Arvind Khanna (born 29 May 1967) is an Indian politician, businessman, investor and philanthropist.[1] Khanna is a member of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), which he joined in January 2022.[2] He is a senior leader of the BJP.[3][4] He is serving as vice-president of BJP Punjab since December 2022 and is a member of BJP Punjab's core committee and finance committee.[5][6][7] He served as the member of the legislative assembly (MLA) from Sangrur from 2002 to 2007 and the MLA from Dhuri from 2012 to 2014.[2][8] From 1998 to 2015, Khanna was a member of the Indian National Congress (INC).[9] During his time in the INC, Khanna served as General Secretary of the Punjab Pradesh Congress Committee (PPCC), PPCC treasurer, President of the Punjab Youth Congress, and a member of the All India Congress Committee.[8][10][11]
Khanna's business interests spanned several industries, most notably in the arms and aerospace industries.[12][13][14] He also founded TSL Defence Technologies in 2001, which was one of India's first private sector defence manufacturing companies.[15][16][17] According to allegations by Indian government authorities, Khanna was reportedly a central figure in the defence industry of India.[18][13][19] However, the allegations against him were never proven, and the investigations into Khanna found no evidence of wrongdoing and were dropped.[20][21][22] He has also had other business interests and investments in various other industries, including real estate and sports.[23][24] In 2022, Khanna ended all involvement in his business interests due to his return to politics.[25]
In 1997, Khanna founded the Umeed Foundation, one of the largest non-governmental organisations (NGOs) in Punjab.[26][27][28] He has also held positions in sports administration, including serving as the president of the Professional Golfers Association of India.[29][30]
He has been a junior champion golfer in India, and has also played golf for Millfield, Pepperdine University and the Indian national men's team.[36][37] In 1984, Khanna was the world's 5th ranked junior golfer, with a golf handicap of 4.[38] He also took golf lessons from professional golfer Rick Graves in California in 1984.[38] At the age of 17, in 1985, while attending Millfield, he had a handicap of zero.[39]
Early political career
Khanna was introduced to politics by Sukhbir Singh Badal, and joined the Shiromani Akali Dal in 1997.[40] Khanna and Badal are close friends.[41][42] After joining the party, he became the General Secretary of the Shiromani Akali Dal's youth wing.[9]
Khanna wielded significant influence in the PPCC because of his personal fortune and his relationship with Amarinder Singh, former Chief Minister of Punjab.[48] Khanna and Singh are first cousins, being related through Khanna's mother, Naginder, who was Singh's paternal aunt and the sister of Yadavindra Singh, the last Maharaja of Patiala.[41][31][49] During his time in the INC, Khanna was reported to be Singh's second-in-command and controlled access to Singh's office.[50][51][52] Khanna gained control over the PPCC's political strategy by using his personal fortune to fund Singh's office during his second term as PPCC President, and hiring managers to monitor, coordinate and schedule Singh's meetings.[1][47] Khanna would also regularly provide his private airplane and helicopter for Singh's use.[53][54] In his visits to Chandigarh, Singh would stay in Khanna's house in Sector 10.[53]
However, in May 2014, he resigned as an MLA, and then left the INC in 2015.[55][56] At the time, he also considered joining the Shiromani Akali Dal, but decided to leave politics entirely.[57] Khanna stated that his reasons for leaving politics were to focus on his businesses and spend time with his family.[55] It was also reported that he was discontent with the Punjab Congress and its leadership, which Khanna himself stated to be true.[58][57] During his time in the PPCC, Khanna was the party's main financial benefactor.[59]
In November 2023, he was appointed to BJP Punjab's core committee.[7] In March 2024, Khanna and Sunil Jakhar, the President of BJP Punjab, were the only senior BJP leaders who attended the gathering in Badal for the first death anniversary of former Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal.[67] On 14 April 2024, Punjab Police detained 40 farmers that had gathered to protest Khanna's visit to Malerkotla.[68] The 40 farmers were later released by Punjab Police on the same day.[68] In the 2024 Indian general election, Khanna contested, unsuccessfully, from the Sangrur Lok Sabha constituency and lost to Meet Hayer of AAP; however, he gained a considerable increase in his vote share.[69][70]
Business career
