Opposition leaders have strongly criticised the Union government after a media report revealed that the BJP relaxed critical national security protocols to facilitate the establishment of the world’s largest renewable energy park by Gautam Adani in Gujarat’s Khavda, located within a kilometre of the India-Pakistan border.
The Guardian has reported that the relaxation of these long-standing defence protocols has also enabled similar projects on India’s borders with China, Bangladesh, Nepal, and Myanmar, raising concerns about national security and military preparedness.
According to the report, official documents indicate that the BJP lobbied at the highest levels to ease land restrictions in the Rann of Kutch for solar and wind energy projects, despite military officials warning that such developments could hinder tank mobilisation and security surveillance.
Although defence personnel expressed concerns about the strategic risks posed by the project, developers assured them that solar platforms would mitigate threats from enemy tank movements, while they also dismissed requests for modifications to solar panel sizes on financial grounds.
In April 2023, the defence ministry approved amendments to protocols that previously restricted major construction within 10 kilometres of India’s borders, allowing the 445-square kilometre renewable energy project to proceed.
Originally under the state-run Solar Energy Corporation of India, the land was transferred to the Adani Group after the rule changes significantly increased its value. Launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in 2020, the project is expected to generate 30 gigawatts of renewable energy at peak capacity, sufficient to power small European nations.
Reacting to the revelations, Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge accused Modi of compromising national security to benefit private corporations and denounced the BJP’s pseudo-nationalism, The Wire reported.
He raised several questions regarding the potential impact on military operations, warning that the project’s proximity to the border could heighten security risks and increase the burden on the armed forces. Congress leader K.C. Venugopal echoed similar concerns, alleging that the Modi government prioritised Adani’s financial gains over national security and demanded an explanation from the Prime Minister and the Defence Minister.
Trinamool Congress MP Mahua Moitra criticised the government’s decision and used the hashtag #AdaniBachaoDeshBecho, implying that Modi favours Adani at the cost of the nation’s security. Advocate Prashant Bhushan also highlighted the military’s apprehensions regarding the project’s implications on border defence.