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2 min readNew DelhiFeb 20, 2026 05:43 AM IST
Facing renewed scrutiny over his ties to the late Jeffrey Epstein, the convicted sex offender and financier, Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates withdrew from a scheduled keynote address to the India AI Impact Summit in New Delhi Thursday.
Without citing any reason, the Gates Foundation, in a statement hours before the address, said: “After careful consideration, and to ensure the focus remains on the AI Summit’s key priorities, Mr Gates will not be delivering his keynote address. The Gates Foundation will be represented by Ankur Vora, President of Africa and India Offices, who will speak later today at the Summit.”
“The Gates Foundation remains fully committed to our work in India to advance our shared health and development goals,” it stated.
The announcement came as a surprise because two days ago, the Gates Foundation had said Bill Gates would attend the AI Impact Summit and deliver his keynote address as planned.
Gates arrived in India on February 16. His first stop was Amaravati in Andhra Pradesh where he met Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu, Deputy Chief Minister K Pawan Kalyan and senior state officials.
While Gates was being feted in Andhra Pradesh, shadows were gathering over his Delhi visit. There was already talk about his participation at the AI summit given that he had been named in documents related to Epstein which were released by the US Department of Justice. Gates admitted to meeting Epstein but denied any improper conduct.
On February 17, IT Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw was asked at a press conference whether Gates would be participating in the summit. In response, he said, “Regarding who’s attending, who’s not attending… that’s personal choices which people make, (about) which we should not comment, and I need not comment on that.”
Soumyarendra Barik is a Special Correspondent with The Indian Express, specializing in the complex and evolving intersection of technology, policy, and society. With over five years of newsroom experience, he is a key voice in documenting how digital transformations impact the daily lives of Indian citizens. Expertise & Focus Areas Barik’s reporting delves into the regulatory and human aspects of the tech world. His core areas of focus include: The Gig Economy: He extensively covers the rights and working conditions of gig workers in India. Tech Policy & Regulation: Analysis of policy interventions that impact Big Tech companies and the broader digital ecosystem. Digital Rights: Reporting on data privacy, internet freedom, and India's prevalent digital divide. Authoritativeness & On-Ground Reporting: Barik is known for his immersive and data-driven approach to journalism. A notable example of his commitment to authentic storytelling involves him tailing a food delivery worker for over 12 hours. This investigative piece quantified the meager earnings and physical toll involved in the profession, providing a verified, ground-level perspective often missing in tech reporting. Personal Interests Outside of the newsroom, Soumyarendra is a self-confessed nerd about horology (watches), follows Formula 1 racing closely, and is an avid football fan. Find all stories by Soumyarendra Barik here. ... Read More
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