Bill Gates, Indian ministers discuss AI, health, agriculture

Former Microsoft CEO Bill Gates visits Parliament House, in New Delhi, on Wednesday. Pic/PTI

Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates on Wednesday met Union Health Minister J P Nadda and reviewed the collaboration between the government and the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation in the healthcare sector.

In a post on X, Nadda highlighted the strides India has made in areas such as maternal health, immunisation, and sanitation with the Gates Foundation's support.

"Met with Mr Bill Gates, founder of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, during his visit to India today. We discussed the remarkable progress India has achieved in healthcare, particularly in maternal health, immunisation, and sanitation, through our collaboration with the Foundation," Nadda said.

Gates also held discussions with Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu on leveraging Artificial Intelligence (AI) and predictive analytics to improve service delivery in the fields of healthcare, education, agriculture, and employment generation.

After his meeting with Gates, Naidu in a post on X lauded the role of the Gates Foundation in realising the vision of ‘Swarna Andhra Pradesh 2047' - a long-term developmental goal of the state.

On Monday, Gates met Union Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chauhan who said the discussions covered a range of topics, including food security, rural development and the application of AI and Machine Learning in agriculture.

AI mission

India AI Mission and Gates Foundation will soon sign an Memorandum of Understanding (MoU).

The India AI Mission focuses on developing AI applications in critical sectors such as agriculture, healthcare, weather forecasting, and disaster management. Speaking at an event in New Delhi, Gates hailed India's achievements in the field of Artificial Intelligence (AI) adding that India's leadership in AI will drive innovation worldwide.

Addressing the - Future Forward - an action-driven forum that brings together global industry leaders, policymakers, investors, and changemakers to drive real-world collaboration and impact event said, "Similar to how DPI (Digital Public Infrastructure) has garnered global attention, India's leadership in AI will drive innovation worldwide."

Gates said that he's spoken to Minister of Electronics and Information Technology Ashwini Vaishnaw to ensure the participation of India in upcoming AI Summit to benefit countries, especially from the Global South. He said that AI will accelerate advancements in areas like mRNA vaccines, agricultural innovation, and the fight against malnutrition.

Gates also hailed capabilities of Indian companies in developing low-cost, high-quality vaccines and the country's healthcare sector.

Gates also visited Parliament on Wednesday where the Budget Session is presently underway.

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