India Must Control Its Own Development Story, Says Gautam Adani

New Delhi, Dec 2025 : India must carve out its own development model and firmly resist external pressures that attempt to dictate its priorities, Adani Group Chairman Gautam Adani said on Tuesday.

Speaking at the centenary celebrations of the Indian Institute of Technology (Indian School of Mines), Dhanbad, he emphasised that true sovereignty in the 21st century will depend on how effectively a nation controls its natural resources and energy systems.

“Master the resources below our feet, and master the energy that fuels our rise,” Adani said, calling these the two fundamental pillars of India’s economic independence.

He cautioned that India must remain alert to global pressures seeking to influence its policy choices. If India does not shape its own narrative, he said, its developmental aspirations could be unfairly criticised and even portrayed as a “global offence.”

Adani criticised what he termed “narrative colonisation,” arguing that nations historically responsible for high emissions are now attempting to determine how developing countries should grow. He said that while India has remained one of the world’s lowest per-capita carbon emitters, it has still managed to exceed global expectations by achieving more than 50 per cent non-fossil power capacity ahead of schedule.

However, he warned that global ESG ratings often fail to consider per-capita emissions or historical responsibility, creating a skewed picture of India’s sustainability performance.

Calling this phase of the nation’s journey India’s “Second Freedom Struggle”—a fight for economic and resource sovereignty—Adani said mining, minerals, and earth sciences would be central to India’s future strengths. “People may call mining the old economy. But without it, there is no new economy,” he said, stressing the sector’s foundational role in every modern industry.

Adani also reflected on the origins of IIT (ISM) Dhanbad. The institute, he noted, was set up more than a century ago based on the Indian National Congress’s recommendation during British rule, recognising the need to build India’s capability in mining and geology. This foresight, he said, came from a deep cultural understanding that a nation cannot progress without mastering the wealth of its own soil.

During the event, Adani announced two major initiatives for the institute:
• A yearly programme offering 50 paid internships, along with pre-placement opportunities for students.
• The Adani 3S Mining Excellence Centre, to be developed with TEXMiN, featuring state-of-the-art technologies such as metaverse labs, drone fleets, seismic sensing tools and advanced precision mining systems.

Urging students to “dream fearlessly, act relentlessly,” Gautam Adani called on young engineers and researchers to drive innovation and contribute to a self-reliant India. He said they must become “custodians of the core,” strengthening the nation’s sovereign capabilities and helping define its future trajectory.

Team Maverick