PM Narendra Modi says he didn't discuss Gautam Adani's issue with Donald Trump: ‘When it comes to personal matters…’
PM Modi is on a two-day visit to the US, where he met US President Trump and billionaire Elon Musk, apart from other top government and business leaders.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi said he did not discuss the bribery charges that the US government had levelled against billionaire Gautam Adani during his meeting with US President Donald Trump.
Speaking at a joint news conference with Trump, PM Modi said, “Firstly, India is a democratic country, and our culture and our thought philosophy is, ‘Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam,’ which basically means that the entire world is a family.”
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He went on to say that the charges against Adani are “personal matters”. “And when it comes to such personal matters, two leaders of two countries will not get together on the topic and discuss anything on an individual matter,” PM Modi remarked.
President Trump made no mention of the case during the presser.
What is the case about?
US prosecutors have charged Adani, Asia’s second-richest man, of allegedly helping arrange bribes of more than $250 million to officials in India and defraud US investors. In a five-count indictment unsealed on November 20, prosecutors alleged that Adani was part of a scheme to “corruptly offer, authorize, promise to pay and to pay bribes” of hundreds of millions of dollars to government officials in India. The Adani Group has denied the allegations.
To get Adani to appear in an American courtroom, the US would likely have to pursue extradition.
In the months since the US brought the criminal as well as civil charges against Adani, court dockets have gone quiet. Adani has been building a political influence operation in the US spanning white shoe law firms and lobbyists, looking to simultaneously deal with the legal cases and expand his business, according to people with knowledge of the effort.
He is also leaning on political relationships, with mounting signs he’s gaining clout that could help sway the White House. In India, his camp reached out to officials there before Modi’s meeting with Trump, said some of the people, who asked not to be named discussing confidential talks.