Bill Gates 'More Optimistic than Ever' About India's Progress After Meeting PM Modi

Microsoft co-founder and philanthropist Bill Gates praised India’s advancements in fields like health, development, and climate and said the country is setting an example for what can be achieved through investment in innovation. Gates made the statement after he met Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday during his trip to India.

Modi tweeted on Saturday, “Delighted to meet Bill Gates and have extensive discussions on key issues. His humility and passion to create a better as well as more sustainable planet are clearly visible.”

Gates commended India for its “amazing ability to manufacture lots of safe, effective, and affordable vaccines, some of them supported by the Gates Foundation” and said they saved millions of lives during the Covid-19 pandemic and prevented other diseases around the world.

Gates, who is co-chair of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, said in a write-up, “At a time when the world has so many challenges, it’s inspiring to visit a dynamic and creative place like India.” Despite limited travel opportunities due to the pandemic over the past three years, Gates stated that he has maintained contact with Modi, particularly regarding the development of Covid vaccines and investments in India’s health systems.

According to Gates, India has developed new life-saving tools and demonstrated exceptional proficiency in their delivery. Its public health system has successfully administered over 2.2 billion doses of Covid vaccines, he said, noting that India’s Co-WIN open-source platform enabled people to schedule billions of vaccine appointments and obtain digital certificates of vaccination.

“Prime Minister Modi believes that Co-WIN is a model for the world, and I agree,” he said.

Gates observed that India transferred emergency digital payments to 300 million people, including 200 million women, during the pandemic. “This was only possible because India has made financial inclusion a priority, investing in a digital ID system (called Aadhaar) and creating innovative platforms for digital banking. It’s a reminder that financial inclusion is a fantastic investment,” he said.

He praised the Gati Shakti program and called it a great example of how digital technology can enhance government operations. He emphasised that the program effectively connects 16 ministries, encompassing rail and roads, to enable them to integrate infrastructure plans and expedite the work of Indian scientists and engineers.

Gates said he discussed with Modi India’s G20 presidency this year and added that it’s an excellent opportunity to highlight ways in which innovations developed in the country can benefit the world and help other countries adopt them.

He said that supporting these efforts — especially spreading its digital ID and payments systems to other places — is a high priority for the foundation.

“My conversation with the Prime Minister left me more optimistic than ever about the progress that India is making in health, development, and climate. The country is showing what’s possible when we invest in innovation. I hope India will continue this progress and share its innovations with the world,” Gates said. He also endorsed the government’s push for millets and said they are indeed a super food, as put by Modi. They are also water-efficient and heat tolerant, he said.

“I even got to taste millet khichdi, a type of porridge, at a ‘Godh Bharai’ ceremony — similar to a baby shower — for two women hosted by the Ministry of Women and Child Development,” he said.

His discussion with the prime minister also touched on the issue of climate change.

“We’ve been working together on climate for years — India is a key partner in Mission Innovation, the program launched in 2015 to accelerate work on clean energy technologies. I’m looking forward to getting together with the MI partners during the COP28 Summit this December to accelerate the development of new sources of affordable, reliable clean energy,” he said.

Gates also lauded India’s efforts to eliminate deadly and debilitating diseases like tuberculosis, visceral leishmaniasis and lymphatic filariasis.

“He (PM Modi) told me about a fascinating movement taking shape in India: Communities are ‘adopting’ TB patients to make sure they get the nutrition and care they need. India has used a similar approach with HIV, and it’s been shown to produce lasting results,” Gates said.

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