Only 15 billionaires run India, claims Trump-era trade chief Lighthizer
Indian friend told him just 7 truly control government, rest only try to influence them
New Delhi: Former US Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer, who spearheaded Donald Trump’s trade negotiations with India, has claimed that the Indian government operates under the influence of a handful of powerful billionaires.
In his 2023 memoir No Trade Is Free, Lighthizer revealed that during negotiations, he kept biographies of about 15 Indian billionaires on his desk to predict the government's stance. “I thought there were fifteen oligarchs who basically ran the country,” he wrote, adding that an Indian business friend corrected him: “Only about seven of them actually run the country. The others just try to influence the seven.”
Lighthizer’s statement offers a striking endorsement of a long-standing allegation by India’s Opposition, that the Modi government is heavily influenced by elite business interests.
Although he did not name the billionaires, the reference is widely interpreted to include industrialists like Mukesh Ambani and Gautam Adani, who are often accused by critics of enjoying privileged access to the government.
Lighthizer, who served under Trump from 2017 to 2021, described these billionaires as "oligarchs" and called their sway over government "unusual." His comments offer a rare glimpse into how the Trump administration viewed India, not just as a trade partner, but as a system steered by economic elites.
He added that India’s bureaucracy is professionally strong, but policymaking is still often aligned with the priorities of this billionaire class. These views come at a time when Donald Trump has again threatened steep tariffs on Indian exports and accused India of reselling Russian oil for profit.
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4 held for sexually assaulting woman, girl on moving bus after social media alert in UP's Agra
Agra (UP) (PTI): Four people were arrested, after a prompt response by police following a social media alert, for allegedly sexually assaulting a woman and a girl inside a moving bus here, officials said on Tuesday.
According to an official police statement, at 12:27 am on April 27, information was received on the social media platform X about an incident of sexual assault on a bus travelling from Kanpur to Ahmedabad, which was approaching Namner crossing in Agra.
Acting under the direction of Police Commissioner Deepak Kumar, the Agra Police social media team immediately alerted the Rakabganj police station within minutes and coordinated with the victims to confirm the incident and obtain the exact location, it stated.
Police teams launched intensive checking at Namner crossing and intercepted the bus as it reached the spot. The four accused involved in the incident were apprehended on the spot, and legal action was initiated against them, the statement said.
The police said the swift response and coordination between the social media team and field units ensured timely action, bringing relief to the victims and other passengers, who expressed gratitude towards the police, it added.
