New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday turned his keynote address at the NDTV World Summit 2026 into one of his sharpest attacks on the Congress yet, declaring that the opposition party makes more failed attempts to launch its leader in a year than the number of rocket launches India conducts from Sriharikota.
Addressing a packed hall in the national capital on the opening day of the summit, the Prime Minister said that while the world is searching for a new order, there are some in India who are “dreaming of disorder”. The remark, aimed squarely at the opposition, set the tone for a speech that blended foreign policy with full-throated domestic politics.
The Sriharikota jibe that stole the show
Without naming Rahul Gandhi directly, Modi left little doubt about his target. “I don’t know how long the Congress will continue to put the country at stake for the launch of its failed product,” he said. “Sriharikota does not see as many launches as the Congress tries, unsuccessfully, to launch its leader in a year.”
The line drew an instant reaction in the hall and on social media. It was a clear reference to the Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi, and played on a phrase Modi has used before to describe the Congress’s repeated attempts to revive its top leadership.
“The party can do what it wants to ruin itself, we have no issue with that,” the Prime Minister continued. “But to save one family from the stain of failure, the Congress is now putting India’s achievements, India’s greatness and its development at stake.”
“Parasite” charge and the foreign-soil accusation
Modi did not stop at the launch analogy. He called the Congress a “parasite” that does not allow others to progress, and accused it of growing bitter after losing power. “The grapes are so sour that the Congress is now busy destroying the vine itself,” he said. “The family is now a burden on the Congress.”
A significant part of the attack focused on the opposition’s conduct abroad. “These people go abroad and defame India. They ask foreigners to intervene,” Modi said, arguing that India must present a strong, united face to the world at a time of global turmoil. The BJP has repeatedly accused Gandhi of criticising the country during foreign visits, an allegation that resurfaced again this week with fresh party attacks on his overseas engagements.
The larger pitch: a new world order
Beyond the political fireworks, the speech carried a serious foreign-policy message. Modi argued that the old global order has failed to resolve emerging challenges and called for deep reform of multilateral institutions so that the Global South gets its due place at the table.
“Reform in multilateral institutions is essential. Giving due place to the voice of the Global South is essential,” he said, adding that international cooperation should not be limited to good times but must remain effective during crises as well. The Prime Minister said the balance of power has shifted dramatically since the Second World War, while the mechanisms of global decision-making have failed to keep pace.
Why the timing matters
The speech landed in the middle of a charged political week. The opposition’s campaign against the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls has been gathering steam, with farmer leader Rakesh Tikait, student activists and civil society groups marching to the Election Commission’s office in Delhi on Friday to demand the resignation of the Chief Election Commissioner.
Modi’s remarks also came a day after Home Minister Amit Shah took on Rahul Gandhi over the same issue, accusing the opposition of crying “vote theft” only when it loses elections. Together, the two speeches signal that the BJP is going on the offensive rather than the defensive over the row.
Key takeaways from the speech
- Modi accused the Congress of dreaming of “disorder” in India while the world searches for a new order.
- He compared the Congress’s failed attempts to launch its leader with rocket launches from Sriharikota.
- The Prime Minister called the Congress a “parasite” and said the Gandhi family has become a burden on the party.
- He pushed for reform of global institutions and a stronger voice for the Global South.
- The attack is part of the BJP’s broader counter-offensive against the opposition’s SIR campaign.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where did PM Modi make these remarks?
At the NDTV World Summit 2026 in New Delhi on Thursday, during his keynote address on the opening day of the summit.
What exactly did Modi say about Sriharikota?
He said that Sriharikota, home to India’s main spaceport, does not see as many rocket launches in a year as the number of failed attempts the Congress makes to launch its leader.
Did he name Rahul Gandhi directly?
No. He did not take the name, but the reference to the Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha and the “failed product” phrase left no doubt about the intended target.
Why did he call the Congress a “parasite”?
He used the term while accusing the party of stalling others’ progress and of turning bitter after losing power, comparing it to someone destroying the vine because the grapes were sour.
What was the foreign-policy message in the speech?
Modi called for reform of multilateral institutions like the United Nations, a stronger voice for the Global South, and international cooperation that works in times of crisis, not just in good times.
The Congress is yet to issue a formal response to the Prime Minister’s remarks. With the opposition’s street campaign over electoral rolls picking up pace this week, the war of words between the two sides is only expected to get louder in the days ahead.
