunachal Pradesh remains an inseparable part of India. He asked why the nation was being kept in the dark on such a critical security matter.
Economic Security: Chinese Imports Up 102%, Trade Deficit Balloons
On the economic front, the Congress president highlighted that since the Galwan clash in which 20 Indian Army personnel made the supreme sacrifice in FY 2020–21, Chinese imports into India have surged by 102 per cent while the bilateral trade deficit has ballooned by 155 per cent to reach $112.16 billion. He noted that even Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman has reportedly acknowledged that China continues to obstruct Indian exports.
Kharge further alleged that despite this trade imbalance, the government is easing restrictions on Chinese investment and is considering extending Production-Linked Incentive (PLI) benefits to eligible China-linked ventures. He asked whether the slogan of ‘Make in India’ had effectively become ‘Import from China.’ This comes amid a broader national debate about supply-chain dependence on Beijing in strategic sectors.
Diplomatic Accountability: 23 Modi-Xi Meetings, What Results?
On the diplomatic front, Kharge catalogued extensive high-level engagements with China, including at least 23 reported meetings and interactions between Prime Minister Modi and President Xi Jinping, 25 rounds of Special Representatives’ talks involving National Security Advisor Ajit Doval, 36 meetings of the working mechanism for consultation and coordination, and successive summits of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) and BRICS.
He demanded to know what tangible outcomes these engagements had delivered and whether India’s pre-May 2020 patrolling rights along the border had been fully restored. While affirming complete confidence in the Armed Forces, Kharge asserted that national security demands genuine accountability rather than diplomatic photo opportunities — dismissing what he termed ‘Hugplomacy.’
Congress Demands Parliamentary Accountability
Kharge urged the Prime Minister to stop attacking the Opposition and instead place the full facts before Parliament and the people of India. The remarks represent a sustained political pressure campaign by the Indian National Congress (INC) ahead of the winter session, and mirror earlier Opposition calls for a dedicated debate on the India-China border situation. Notably, similar demands were raised after the Galwan Valley clash in 2020, when Opposition leaders were largely denied detailed classified briefings. How the government responds to Kharge’s three questions is likely to set the terms of debate on China policy when Parliament next convenes.
Point of View
Economy, diplomacy — is independently verifiable, making it harder for the government to dismiss the critique as purely partisan. The 102% import surge figure, in particular, lands in a space where the government’s own trade data and the Finance Minister’s remarks lend it credibility. What the Opposition has consistently failed to do, however, is propose an alternative framework: decoupling from China is easier as a slogan than as a supply-chain reality. The more uncomfortable question — which neither side is answering — is whether India has the industrial capacity to replace Chinese inputs even if it wanted to. Kharge is right to demand parliamentary transparency; the accountability deficit on the border is real. But the economic critique implicitly asks the government to square a circle it inherited, not invented.
NationPress
23 Oct 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the three questions Mallikarjun Kharge posed to PM Modi on China?
Kharge asked about national security (whether India’s patrolling access in Arunachal Pradesh has been compromised amid fresh PLA face-offs), economic security (why Chinese imports have surged 102% and the trade deficit ballooned 155% to $112.16 billion since Galwan), and diplomatic accountability (what tangible gains have come from over 23 Modi-Xi meetings and whether pre-May 2020 patrolling rights have been fully restored).
What is the India-China face-off in Arunachal Pradesh about?
The Director General of the Indo-Tibetan Border Police has confirmed continuing face-offs between Indian forces and China’s People’s Liberation Army in Arunachal Pradesh. Reports of Chinese incursions near Taksing emerged in August, and according to Kharge, the confrontations had not ceased even 47 days after Corps Commander-level talks at Wacha–Damai, reportedly 180 kilometres from the flashpoint.
How much has India’s trade deficit with China grown since the Galwan clash?
According to figures cited by Kharge, Chinese imports into India have risen 102% since the Galwan Valley clash in FY 2020–21, when 20 Indian Army personnel died. The bilateral trade deficit has grown 155% in the same period to reach $112.16 billion.
What is ‘Hugplomacy’ and why did Kharge use the term?
‘Hugplomacy’ is a term Kharge used to characterise what he called PM Modi’s reliance on high-profile personal rapport with world leaders — including President Xi Jinping — as a substitute for concrete diplomatic outcomes. He argued that 23 meetings and multiple SCO and BRICS summits had not restored India’s pre-May 2020 patrolling rights along the border.
Why is the Congress raising these questions about China now?
The Congress has raised these questions against the backdrop of fresh ITBP-confirmed face-offs in Arunachal Pradesh, a continued trade deficit widening, and reports of the government easing curbs on Chinese investment. The timing also aligns with Opposition preparations ahead of the winter session of Parliament, where the party is expected to press for a dedicated debate on India-China relations.
