Narendra Modi ducked a question about billionaire Gautam Adani’s fraud indictment in the US during a joint press conference with Donald Trump on Thursday, a rare example of the Indian prime minister facing scrutiny from the media.
Mr Modi was on a state visit to the US to meet Mr Trump for the first time since the Republican re-entered the White House.
The interaction with US and Indian journalists marked a rare unscripted moment for the Indian leader, who has largely avoided interactions with the media throughout his 11 years in power.
On Thursday, Mr Modi was asked whether he and Mr Trump discussed the US legal challenge against Mr Adani, a business tycoon whose perceived close ties to Mr Modi have helped him rise to become Asia’s second richest man. Mr Adani was charged under the Biden administration for allegedly orchestrating a scheme to arrange bribes of more than $250m to officials in India and defraud US investors. The Adani Group has denied the allegations.
“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. Every Indian is my own family member,” Mr Modi said in Hindi, which was translated at the news conference.
He then appeared to shut down the question, calling it a “personal matter”, as he looked visibly annoyed.
“And when it comes to such personal matters, two leaders of two countries neither meet or discuss such individual issues.”
Mr Adani hails from Mr Modi’s home state Gujarat and his Adani Group runs several key infrastructure projects across the globe.
Critics have accused Mr Modi of maintaining close ties with the businessman, crediting the meteoric rise of Adani's ports-to-energy empire in part to his close relationship with, and favourable treatment by, administrations led by Mr Modi's BJP and its allies. Mr Modi toured India in an Adani-owned private jet while campaigning before his first election win in 2014, but has since avoided such public displays of allegiance. Both have repeatedly denied any impropriety.
On 20 November, the US Department of Justice indicted Mr Adani, chairman of the Adani Group, along with seven senior executives on five charges in which prosecutors alleged that he was involved in a scheme to “corruptly offer, authorise, promise to pay and to pay bribes” to government officials in India.
In what was seen as a reprieve for Mr Adani, Mr Trump last week signed an executive order to pause the enforcement of an anti-corruption law for 180 days. He has asked the attorney general to complete the review of the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA) which aimed to prevent corruption and bribery involving foreign officials.
Rahul Gandhi, the leader of the opposition in parliament, attacked Mr Modi over his response to the question on Mr Adani in the US, accusing him of a “cover up”.
“If you ask questions in the country, there is silence. If you ask abroad, it is a personal matter! Even in America, Modi Ji covered up Adani Ji’s corruption!” he said on X.
Mr Modi, now leading India in his third consecutive term, has been repeatedly called out for not taking questions from the media in India.
He has not held a single press conference in the country since becoming prime minister in 2014. In May 2019 he attended a press conference but did not take any questions.
During his 2023 state visit to the US to meet Joe Biden, Mr Modi held a joint press conference at the end of the bilateral meeting – even the White House acknowledged the press conference was “a big deal” at the time.
He took two questions, and was asked what steps he was willing to take to “improve the rights of Muslims and other minorities ... and to uphold free speech”.
Mr Modi denied there was religious discrimination in India and said here is “no space” for discrimination for those living in a democracy.
Later the journalist who asked the question was attacked online by Mr Modi’s supporters, a backlash that was condemned by the Biden administration.
