New Delhi: Opposition leaders have been up in arms after a report unveiled that the Bharatiya Janata Party’s Union government relaxed critical and long-standing national security defence protocols allowing billionaire businessman Gautam Adani to go ahead with the world’s largest renewable energy park in Gujarat’s Khavda with solar panels and wind turbines within a kilometre of the India-Pakistan border along the Rann of Kutch.
The Guardian has reported that the tweak in the protocols has also paved the way for similar construction on the borders with other neighbouring countries like China, Bangladesh, Nepal and Myanmar, the report said. According to the British newspaper, the documents show the BJP had “lobbied at the highest levels for the protocols to be relaxed to make land in the Rann of Kutch available for both solar and wind construction”.
When military officials raised concerns about tank mobilisation and security surveillance along the international border, developers assured them that “solar platforms would be adequate in mitigating any threats from enemy tank movements.” The developers also rejected military requests for adjustments to solar panel size, citing financial viability concerns.
The defence ministry agreed in April 2023 to amend long-standing protocols that previously restricted major construction within 10 kilometres of the border. The 445-square kilometre project, launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in 2020, is expected to generate 30 gigawatts of renewable energy at peak capacity – enough to power small European countries. After the rules were relaxed, making the land significantly more valuable, it was transferred from state-run Solar Energy Corporation of India to the Adani Group.
In the wake of this media report, Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge alleged that Prime Minister Narendra Modi had jeopardised national security at India’s borders to benefit private billionaires. He wrote on X,
“… BJP’s pseudo-nationalism face is once again unmasked. You have endangered National Security at our borders in order to benefit private billionaires.”
He also posed a volley of questions to Modi over the matter. “What happens if there is the need to lay mines, anti-tank and anti-personnel mechanisms to be put in place? What about the concept of space and surprise in offensive and defensive operations, a senior Army officer has asked. We repeat the same question. Why would you allow a huge private project, within easy striking distance of the India-Pakistan border, thereby increasing the defence responsibilities of our Armed Forces and reducing their strategic advantages?” Kharge questioned.
Echoing similar sentiments, Congress general secretary in-charge of organisation, K.C. Venugopal said, “PM Modi’s priority: Not securing India’s borders, but filling Adani’s coffers.” Asserting that the Modi government’s cronyism is a threat to national security, he said, “Allowing India’s largest solar project to be constructed hardly 1km away from the Pakistan border is extremely dangerous and goes against all established military norms. The PM and the Defence Minister must explain why such a drastic step to compromise our national security was taken.”
Trinamool Congress MP Mahua Moitra wrote on X with the hashtag #AdaniBachaoDeshBecho – “save Adani, sell the nation.”
“So [Narendra Modi] government relaxed defence protocols allowing best friend [Gautam Adani] to go ahead with renewable energy park in Gujarat,” Moitra posted.
Advocate Prashant Bhushan wrote, “Adani profited after India relaxed border security rules for energy park. Apprehensions around the implications of solar panels for tank mobilisation and security surveillance along the international border were raised by senior military officials.”
Last year, the US Department of Justice charged Adani over a scheme to bribe Indian officials. But now, Bloomberg reports, both court dockets – of the civil and criminal cases – have gone quiet as Adani has gone on an operation to build political influence in the US.
In an executive order on February 10, US President Donald Trump paused the enforcement of the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA) that makes it illegal for some entities to bribe foreign government officials, under which prosecutors charged Adani.
A group of Republican federal legislators also appears to have written to the US attorney general saying that the case against Adani and others involves no real injury to American interests and risks damaging ties with India.
