Rahul Gandhi Links Modi US Trade Deal To Adani Lawsuit Settlement Reports

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Friday alleged that Prime Minister Narendra Modi had struck a trade deal with the United States in exchange for the “release” of billionaire Gautam Adani, as a political row escalated over reports of a US settlement in a case involving the industrialist.

According to PTI, Gandhi made the remarks after reports claimed that the United States has agreed to settle a lawsuit accusing Adani of concealing alleged bribery linked to a major solar energy project in India. “Compromised PM did not strike a trade deal, but a bargain for Adani's release,” Gandhi said in a post in Hindi on X, following the reported development.

Reported PTI, the US government has agreed to settle the lawsuit filed against Adani, who has been accused of misleading investors by not disclosing that his company’s large solar energy project in India was allegedly facilitated by a bribery scheme, as per court filings released on Thursday.

The suit, filed in late 2024, by the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) accused Adani Group chairman Gautam Adani and his nephew Sagar Adani, a director at Adani Green Energy Ltd, of agreeing to pay around USD 265 million in bribes to Indian government officials between approximately 2020 and 2024. The alleged payments were said to be aimed at securing lucrative solar power contracts projected to generate about USD 2 billion in profit over 20 years.

It was further alleged in the case that the Adani Group raised USD 2 billion through loans and bonds, including from US firms, based on what the SEC described as false and misleading statements regarding its anti-bribery policies. The ports-to-energy conglomerate has denied all allegations.

Reacting to the developments, Congress general secretary in-charge communications Jairam Ramesh said it was now clear why the Prime Minister agreed to what he called a “hopelessly one-sided Indo-US trade deal”.

“And it is also clear why he abruptly halted Operation Sindoor on May 10, 2025, acting on President Trump's threats rather than on our national interest. Reportedly, the Trump Administration is about to drop all charges of corruption against Modani,” Ramesh said on X.

“How much more compromised can the PM get?” he asked.

According to PTI, Ramesh also linked the reported US settlement to broader diplomatic and trade decisions, claiming political pressure influenced recent actions taken by the government.

(With inputs from PTI)