China’s latest moves in AI and military tech are making waves globally, but in India, the discussion has taken an unexpected turn—into sarcasm, frustration, and a social media firestorm.
A post on X by @sandeep_PT sparked the debate by contrasting China’s high-tech advancements with India’s recent headlines. “Past 30 days, what we heard on China—Defence: 6th Gen Fighter Jets, Science: Artificial Sun prototype, Trade: $1 trillion surplus, AI: DeepSeek upended US giants. What did you hear about India?” he wrote, urging responses.
The post landed amid China’s aggressive push in cutting-edge fields. Beijing recently tested two sixth-generation stealth fighter jets, outpacing the US, whose own sixth-gen fleet isn’t expected until the 2030s. China also stunned the AI world with DeepSeek, an advanced chatbot rivalling top American models. These developments come as China braces for potential economic tariffs from Washington.
Social media, however, wasn’t interested in policy analysis. Users fired back with a mix of satire and defence of India’s progress. One user mocked the nation’s priorities: “Amazing things have happened in India these past 30 days—Defence: Debating whether to tax fighter jets or just tax the air they fly in. Science: New solar panel tax to ensure the sun doesn’t shine too brightly on businesses. Trade: Busy calculating GST on the surplus. AI: AI developed to remind us to pay taxes on time.”
Another piled on: “1. Gomutra importance by IIT professor. 2. Mahakumbh dip by Elon Musk, Putin and other white skin people. 3. Coldplay – Modi stadium. 4. Amit Shah and Yogi playing in Ganga – fantastic camaraderie.”
Not everyone joined in the sarcasm. A counterpoint emerged, defending India’s trajectory: “1. Fastest growing economy. 2. 2nd largest road network. 3. Largest ever created solar park—3 times the size of Paris. 4. Cheapest space exploration program. 5. The only nation allied with Russia, China, and America.”
The debate highlights the sharp divide in how Indians perceive the nation’s progress. Some see India holding its own in global economics, while others worry about misplaced priorities.