Pitroda Says India Used Talent to Serve Others; BJP Calls It ‘Congress Insulting Nation’
Sam Pitroda questions India’s ability to build global tech giants; BJP accuses Congress of undermining the nation
New Delhi, Feb 23 : Sam Pitroda, chairman of the Indian Overseas Congress, has sparked a political controversy after stating that India’s IT talent largely benefited multinational corporations rather than building domestic technology giants.
In remarks that went viral on social media, Pitroda said India produced significant software talent but failed to leverage it to create globally competitive platforms or operating systems. He observed that while the United States leads in artificial intelligence and China follows closely, other nations, including India, have struggled to convert potential into global dominance.
“We have young talent but it is raw,” he said, adding that much of the country’s expertise ended up serving international firms instead of strengthening indigenous innovation.
BJP Slams Congress Leader
The comments drew sharp criticism from the Bharatiya Janata Party, which accused the opposition of repeatedly portraying India in a negative light.
Party spokesperson Shehzad Poonawalla alleged that Pitroda’s remarks were misleading and aimed at discrediting the country’s technological progress. He cited domestic operating systems such as BOSS Linux, Maya OS and Prime OS as examples of local innovation.
Poonawalla further accused the Congress ecosystem of running down India’s achievements, escalating the war of words between the two parties.
The Congress has not issued an official clarification on Pitroda’s statement, which continues to generate political debate over India’s technology trajectory and global standing.
