‘No 5pm, no weekends’: Piyush Goyal under fire for Indian work ethic pitch

The brief was simple. Pitch India as a great business investment destination to Europe. The Union Minister of Commerce and Industry, Piyush Goyal, pitched with such enthusiasm that he ended up putting himself and the Indian system itself in hot water.

Perhaps it was a generation gap, or maybe Goyal was simply joking when he pitched Indian workers as ‘hardworking’ at a meeting with industry leaders in the Netherlands on Monday.

He said, and I quote: “(Indians are) Willing to work hard. Nobody in India will tell you it is 5 o’clock. And certainly, no Indian will ever remind you it is the weekend! And that’s what I bring to the table. Economies of scale, for your business to grow into a dimension you probably can never even imagine. Because everything in India is to scale.”

Just what you need when Gen Z is already up in arms!

Video clips circulating online show Goyal playing to the gallery, and how he was probably a bit carried away. This was not the first time he had pitched India against Europe’s supposedly stringent legislation, social or environmental, emphasising India’s edge as an attractive investment destination.

In fact, just a few days ago in Germany, Goyal lambasted the European Union’s carbon tax, warning it would raise the cost of living in Europe and ultimately outprice EU goods in global trade. He contrasted India’s genuine economic competitive strengths with Europe’s forced regulatory compliance.

However, unlike this comment on competitiveness in general, the latest did touch a raw nerve amidst Indian professionals, already beset by a uncertain future thanks to the onslaught of AI, unsavoury work conditions, low pay and hikes as well as layoffs. So when Goyal delved directly into the Indian corporate culture of long hours of working, touting it as a strength, the reaction was swift and unmerciful.

“A minister just pitched Indian workers as people who have surrendered the right to rest. Not as skilled labour. As servile labour,” one X user wrote, adding, “The ILO flags India among the world's most overworked nations. This man sees that as a selling point.”

While one social media user called it selling slavery, another billed it “some Narayanamurthy level BS”, referring to the Infosys co-founder’s infamous statement last year or so where he pushed for 70-hour work weeks. More industry tycoons joined the parade, including L&T chief SN Subramanyan who pushed for 90 hours including Sundays, quipping, “How long can you sit and stare at your wife!”

The issue also gained political colours, with the opposition Congress jumping in to call out the minister. Congress leader Karti Chidambaram reacted, saying, “Ridiculous to tout our lack of professional work hour boundaries as strength. Shows the lack of respect & dignity we have for our hardworking citizens.”

Goyal did find support from industry doyens like Shark Tank fame Ashneer Grover and RPG honcho Harsh Goenka, the latter arguing that the minister had “a serious point” and that “it is work ethic that gives India an edge.” However, the comments drew sharp rebuke from young India.