by JD Rucker, Discern Report:
In late 2024, Bill Gates sparked outrage in India after describing the country as “a kind of laboratory to try things” during a podcast with Reid Hoffman. Gates emphasised the nation’s stability as a “testing ground” for global initiatives.
His remarks were widely condemned. Social media erupted, with many Indians accusing Gates of reducing their nation to a mere experimental ground for Western interests. Social media users labelled Indians as “guinea pigs” in Gates’ laboratory and questioned the ethics and motives behind such experimentation.
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A widely reported response on X captured the sentiment:
“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!”
(FCRA refers to the Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Act, which regulates foreign contributions to ensure they are not detrimental to the national interest.)
The controversy resurfaced with the 5 May 2025 announcement that India became the first country to officially release two genome-edited rice varieties: Kamala (DRR Dhan 100 Kamala) and Pusa DST Rice 1. These are not classified as genetically modified (GM) crops. Unlike traditional GM crops, which introduce foreign DNA, these gene-edited varieties use CRISPR-Cas SDN-1 and SDN-2 technologies to alter existing genes.
This distinction is heavily promoted by the agri-biotech industry in an attempt to ensure gene-edited crops bypass strict biosafety regulations and multi-year field trials required for GM crops. In 2022, the Indian government exempted such plants from hazardous substances rules under the Environment Protection Act.
Exempting gene-edited crops from rigorous biosafety assessments raises concerns about potential health and environmental risks. Despite this technology being praised by industry for its ‘precision’, this has more to do with PR than science. Even small genetic changes can have unpredictable effects. Indeed, Harvard biotechnologist George Church described CRISPR as “a blunt axe”, warning of serious unintended consequences and risks.
Critics argue that transparent, independent testing is essential before widespread adoption of gene-edited crops. The current regulatory exemption in India is seen as premature and potentially unlawful, especially as the Supreme Court continues to scrutinise agricultural gene editing. Campaigners claim regulatory agencies are under pressure from biotech interests to bypass safety protocols and marginalise public and scientific scrutiny.
Even though these varieties were developed by the ICAR (Indian Council for Agricultural Research), civil society groups, notably the Coalition for a GM-Free India, highlight that gene-editing tools like CRISPR/Cas9 are proprietary technologies, raising concerns about seed sovereignty and farmers’ rights. The underlying patents could increase corporate control over Indian agriculture and undermine farmers’ traditional rights to save and exchange seeds.
Concerns about proprietary rights and IPR are central to the criticism of gene-edited rice in India. The debate extends beyond biosafety and environmental risks to broader issues of farmer autonomy, seed sovereignty and the shift of control from public institutions to private patent holders.
Critics demand transparency regarding the intellectual property status of these new rice varieties and question the use of public resources via the ICAR in developing crops that may primarily benefit corporate interests. The lack of public disclosure about the development process, safety data and intellectual property details of these varieties is deeply problematic.