3 min readFeb 14, 2025 08:15 PM IST
First published on: Feb 14, 2025 at 08:15 PM IST
Prime Minister Narendra Modi said he did not discuss the bribery charges against Gautam Adani during his meeting with US President Donald Trump, the PTI reported.
At a press briefing at the White House, Modi was asked whether he raised the issue of indictment of Adani and his key associates in a New York court over the alleged bribery scheme during his meeting with US President Donald Trump. “Firstly, India is a democratic country, and our culture and our thought philosophy is, ‘Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam’. We consider the whole world as one family. I believe every Indian is mine,” Modi said.
He added that such “individual issues” are not discussed at meetings between world leaders. “Two prominent leaders of two countries never discuss such individual issues,” he said, as per PTI.
Meanwhile, Trump did not make any mention of the case during the press conference.
What is the Adani case?
The Adani Group has denied the allegations on the case. (Reuters photo)
Last year, the US Department of Justice (DoJ), under then-President Joe Biden, charged Adani for allegedly participating in a scheme to pay over USD 250 million (approximately Rs 2,100 crore) in bribes to Indian officials to secure favorable terms for solar power contracts.
The alleged concealment of these payments from US banks and investors led to legal action under the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA).
The Adani Group has denied these allegations, calling them baseless.
Trump’s executive order on Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA)
The decision to pause FCPA enforcement is seen as a potential relief for the Adani Group. (File representational photo)
Earlier this month, President Trump signed an executive order directing the DoJ to pause enforcement of the 1977 Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA), a law that prohibits bribery of foreign officials by American and foreign firms to obtain business advantages.
The order instructed US Attorney General Pam Bondi to review enforcement guidelines and policies related to FCPA within a 180-day period.
During this time, the DoJ is to halt new FCPA investigations or enforcement actions unless an exception is granted by the Attorney General. The order also mandates a review of ongoing FCPA investigations to ensure proper enforcement limits and align them with presidential foreign policy objectives.
Following the review, the Attorney General will determine whether additional actions, including remedial measures, are necessary regarding past FCPA cases.
The decision to pause FCPA enforcement is seen as a potential relief for the Adani Group, though the final stance of the DoJ remains uncertain pending the review’s outcome.
Trump’s move to reevaluate FCPA enforcement could have significant ramifications for US-led anti-corruption efforts and ongoing cases. The review’s findings and subsequent policy shifts will determine the future course of such investigations, including those involving the Adani Group.
(With inputs from PTI)
Donald Trump and Narendra Modi in the Oval Office of the White House. (AP photo) 
The Adani Group has denied the allegations on the case. (Reuters photo)
The decision to pause FCPA enforcement is seen as a potential relief for the Adani Group. (File representational photo)
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