This week, US President Donald Trump paused enforcement of the 1977 Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA), a US law banning the bribery of foreign officials. While signing the order, Trump said it would mean “a lot more business for America”, while the White House deemed the FCPA “over expansive and unpredictable” in a statement.
The suspension could delay or even halt legal proceedings against the Indian conglomerate Adani Group, experts said. Under the order, US Attorney General Pam Bondi must review current and past decisions under the law and draft guidelines for enforcement. In November 2024, Gautam Adani and other senior executives were indicted for paying more than USD 250 million (INR 21 billion) to Indian government officials at the expense of US investors.
The order is only the latest in a series of sweeping executive orders impacting the Southasian region that Trump has introduced since winning a second term in office. It also came just before Indian prime minister Narendra Modi’s visit to Washington on 13 March, with trade, tariffs and immigration key topics, highlighting Trump and Modi’s cordial relationship.
Globally, there has been growing scrutiny on the Adani Group and its extractive footprint across Southasia, particularly since US-based short seller Hindenburg Research accused Adani Group of stock market manipulation and fraud – charges which the conglomerate denied.
