New Delhi, March 19 (IANS) India is not just building digital innovations to empower its citizens but also creating solutions that have the potential to transform global health and development, Bill Gates, Chair and Board Member of the Gates Foundation, said on Wednesday. Speaking at a global forum here, hosted by the CII in collaboration with the Gates Foundation and the Women’s Collective Forum, the billionaire philanthropist applauded India’s leadership in innovation, health and sustainability.

The forum brought together global industry leaders, policymakers, and investors to accelerate India’s role in driving scalable, sustainable, and technology-driven solutions for global challenges. Gates highlighted that India is building the future with its pioneering role in affordable healthcare, AI-powered diagnostics, and digital public infrastructure. He reinforced the importance of scaling India’s innovative solutions globally to address pressing challenges in emerging economies. Gates also highlighted India’s rapid advancements, calling its digital ecosystem, inclusive economic growth, and technological breakthroughs a model for the world.

“India has made significant progress in health and development through low-cost innovations,” he added. Looking ahead, Gates reaffirmed his Foundation’s commitment to working alongside Indian innovators, policymakers, and entrepreneurs to scale breakthroughs in AI, healthcare, and sustainable development globally. Smriti Irani, Chairperson, Alliance for Global Good Gender Equity and Equality, commended the Foundation and the leadership of Gates "for putting money where it really matters", while highlighting the critical role of investment for social innovation.

Calling it "a transformative force that reshapes societies", Irani spoke about the power of India in bringing forward low cost, tech-enabled solutions which are addressing critical global challenges of health, nutrition and food security, among others. Chandrajit Banerjee, Director General, CII, emphasised India’s pioneering role in digital public infrastructure, calling it a blueprint for the Global South. "The success of initiatives like the Ayushman Bharat health programme and digital financial inclusion, AI-powered agricultural solutions, proves that when policy and technology align, we can create scalable, sustainable solutions that serve as global benchmarks," Sanjiv Puri, CII President, added.

/IANS