In 1991, Khanna came back to Delhi and joined his family businesses.[10] His business interests spanned various industries, including the arms, aerospace, technology, software and telecommunications equipment industries.[23][14] Khanna's business interests have been scrutinised in the media.[71][72][73] In 2001, Khanna founded TSL Defence Technologies, which was one of the first private sector defence companies in India.[15][16] TSL Defence Technologies was also one of the first 9 Indian private sector companies to receive a defence manufacturing license.[74][17][75] TSL Defence Technologies manufactured simulators, simulator accessories, electronic warfare equipment and airborne radars.[76] In the early 2000s, Khanna was also a director of Clan Morgan Holdings, an alcohol and drinks company founded by his father, Vipin, in 1997, which had a joint venture with Allied Domecq for manufacturing whisky brands, including Teacher's and other Scotch whiskies, in India.[10]
In 2008, Khanna founded ASAS Investments, which had business interests in both India and foreign countries.[23][77] The company acquired strategic investments in startups and other businesses which required either capital, a strategic advisor or access to connections in India or globally.[23] Other ASAS group companies that Khanna founded were ASAS Global Services, ASAS Tec, ASAS Tech Solutions, ASAS Aviation and ASAS Projects.[78][79] Through various companies that Khanna owned, he was a shareholder in Indian defence and aerospace companies Defsys Solutions from 2012 to 2015, Defsys Technical Services from 2015 to 2016 and Realism Technologies from 2015 to 2016, which had offset agreements with foreign defence and aerospace original equipment manufacturers.[12][80][81]
Other companies Khanna had founded include Root Invest, Umeed Urban Solutions, Umeed Projects, Umeed Social & Economic Development, Umeed Rural Outsourcing and Tiger Corporation.[15][78][82][83] From 1997 to 2006, Tiger Sports Marketing, a Tiger Corporation joint venture with Asia Sports Group, managed the commercial rights of the Indian Golf Tour.[84] In 2006, Tiger Sports Marketing set up, managed and marketed the first Professional Golf Tour of India.[83][85] He was also one of the co-owners of Punjab Kings, which was known as Kings XI Punjab at the time, Indian Premier Leaguecricket team founded in 2008.[86][87]
Khanna also had investments in the real estate and hospitality industries.[72] In 2006, Khanna, through one of his investment companies, and businessman Gursamarjit Singh invested in a company that developed a hotel in Delhi, and the company was sold in 2012.[24] Singh's office also managed Khanna's real estate investments portfolio; however, according to an Indian business registry, the last business interaction between Singh and Khanna took place in 2018.[24] Singh, a real estate businessman based in the UK, was a donor to the Conservative Party and was seen with former British prime ministersTheresa May and Boris Johnson.[24] In 2020, Singh posted a birthday message for Khanna on the social media platform Instagram, referring to Khanna as the capo dei capi (a term which translates to boss of bosses in Italian), however, Singh's lawyers stated that the comment was a private joke between friends.[24] Singh's lawyers in India also stated that Khanna and Singh have no business relationships, and that Khanna is a personal friend amongst Singh's other personal friends.[24] In 2022, Khanna ended his involvement in all business activities due to reentering politics.[25]
Business controversies
Khanna's father, Vipin, was allegedly one of the largest and most powerful arms dealers in India according to claims by the Indian government and Indian investigative agencies.[13][88][89][90] In his business career, Khanna was reportedly a key figure in the Indian defence industry, allegedly exerting control over the approval of arms deals in India, according to claims by Indian government agencies.[18][89][13] Khanna, and his family, were investigated and accused in several arms deals. However, the investigations into Khanna and his family never resulted in any convictions and never proved any wrongdoing.[22][21]
In 2000, the Indian Navy had placed a purchase order for seven Barak anti-missile defence systems and 200 Barak missiles, from Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI), an Israeli defence and aerospace company.[91][92] In 2007, Khanna and his family were accused by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) of having influenced the deal in favour of IAI, receiving kickbacks from the company, and it was also suspected that companies owned by Khanna and his family had received substantial payments from IAI.[93][94] Eventually, the case against Khanna and his family was dropped due to lack of evidence.[21]
