The controversial Adani-JKIA takeover deal has raised a storm in India’s Congress. This is after the spokesman of the Indian Congress Jairam Ramesh stated concerns that the takeover would harm the country’s image.
“The Adani Group’s proposed takeover of the airport in Nairobi, Kenya, has led to widespread protests in the country, with the Kenya Aviation Workers Union calling for a strike to demonstrate its opposition,” said Ramesh.
“This is a matter of grave concern for India, because the non-biological PM’s friendship with Mr. Adani is now globally well known. The protests can therefore easily convert into anger against India and the Indian Government.”
He went on to state that in recent years, similar controversies around Adani projects in Sri Lanka and Bangladesh had undermined India’s national interest and contributed to bad outcomes for India.
“The Bangladesh Government’s contract to purchase power from Adani’s coal plant in Jharkhand, for instance, became a flashpoint in the protests that led to PM Sheikha Hasina’s resignation last month,” he said.
“Adani’s renewable energy projects in Mannar district in Sri Lanka were also embroiled in controversy and were a part of the widespread protests against the Sri Lankan Government in 2022.”
Ramesh further noted that India’s soft power has been one of its greatest foreign policy strengths, and this was now set to be jeopardized.
“Today, the PM’s collusion with the Adani group has contributed to the diminishing of this strength and unprecedented reversals for India on the global stage – just one of the many sacrifices the country has had to make at the altar of the non-biological PM’s special friendship,” he said.
Locally, the deal is being vigorously bulldozed by the national government, despite widespread opposition by aviation experts who reckon that Kenya would stand to get a better deal in a competitive bidding.
Kenya should go for new airport; not demeaning 30-year Adani JKIA renovations
The deal, which is set to see the JKIA handed over to Indian firm Adani in November 2024, will effectively see Kenya’s prime airport leased over to Adani for a period of 30 years.
Over this period, Adani will ban Kenya from developing any airport that can compete directly with the JKIA.
