Highlights of Rahul Gandhi’s Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) Speech:

• It is an honour for me to be here today
• A hundred years ago, India was an energy, a force
• As the energy moved from India and goes abroad, you are the cutting edge, you are the people who tell the world what this is about
• Huge part of what India is, is due to you
• Industry has done a tremendous job in last few years
• India is bursting with dreams, brave ideas
• When I went to college in 1991, people asked me if elephants walked on the streets of India.... No one asks that now
• As we talk here a billion people are breaking their shackles
• We are sitting on an unstoppable tide of human aspiration
• We need to use energy generated by movement of people and ideas and help everybody
• Govt alone cannot build infrastructure
• Millions of youngsters are everyday struggling with optimism
• A billion people are breaking their shackles, taking their place under the sun
• Today we are mortgaging our future because large part of our education and training is based on defunct ideas
• Our problem is the lack of training and skills
• Why is it that degree from Harvard costs the same as much as capitation fee of a medical college in Lucknow?
• For the young difference between aspiration and empowerment is a job
• You are the people who will take the lead in creation of jobs - what the govt can do is improve the playing field
• What is it that we should worry about? The biggest danger is excluding people - women, the minorities, dalits, tribals
• Our economic vision must be more than money, it must be about compassion. Embracing the excluded is essential
• India will move forward with inclusive growth that embraces everyone
• Inclusive growth is a win-win for everybody
• There are some problems that need exponential solutions; whenever India has done well it has done so not by incremental change but by radically altering structures
• I invite business to unleash entrepreneurship, jobs and skills
• We are readying ourselves for a new political architecture
• I have come here to forge a long-term partnership with you to take this country forward
• Let us build brave new empowered India together

Reactions from Industry Leaders to Rahul Gandhi’s Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) Speech:
"It was an outstanding speech... a level 5 speech. He understood importance of technology and inclusion... gives us hope as future leader."- Sunil Bharti Mittal, Chairman, Bharti Airtel

“He was very clear. He was invited here to speak about his views on the future of the country, his views on the long term, and not about economy. We've invited the Prime Minister, we've invited Cabinet minister, we've invited Secretaries to the government and many other people, say state chief ministers for their views on the economy. But Rahul Gandhi was requested to address the plenary session on his general views which he did in a superb manner. And I think it was very well accepted by the audience.”- Adi Godrej, Chairman, Godrej Group