In 2003, Denel, a South African defence and aerospace company, had received an order by the Indian Army to supply 1200 bunker busteranti-material rifles.[90][95] In 2005, Khanna and his family were accused for allegedly facilitating the deal.[96][97] The CBI suspected Khanna and his family of receiving 12.75% in commissions for securing the contract in Denel's favor, and to influence the Ministry of Defence's Price Negotiation Committee.[98][99] However, Khanna and his family denied any involvement in the Denel deal, and eventually, the CBI dropped the case due to lack of evidence.[20][100]
In 2009, Israel Military Industries (IMI), an Israeli weapons manufacturer, was awarded a contract by the Ordnance Factory Board (OFB) to build a factory to produce artillery charges.[19] The CBI accused Khanna's company, TSL Defence Technologies, and its employees of influencing the contract selection on behalf of IMI with senior members of the OFB.[19][101][102] The Delhi High Court later acquitted Khanna and his company, and gave them a clean chit.[22] In addition to this, the Delhi High Court also levied a fine on the Ministry of Defence for falsely implicating Khanna's company in the case.[22]
From 2012 to 2016, Khanna, through various companies he owned, was a shareholder of Defsys Solutions, a company linked to allegations of corruption related to its influence on and facilitation of India's procurement of 36 DassaultRafalemultirole combat aircraft for the Indian Air Force, a procurement process that lasted from 2012 to 2016.[12] However, neither Khanna nor any of the other shareholders of Defsys Solutions were investigated in relation to allegations of corruption in the Dassault Rafale procurement.[12]
In 1997, Khanna founded the Umeed Foundation, a non-governmental organisation (NGO), in Sangrur.[1][104] The Umeed (which translates to hope in Hindi) Foundation is one of Punjab's largest NGOs.[26][105] The Umeed Foundation's initiatives are primarily focused on the economic and social empowerment of women, providing health care and employment generation.[28] The NGO's healthcare initiatives involve providing primary health care in rural Punjab.[106][107][108] The NGO has also been supported by various organizations that include the Council of People's Action and Rural Technology (CAPART), Medanta, Cipla, Mohandai Oswal Hospital, the Australian High Commission in India and the Government of Japan.[109]
In 2008, the Umeed Foundation collaborated with the Bharti Airtel Foundation and laid the foundation stone of the Satya Bharti School in Sangrur. The foundation stone was laid by Khanna's mother, Naginder.[110] In 2012, the Umeed Foundation participated in the New York International Gift Fair and displayed products made by underprivileged women from rural Punjab under the NGO's social and economic empowerment initiatives.[111] In 2023, the Umeed Foundation restarted its services. After restarting its services in 2023, the NGO focuses on providing healthcare, employment and education for the underprivileged people of rural Punjab.[112] The NGO has also helped form women's self help groups in villages which receive employment training.[112]
Sports and sports administration
Khanna has competed in golf tournaments in India and had served as the president of the Professional Golfers Association of India (PGI).[30][113] He also served as the president of the Fencing Association of India and as the Secretary-General of the Punjab Olympic Association.[29][114] Khanna has also helped and supported young Indian golfers with their international promotions.[115] He financially assisted professional golfer Smriti Mehra in the 1990s, when she was competing in tournaments in the United States.[116] Through one of his companies, Khanna also sponsored professional golfer Gaurav Ghei, his friend and playing partner during the 1990s.[117] He is one of the co-owners of Christie's Golf, a Delhi Golf Club League team.[118]
Personal life and family
Khanna is married to Shagun Khanna. They have two sons, Adhiraj and Suryaveer.[119][120] Adhiraj and Suryaveer have joint business interests in the defence and aerospace industries; however, his sons' joint business interests are separate from Khanna's business interests.[25][121][122] Adhiraj married Tanya Chadha, the daughter of industrialist Raju Chadha and niece of liquor industrialist Ponty Chadha, in 2021.[123][124] In Delhi, Khanna has, at various periods, had residences on Prithviraj Road in New Delhi and in Mehrauli in the South Delhi district.[125][126] He was also as a Non-Resident Indian for a period of time during the 1990s.[127]
^ abcWorld Peace Foundation (7 November 2020). "The Ordnance Factory Board Scam". Corruption Tracker. Archived from the original on 11 September 2021. Retrieved 11 September 2021.
^"The Day in Sports". Newspapers.com. Los Angeles Times. 8 October 1987. p. 11. Archived from the original on 14 August 2024. Retrieved 14 August 2024.
^Mahapatra, Dhananjay (15 August 2007). "Barak deal kickback £7.3m". The Times of India. Archived from the original on 6 September 2021. Retrieved 11 September 2021.
