'US-India Relationship Strong' — White House Confident About Ties Amid Allegations On Adani Group

The White House has expressed confidence in its 'strong' ties with India amidst the ongoing controversy surrounding allegations against the Adani Group. In a press conference, a White House spokesperson emphasised that the bilateral ties between both nations are built on solid foundation and that the current situation will be navigated effectively.

On Thursday, the US Department of Justice issued a press release detailing allegations on the Adani Group for paying over $250 million (approximately Rs 2,100 crore) in bribes to Indian officials in exchange for favourable terms for solar power contracts. The DOJ’s statement highlighted that these are allegations, and the defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty.

Following these charges, Adani Green decided not to proceed with its planned USD-denominated bond offering, which had raised $600 million in a subscription that was three times oversubscribed.

During the press briefing, the White House Press Secretary, Karine Jean-Pierre, confirmed that the administration is aware of the allegations levied against Adani. However, for specific details, she said that the SEC and DOJ would be the agencies best placed to take queries.

Jean-Pierre emphasised that the US-India relationship was strong and reassured that the ties between the two nations was unfazed, underscoring cooperation across a wide range of global issues.

“What we believe and we're confident about is that we'll continue to navigate this issue as we have with other issues that may have come up as you just stated. And so the specifics of this, this is something that the SEC and DOJ can speak to directly, but again, we believe that…this relationship between India and the US has been built on a strong foundation,” the Press Secretary said.