Bill Gates Meets PM Modi, Praises India's Innovation Driving Local and Global Development

Bill Gates, co-founder of Microsoft, said on Wednesday that he is impressed by how India's innovation is driving "progress locally -- and globally" as he met with Prime Minister Narendra Modi and discussed a variety of topics including technology, innovation, and sustainability. Gates also met with Union Health Minister J P Nadda to discuss the government-Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation collaboration in the healthcare sector.

On the sidelines of the Raisina Dialogue, the philanthropist also met with External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar, who said they had a meaningful discussion.

"Discussed development challenges, the promise of innovation, and the relevance of India," Jaishankar wrote in X.

Additionally, Gates met with N Chandrababu Naidu, the chief minister of Andhra Pradesh, where they talked about leveraging AI and predictive analytics to enhance healthcare, education, agriculture, and job creation.

After meeting Modi, Gates stated on X, "I had a great discussion with Narendra Modi about India's development, the path to Viksit Bharat @ 2047, and exciting advancements in health, agriculture, AI, and other sectors that are having an impact today." It's impressive to see how innovation in India is propelling progress both locally and globally."

The Prime Minister stated, "As always, an excellent meeting with Bill Gates. We discussed a variety of topics, including technology, innovation, and sustainability, with the goal of creating a better future for future generations.

In a post on X, Nadda highlighted India's progress in areas such as maternal health, immunization, and sanitation thanks to the Gates Foundation.

"I met with Mr Bill Gates, the founder of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, during his visit to India today. We discussed the remarkable progress India has made in healthcare, particularly in maternal health, immunization, and sanitation, through our collaboration with the foundation."

"I acknowledged the Foundation's valuable support in strengthening health systems and driving impactful initiatives," Nadda said.

"We look forward to renewing our memorandum of cooperation, furthering our shared commitment to ensuring affordable, accessible and quality healthcare for all the citizens," he added.

Following his meeting with Gates, Naidu praised the Gates Foundation's role in achieving the vision of 'Swarna Andhra Pradesh 2047', the state's long-term developmental goal.

"We believe this partnership with the Gates Foundation will play a crucial role in empowering our people and achieving this goal," Naidu said.

Gates also went to Parliament on Wednesday, where the Budget Session is currently underway.

Gates met with Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chauhan on Monday, and their discussions included topics such as food security, rural development, and the use of AI and machine learning in agriculture.

"The Gates Foundation has been working with the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, and we are planning new areas of cooperation," Chauhan stated.