Kharagpur (West Bengal) [India], August 18 : Adani Group Chairman Gautam Adani called on India's youth to carry forward the spirit of India's freedom struggle by striving for self-reliance in critical sectors such as technology, energy, data, and defence. He was addressing students on the 75th foundation day of the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Kharagpur.
Referring to India's import dependence on semiconductors, military equipment and energy, Gautam Adani told the students that it was now time "we must fight for the freedom of self-reliance, the freedom of Atmanirbharta".
"In terms of technology dependence, 90 per cent of our semiconductors are imported. One disruption or sanction can freeze our digital economy. In the case of energy vulnerability, we import 85 per cent of our oil. A single geopolitical incident can restrict our growth. When our data crosses India's border, every bit of this data becomes raw material for foreign algorithms, creates foreign wealth and strengthens foreign dominance. In the case of military dependence, many of our critical systems are imported, bringing our national security under the political will of other nations. This is the freedom, we must now fight for, the freedom of self-reliance, the freedom of Atmanirbharta, if we are to be truly free," he noted.
Gautam Adani said it was his first visit to Kharagpur. He expressed his respect and humility standing on the same grounds where many freedom fighters were once imprisoned.
"This is my first visit to Kharagpur and I was deeply moved to learn that this very ground was a witness towards the nation's struggle for freedom. It is indeed humbling to stand here where many of India's courageous freedom fighters were once imprisoned, some younger than the students before me today...That cry of 'Vande Mataram' was more than a slogan. It was a promise, sealed in blood and sacrifice, a promise of India's unbreakable resolve and a promise that freedom would live on beyond those who gave their lives for us," Gautam Adani said.
He recalled how slogans like "Vande Mataram" represented not only the call for independence but also a promise of India's determination to remain free.
"That cry of 'Vande Mataram' was more than a slogan. It was a promise, sealed in blood and sacrifice, a promise of India's unbreakable resolve and a promise that freedom would live on beyond those who gave their lives for us," he said.
Gautam Adani also said that the nature of wars had changed, shifting from conventional battlefields to technology-driven domains, stressing need to change with the demands of the time.
"The wars that we have to fight today are often invisible, they are fought in server farms and not in trenches. The weapons are algorithms, not guns. The empires are not built on land; they are built in data centres. The armies are botnets and not battalions," he said.
The Adani Group Chairman credited the government for laying the foundation of India's modern economy through initiatives ranging from Chandrayaan mission and Aadhaar to UPI, vaccine research, freight corridors, and renewable energy grids.
"From ISRO's Chandrayaan to Aadhaar, from UPI to vaccine research, from freight corridors to our renewable grids, it is worth reflecting that it is the government that has built the foundation of our modern economy," he said.
In conclusion, Gautam Adani urged the IIT Kharagpur students to align their ambitions with the country's growth story.
"If you align your ambitions with India's rise, the peak of your careers will unfold alongside the peak of India's power. By 2050, when you are in your prime, you will be part of a USD 25 trillion Indian economy, shaping global debates, writing the rules, and setting the pace for the future. No other nation offers its youth an opportunity of this scale. There has never been a better time to be an Indian," the industrialist said.