Mr. Sagar Adani’s address at The Economist: Resilient Futures Summit – 29 April’26, New Delhi

Good morning and thank you for having me. It is truly a privilege to speak in front of such a distinguished audience.  I don’t think this summit—and its central theme—could come at a more important time. With everything we have learnt in the last few weeks, it is clear that in this century, access to energy will define resilience.  Today, resilience is no longer a concept confined to classrooms or simulated in war rooms.It is real. It is present. And it is affecting all of us—right now.  We’ve all seen how conflict in one region can disrupt supply chains across continents. We’ve all seen how shocks in energy markets can ripple through economies overnight. And in that world, the question for every nation is no longer just how fast can you grow—  It is: How well can you withstand disruptionAnd nowhere is that question more relevant—or more consequential—than in India.  India today is a nation defined by aspiration.  You see it everywhere—in young people stepping into a new economy, in farmers adapting to new realities, in entrepreneurs building with quiet confidence.

There is a deep, collective belief that the future can be better than the present.  But aspiration, by itself, does not build nations. It needs a foundation. And that foundation is energy.  If you step back and look at India’s development challenge, almost every major constraint converges into one:  Energy.  Water security needs energy—for desalination, treatment, and distribution. Food security needs energy—for fertilizers, irrigation, and logistics. Digital leadership needs energy—for data centers, AI, and computing infrastructure. Economic stability needs energy—to ensure that growth remains affordable for the common citizen.So if resilience is the goal, then abundant, reliable, and affordable energy is the foundation.

Let’s put the scale of India’s challenge into perspective.  On a per capita basis, India’s energy consumption is about one-third of the global average, and roughly one-fifth of China’s.  So if India is to become a developed economy by 2047, we are not talking about incremental growth.  We are talking about a structural leap.  We are talking about adding nearly 2,000 gigawatts of new capacity over the next two decades—  All while ensuring that this energy remains affordable, accessible, and increasingly clean.  That is the scale of the opportunity. And that is India’s defining challenge. When you look globally, countries that have built resilience at scale have always done one thing exceptionally well:  They have secured their energy foundations.  Most developed and prosperous nations are either energy independent, or have built deep, strategic energy partnerships. But we don’t have to look far to find a more relevant example.  China—despite being constrained in oil and gas—systematically invested in domestic capacity across coal, hydro, nuclear, and renewables, while simultaneously building strategic reserves and supply chains.  Yes, it remains dependent on global energy flows.  But the level of resilience it has built over the past two decades is remarkable.

And the outcome is not just energy security—  It is industrial strength, economic stability, and global competitiveness. For India, the path forward is clear. We must electrify everything.  We must reduce structural dependence on imported energy. And we must build an energy backbone anchored in resources that are available within the country.  Because electrification is not just more efficient—  It is India’s most credible path to long-term stability.  But electrification at scale demands one thing above all else: Massive growth in electricity supply. And this is where we must be pragmatic.  Renewables will—and must—scale rapidly. Storage technologies will continue to evolve.  But there are real constraints—particularly around land and intermittency.

Which means that to truly close the gap, India must adopt a portfolio approach.  We must fully leverage every energy source available to us:  Renewables. Hydro. Efficient thermal. And nuclear.  Because without firm, scalable baseload power, the math simply does not work.  This is not optional for India. It is inevitable. It would also be incomplete not to recognize the role that the government and the country’s leadership has played in enabling this journey. Over the past decade, India’s leadership has played an exceptional role in cutting red tape, getting rid of unnecessary and outdated regulations, revitalizing public undertakings and encouraging private enterprises. Countless macro and micro policy changes by the government has resulted in an environment where business can grow, flourish and prosper.  India has seen a clear, consistent, and increasingly execution-oriented policy direction.  From accelerating infrastructure development, to expanding renewable capacity, strengthening transmission networks, and enabling long-term investments—  There has been both clarity of intent and continuity of action. And that continuity is a critical enabler of resilience. Coming to the role of industry—and specifically, the Adani Group.

At our core, we see ourselves not just as operators of infrastructure, but as builders of India’s energy backbone for the next several decades.  Our Chairman, Gautam Adani, has committed over $100 billion towards the energy transition—one of the largest private-sector commitments globally.  But more importantly, this is not a set of isolated investments. It is an integrated strategy. We are building one of the world’s largest renewable energy portfolios. Investing in largescale energy storage. Expanding transmission networks to move power efficiently across the country. And developing green hydrogen ecosystems.  Beyond energy, our presence across ports, logistics, airports, and data centers is part of the same vision.

Because resilience is never built in silos. It is built through integrated systems. Energy powers industry. Logistics enables trade. Digital infrastructure drives productivity.  And when these systems work together, you don’t just create growth— You create durable resilience. So if I were to leave you with one thought, it would be this: The real question is not whether India will need more energy. That is already clear. The real question is: How fast can we build it? Because in the end, resilience is not built through intent alone. It is built through execution. Through the ability to create infrastructure at scale, at speed, and with purpose.  And if India gets this right—if we can deliver abundant, affordable, and clean energy at the scale required—  We will not just secure our own future. We will not just elevate 1.4 billion people.  We will help stabilize the future of the global economy. Because India does not operate in isolation. What happens here increasingly matters everywhere. That is the opportunity. And that, my friends, is our collective responsibility.

Thank you.