Some may have the opinion that I am pro-Chinese or pro-communist because of my frequent articles about China. To be honest, it is neither. Nor do I hate India but I surely hate the rampant corruption, hypocrisy, racism and injustice. Yes, the rampant. The Western media and narrative often portray China and its communist government negatively. No form of government is perfect, and Chinese communism is no exception. However, even democracies such as India and the USA, known for their democratic ideals and values, struggle to contain crime, corruption, and hatred in their countries, while, by contrast, communist China is considered one of the safest countries in the world.
I am simply fascinated by China’s hard work, discipline, and remarkable economic and technological growth. Within just a few decades, China has eradicated poverty. The transformation from poor farmers to a highly industrialized society, from small fishing villages to ultra-modern cities, from pedaling bicycles to commuting on high-speed trains, and from a traditionally closed society to building its own international space station—all within such a short period—is truly amazing, fascinating, jaw-dropping, and inspiring. Though India is laying down the ground works with the recent AI impact summit 2026 in New Delhi, China on the other hand is decades ahead in AI and technology.
One area that particularly fascinates me, and is the subject of this article, is dark factories. China today operates what are known as dark factories. The concept is simple. You don’t need people, so you don’t need light. Robots work in the dark, 24-7, producing electric cars, robots, electronics, and various other products as efficiently as a vending machine dispensing snacks. Robots handle almost everything, from welding to painting to assembling. The machines do not get tired, do not unionise, and do not require breaks every couple of hours. It is hyper-automation on a scale the world has never seen. Factories such as Zeekr, a luxury EV manufacturer in China, can pump out up to 300,000 cars a year. That’s more than 800 every single day. In comparison, Tesla took over a decade to reach the same output.
Meanwhile, in India, half the time factories can’t even keep the lights on due to frequent power cuts. One country operates factories without lights because they’re so advanced; the other struggles because electricity is simply not reliable. This is the so-called competition being discussed when some in India claim they are about to overtake China.
In 2014, India launched its own catchy slogan: Make in India. It was intended to transform India into a manufacturing superpower—the next global factory floor. What happened instead? In reality, India produces around 3% of global manufacturing output, while China accounts for over 30%. So for every widget, car, or phone India makes, China makes ten. India promised a manufacturing revolution, but what it delivered was more like a talent show audition gone wrong.
There is a lot of hype but very little execution. Here is the irony: China benefited from cheap labour for decades, earning the title of the world’s factory. However, when wages began to rise, instead of complaining, Chinese companies turned to automation. They invested in robotics, AI, and advanced supply chains. By 2023, half of all industrial robots installed globally were in China. Half. That is not catching up to the future; that is leading it. Whereas India is organizing AI summit in 2026 mired with controversies.
China dominates industries ranging from electric vehicles to solar panels, rare earth processing to smartphones. If it is in your pocket, on your desk, or running your home, it most likely came from China. India, by contrast, celebrates assembling iPhones and other products using parts imported from China. Many Indians claim they are now challenging China, but the reality is that Indian output is barely a footnote. When China sneezes, the market reacts.
Let us consider the real-world consequences. Thanks to automation and massive manufacturing capacity, Chinese people today live lives completely different from those of their parents. Cities that were once poor fishing towns are now centers of wealth and innovation. The average Chinese person has seen rising incomes, improved access to modern infrastructure, and a higher standard of living.
In India, a large proportion of the population still lives in multi-dimensional poverty. This is not just low income; it also means no access to clean water, inadequate sanitation, poor housing, and lack of education. Over 200 million people live in slum-like conditions. Entire families are crammed into tin shacks while their leaders claim that India is a superpower.
And let’s not forget Made in China 2025. This was Beijing’s ambitious plan, launched in 2015, to transform the country from low-end manufacturing to high-tech dominance. And guess what? It succeeded. Robotics, AI, advanced vehicles, and green energy are now made in China. India’s equivalent, Make in India, was launched a year earlier by PM Narendra Modi. It was intended to attract global manufacturers. Instead, investors often encounter endless bureaucracy, poor logistics, high levels of corruption, and strikes.
The results have been disappointing, to say the least. Make in India became more of a marketing slogan than an actual policy. It could just as well have been called ‘Wait in India’ instead of ‘Make in India.’
Meanwhile, Chinese firms are eating global industries alive. Take electric vehicles as an example. In 2023, Chinese automakers produced more EVs than the rest of the world combined. Just let that sink in. While Ford and GM in the US are scaling back their EV targets because batteries are too expensive and charging stations too slow to build, China is flooding its streets with electric cars, many of which are cheaper and better than Western competitors. It is not just cars, either. China controls around 90% of global rare earth processing—critical minerals used in everything from smartphones to fighter jets.
Also, when it comes to heavy industries—steel, electronics, chemicals, green energy—China already leads. The economic results are clear. China is now the world’s second-largest economy, rapidly closing the gap with the US. The US and Europe complain about China flooding their markets with cheap products. Why? Because China produces so much, so quickly, and so efficiently that Western companies cannot compete.
So, when Indians claim they are about to overtake China, it is amusing. China produces about 30% of the world’s goods; India produces 3%. That is the reality. China’s factories don’t need lights, whereas India’s factories can’t keep the lights on. Damn! the lights just went out!! Kuknalim.
R. Francis Kikon,
Naharbari, Dimapur
Friday, April 3, 2026