How Rajiv Gandhi, Narasimha Rao & Manmohan Singh's Policies Helped Gautam Adani Scale New Heights

At the 51st India Gem & Jewellery Awards in Jaipur, Gautam Adani, Chairman of the Adani Group, shared key moments from his entrepreneurial journey that were influenced by India's political landscape. Reflecting on his early years, Adani spoke about how, at the age of 16, he arrived in Mumbai, only to return to Ahmedabad in 1981 to help with his family’s polymer business. During this period, India faced significant shortages in raw materials due to intense import controls, which Adani experienced firsthand. He credited the economic reforms of 1985 under Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi's leadership for opening doors to new opportunities. As India began its journey towards economic liberalization, Adani recognized the potential in relaxed import policies for industries facing raw material shortages. This insight led him to take a calculated risk by establishing a trading organization in 1985.In 1991, when India faced a foreign exchange crisis, political leaders such as Prime Minister PV Narasimha Rao and Finance Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh spearheaded the country's economic reforms. These reforms dismantled the License Raj, reduced import tariffs, and attracted foreign investments, giving Adani the opportunity to scale his trading business further. By 1991, he founded a global trading house that quickly became India's largest.