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Journalism of Courage
Microsoft co-founder and philanthropist Bill Gates was the chief guest at the Express Adda in Mumbai, where he had a wide-ranging chat with The Indian Express Group Executive Director Anant Goenka. From India’s clean energy ambitions to global technological shifts, Gates shared his thoughts on the challenges and opportunities ahead.
Asked why developing nations seem to be making more progress than wealthier countries on climate targets, Gates said, “Developing countries didn’t promise much to begin with, which helped.” While acknowledging the tricky balance between expanding access to energy and cutting emissions, Gates conceded that getting power to poorer nations—even if it involves fossil fuels—remained essential. “It’s a pity that providing more energy and cutting emissions seem to be at odds with each other,” he said. “In the short term, giving energy to poorer countries is hugely beneficial, even if it involves hydrocarbons, natural gas, or even coal,” he said.
Looking to the future, he voiced confidence in new technologies. “Solar plus storage, nuclear fission or fusion—these could all become very cheap, and there’s some great progress happening. It just doesn’t move as fast as we would like,” he said. Talking about energy storage, he said, “There are different approaches I’m investing in, and I think one of them will work.” He said that “nuclear fission has been far too expensive,” while “fusion, well, it doesn’t exist yet,” but said he expects it to become a viable, low-cost solution “by the late 2030s.”
Recognising India’s rapid shift towards renewable energy, Gates said, “That 50% renewable energy target is really impressive.” However, he pointed out that India’s electricity demand is set to increase fivefold, meaning emissions will keep rising despite clean energy efforts. “Carbon emissions from India will go up. The energy demand here is huge—you’re going to need five times the electricity capacity. And that’s, well, fantastic.”
“The sooner you achieve that, the better. And the more we can keep emissions down, the better. That’s why you are right to focus on it,” he said.
On India’s growing role in renewable energy, he said, “China leads in installing renewable energy, and India must be very close behind.” He also said that time is an advantage: “The cost of solar isn’t at rock bottom yet. It will get cheaper. The key question is: when will it be cheaper than coal?”
Reflecting on China’s progress in clean energy, Gates pointed out its strengths in electronics, batteries, and solar technology. “China has built deep research capabilities through strong universities, and the same thing is happening in India,” he said, adding that India could build on China’s achievements: “It’s actually easier for India, as it moves forward, to make affordable solar panels and batteries. You’ve got the roadmap they’ve laid out, and you can match or even improve on it.”
Gates expressed disappointment over how geopolitical tensions are slowing progress in clean energy. “It’s a real pity that the US-China tensions mean access to these technologies is so restricted,” he said. Taking the example of electric vehicles, he explained, “Tariffs are high enough that there just won’t be many Chinese EVs sold in the US.”
Beyond energy, Gates praised India’s leadership in digital public infrastructure (DPI), calling it a “remarkable achievement” backed by strong government support. “From the Prime Minister down, the government has backed this. And it’s remarkable—whether it’s banking, government benefits, cutting financial overheads, or providing a platform for startups to build on. It’s enabled services in insurance, stock trading, you name it.”
Regarding India’s impact on vaccine production, he acknowledged that companies such as Serum Institute, Bharat Biotech, and BioE now manufacture over 60% of the world’s vaccines. “Since the start of this century… India has taken over 60% of global vaccine production,” he said. He pointed to advances in diagnostics, AI, agriculture, and biofertilisers as further proof of India’s growing role in global innovation.
Gates ended on an optimistic note, describing India as a key player in solving global challenges through innovation. “We’re seeing India emerge as a major hub for innovation, tackling these problems on a domestic level,” he said. “And the Gates Foundation will play a role—just as we did in DPI—helping other countries build the expertise to follow India’s example through what’s often called South-South partnerships.”
Asked about his visit to India, he said, “This is my fourth day here, and I’m leaving feeling incredibly encouraged. This idea of India being a rising force in innovation—it’s not an exaggeration. In fact, it’s happening even faster than I expected. And that’s fantastic.”
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