Trump Order Helps Adani In Bribery Case Ahead Of Modi’s US Visit
India-West News Desk
WASHINGTON, DC – Indian billionaire Gautam Adani has received a significant boost from US President Donald Trump’s executive order suspending enforcement of the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA), a move that effectively removes bribery charges Adani and his associates were facing in the US. The decision comes just days before Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to Washington, where economic ties and strategic cooperation are expected to be key discussion points.
Signed on February 10, Trump’s order directs the Justice Department to halt prosecutions under the nearly 50-year-old anti-bribery law and mandates Attorney General Pam Bondi to review past cases and draft new enforcement guidelines. The FCPA, enacted in 1977, prohibits US-linked companies from bribing foreign officials, but Trump has long argued that the law disadvantages American businesses in the global market.
“It’s going to mean a lot more business for America,” Trump declared while signing the order in the Oval Office, calling the FCPA a “horrible law” that discourages American firms from competing internationally. He argued that its enforcement has led to unnecessary investigations and “made it almost impossible for US businesses to operate abroad without fear of prosecution.”
Relief for Adani
The order is particularly significant for the Adani Group, which has been under scrutiny by the US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) and the Department of Justice (DOJ) for alleged bribery. In November 2024, the SEC and DOJ charged Adani Group Chairman Gautam Adani, his nephew Sagar Adani, and former Azure Power Global executive Cyril Cabanes under the FCPA. The agencies alleged that Adani’s companies paid or promised hundreds of millions of dollars in bribes to Indian government officials to secure inflated solar energy contracts.
The alleged bribes were reportedly concealed during a $750 million bond offering by Adani Green, the conglomerate’s renewable energy arm. These charges, which had put Adani’s global operations under pressure, are now expected to be dropped following Trump’s decision to halt FCPA enforcement.
Modi’s US Visit
The timing of Trump’s order is significant as it comes just days before Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to Washington. Modi, who arrives for a two-day visit tomorrow, is expected to hold bilateral talks with Trump, focusing on deepening economic and strategic cooperation between the two nations. With Trump’s decision removing a legal hurdle for one of India’s most powerful industrialists, the move could help clear a sticking point between Washington and New Delhi, given Modi’s closeness to Adani.
Criticism
Meanwhile, anti-corruption groups like Transparency International have criticized the rollback of the FCPA, arguing that the US had previously led global efforts to curb corporate corruption. However, a White House fact sheet defended the move, stating that “American national security depends on US companies gaining strategic commercial advantages around the world.”
