Gautam Adani, The chairman of Adani Group Chairman, on Thursday said that India will be a USD 25 trillion economy by 2050. Addressing students at Indian Institute of Management (IIM) Lucknow, he said that the country’s growth will create unprecedented opportunities for the youth.
“What I can say with certainty is that your best years will be India’s best years. Your career and our country will rise together, you will not be looking at a USD 5 or 10 trillion economy, you will be looking at an India that would be a USD 25 trillion powerhouse by 2050,” he said.
Mundra Port Struggles and Milestone
Adani shared his personal and professional journey, recounting decisions and the challenges that shaped Adani Group’s growth. He recalled the struggles of Mundra Port.
“When I first announced my intention to build a port, most people thought I had lost my mind… When I presented the idea, some of the bankers laughed and how do you expect us to finance a land that is underwater?… Mundra had no access, no industry, no precedent… Maps will only take you where someone has already been, but to build something truly new, you need a compass that points to the possibilities.”
Mundra Port in Gujarat is now the largest private port in India and became the first Indian port to handle over 200 million metric tonnes (MMT) of cargo in 2024-25. Adani Ports and Special Economic Zone (APSEZ) reported its highest-ever cargo handling in March 2025, with 41.5 million tonnes processed and an annual growth of 9%, the company had said in April.
Rebuilding Dharavi to Rebuild Dignity
Adani also spoke about Dharavi Redevelopment Project, calling it one of the biggest urban renewal projects in the country.“Dharavi is Asia’s largest slum… Every time I fly to Mumbai, the slums below disturb my conscience, as no nation can rise when so many of its people live without dignity. Many people told me that Dharavi is too political, too risky and unmanageable and that is why I said we must do it. Rebuilding Dharavi is not about laying bricks of yet another slum redevelopment program; it’s about rebuilding dignity for those one million people who built Mumbai but never benefited from it.”
The master plan aims to preserve the soul of Dharavi while making it a modern, global district with better infrastructure and public amenities. Dharavi Redevelopment Project (DRP) is about improving the ‘live-work’ of residents and their quality of life.