Adani calls for India to define its own development path at IIT–ISM Dhanbad Centenary

THEBUSINESSBYTES BUREAU

DHANBAD, DECEMBER 9, 2025

Adani Group Chairman Gautam Adani on Monday urged India to chart its own development course at a time when global alliances are fracturing and nations are prioritising self-preservation. Speaking at the centenary celebrations of the Indian Institute of Technology (Indian School of Mines) Dhanbad, he said India must “do only what is best for India,” resisting external pressures and building sovereign capabilities in resources, energy and technology.

Adani said the nature of sovereignty in the 21st century would be determined by how effectively a nation commands its natural resources and energy architecture. He noted that IIT–ISM itself was founded on a historic act of national foresight: more than a century ago, under British rule, the Indian National Congress had recommended the creation of an institute capable of developing India’s strength in mining and geology. This, he said, reflected a fundamental civilisational truth — that no nation can rise without mastering the power of its own soil.

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

Warning against what he termed “narrative colonisation,” Adani said countries responsible for historic emissions were now attempting to influence how developing nations pursue growth. India, he asserted, must shape its own narrative and safeguard its right to progress. “If we do not control our own narrative,” he said, “our aspirations will be delegitimised and our right to improve our standard of living portrayed as a global offence.”

Citing global data, Adani said India remains among the world’s lowest per-capita emitters even as it has surpassed its target of achieving over 50% non-fossil installed capacity. Attempts to downplay India’s sustainability achievements without considering per-capita emissions or historical responsibility, he said, reflect inherent biases in global ESG frameworks.

Adani also spoke about the Group’s Carmichael mine in Australia, describing it as a project built to strengthen India’s energy security despite facing “one of the most contested environmental and political battles of the century.” Simultaneously, he highlighted the Group’s extensive renewable energy investments, including the 30 GW Khavda renewable energy park in Gujarat, portions of which are already operational.

Marking the centenary, he announced two initiatives for IIT (ISM) Dhanbad: an annual programme offering 50 paid internships with pre-placement opportunities, and the establishment of the Adani 3S Mining Excellence Centre in collaboration with TEXMiN. The centre will feature metaverse laboratories, drone fleets, seismic sensing systems and advanced precision-mining technologies.

Calling this era India’s “Second Freedom Struggle” — a battle for economic and resource sovereignty — Adani said mining, minerals and earth sciences would shape the nation’s future capabilities. “People may call mining the old economy,” he said. “But without it, there is no new economy.” He urged students to “dream fearlessly, act relentlessly,” embrace innovation and help build a self-reliant nation by becoming “custodians of the core” who strengthen India’s sovereign foundations.