Overview
- Hours before his scheduled address in New Delhi, the Gates Foundation announced Bill Gates would not deliver the keynote and said Ankur Vora spoke in his place, reiterating the foundation’s commitment to its India work.
- In the days leading up to the event, Indian officials signaled he was not expected to attend even as the foundation initially maintained he would participate as planned.
- Government sources told Indian media they concluded a Gates speech could overshadow the conference, prompting the change to avoid distracting from the agenda.
- The withdrawal followed renewed media focus after a U.S. Justice Department release of Epstein-related documents; Gates has denied wrongdoing and called specific claims “absolutely absurd and completely false.”
- The high-profile summit featuring top tech and global leaders also drew criticism for organizational lapses, including traffic disruptions, theft complaints, poor WiFi, and a university showcasing a Chinese-made robot dog as its own.