'We Indians are guinea pigs...': Bill Gates calls India a 'laboratory', triggers outrage

Bill Gates triggered an outrage on X after he called India a "kind of laboratory to try things" during a podcast with Reid Hoffman. 

The clip, which went viral, drew criticism from Indian commentators accusing the billionaire of insensitivity in his remarks about the country.

“India is an example of a country where plenty of things are difficult — health, education, nutrition is improving, and they are stable enough and generating their own government revenue enough that it’s very likely that 20 years from now people will be dramatically better off. It’s kind of a laboratory to try things that, when proven in India, can be applied elsewhere,” Gates said during the podcast.

Critics were quick to react, with one user writing, “India is a laboratory, and we Indians are guinea pigs for Bill Gates. This person has managed everyone from the government to opposition parties to the media. His office operates here without FCRA, and our education system has made him a hero! I don’t know when we will wake up!”

Another user posted, “The human beings in India are samples for Bill Gates’ laboratory. This clip doesn’t sound right no matter in what context you hear this.”

Despite the criticism, Gates expressed admiration for India’s progress and innovation during the same podcast. “Our biggest non-US office for the Foundation is in India, and the most number of pilot rollout projects we’re doing anywhere in the world are with partners in India,” he noted.

He further added, “If you go there and you’ve never been, you might think, whoa, this is a chaotic place, and you’re not used to so many levels of income all being on the street at the same time. But you will get a sense of vibrancy.”

While many slammed Gates, others defended him, pointing out his contributions to global health and development. “I genuinely don’t understand this conspiracy theory attitude against Bill Gates in India. There’s no guinea pig-style experiments for vaccines happening in India, period,” one user commented.

Earlier this year, Gates visited India, meeting Prime Minister Narendra Modi and praising the country’s efforts to tackle malnutrition. He described India’s acknowledgment of its challenges as “impressive,” saying, “For its income level, India deserves an A for its focus on solving nutritional issues.”