Adani Calls for India-Led Growth Strategy as Global Alliances Fracture

Dhanbad (Jharkhand), Dec 9: Adani Group chairman Gautam Adani on Tuesday stressed that India must define its own development trajectory as global alliances fragment and nations increasingly act in self-interest. He said India’s sovereignty in the 21st century will depend on its command over natural resources and energy systems.

Delivering the keynote address at the 100th foundation day celebrations of IIT (Indian School of Mines), Dhanbad, Adani said countries across the world are prioritising national self-preservation, making it imperative for India to build independent and resilient growth models.

“India’s sovereignty will depend on how well it masters its natural resources and energy systems. In a world marked by fractured global alliances, India must chart its own development course,” he said.

Drawing lessons from history, Adani referred to the destruction of Nalanda by Bakhtiyar Khilji and the British-era manipulation of education to weaken India, saying knowledge and narrative control have always shaped national strength. “India does not sell dreams; it transforms dreams into reality,” he said.

Warning against what he termed “narrative colonisation”, Adani said nations with the highest historical carbon emissions are now attempting to dictate how India should develop, despite the country being among the world’s lowest per-capita emitters. He described the present moment as India’s “second freedom struggle” — one focused on economic, energy and resource independence.

“If we do not control our own narrative, our aspirations will be delegitimised and our right to improve living standards portrayed as a global offence,” he said.

Highlighting India’s sustainability efforts, Adani noted that the country has already crossed 50 per cent non-fossil installed power capacity ahead of schedule. He criticised global ESG frameworks for ignoring per-capita emissions and historical responsibility, calling such assessments biased.

Referring to the Adani Group’s Carmichael coal mine project in Australia, Adani said it was pursued despite intense international opposition to secure India’s long-term energy needs. “We were vilified, dragged to courtrooms and pressured to abandon the project, but we persisted because it was about India’s energy security,” he said.

Adani also underlined the historical significance of IIT (ISM) Dhanbad, recalling that its establishment was envisioned even during British rule to strengthen India’s mining and geological capabilities. “A nation cannot rise without mastering the strength beneath its own soil,” he said.

During the event, Adani announced 50 annual paid internships for third-year students of IIT (ISM) Dhanbad and the establishment of an Adani 3S Mining Excellence Centre at the institute. Calling mining the backbone of modern economies, he said, “Without the so-called old economy, there can be no new economy.”

Urging students to think boldly, Adani encouraged them to become innovators and “custodians of the core” who will help build a confident, self-reliant India.