What do you think?
Rate this book
Gas Wars: Crony Capitalism and the Ambanis
'The two brothers had fought over many issues, but what sometimes got lost in the din of the battle cries was a simple fact: much of the tussle was over India’s natural resources, about how the resources were intended to be mined, marketed and monetised.'
Paranjoy Guha Thakurta shows how the simmering controversy over the rich natural gas reserves in the Krishna-Godavari Basin boiled over into a primetime storm on gas pricing involving the office of the Comptroller and Auditor General of India, the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas as well as the Prime Minister's Office, even as he introduces new dimensions to it. While many reasons have been attributed to the split in the powerful Indian business family, the Ambanis, this book argues that the battle between the Ambani brothers was largely about wresting control over reserves of natural gas that are below the ocean bed along the basin of the two greatest rivers of southern India.
With painstaking research, a meticulous perusal of press reports, as well as a few surprising exclusives, Gas Wars highlights cases of crony capitalism that allowed the Reliance group to blatantly exploit loopholes which were consciously retained in the system to benefit it. Even as the book tells the story of how the country’s largest corporate conglomerate has benefited from the way government policies are structured, it lays bare the alarming facts of a natural disaster waiting to happen due to the ruthless exploitation of the country's natural resources in order to swell the fortunes of a few.
Paranjoy Guha Thakurta shows how the simmering controversy over the rich natural gas reserves in the Krishna-Godavari Basin boiled over into a primetime storm on gas pricing involving the office of the Comptroller and Auditor General of India, the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas as well as the Prime Minister's Office, even as he introduces new dimensions to it. While many reasons have been attributed to the split in the powerful Indian business family, the Ambanis, this book argues that the battle between the Ambani brothers was largely about wresting control over reserves of natural gas that are below the ocean bed along the basin of the two greatest rivers of southern India.
With painstaking research, a meticulous perusal of press reports, as well as a few surprising exclusives, Gas Wars highlights cases of crony capitalism that allowed the Reliance group to blatantly exploit loopholes which were consciously retained in the system to benefit it. Even as the book tells the story of how the country’s largest corporate conglomerate has benefited from the way government policies are structured, it lays bare the alarming facts of a natural disaster waiting to happen due to the ruthless exploitation of the country's natural resources in order to swell the fortunes of a few.
588 pages, Kindle Edition
First published March 27, 2014
65 people are currently reading
631 people want to read
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 22 of 22 reviews
July 19, 2014
I can’t say I agree with the title. How about “Everything you always wanted to know about KG basin gas and the War of the Ambani Sons but never dared ask”!
Without doubt, as comprehensive a record of both as you would ever want to read. Even if you are great with your daily papers, this book puts it in one place for you. That is enough reason to read it.
Is it an entertaining read? Good grief, no. Not unless you really trip on personality based political intrigue. I’ts about natural gas. Its written in the style adopted by “serious journalists”, especially financial journalists. Is it a riveting read? No: its pages and pages of transcripts and précis of news reports. Is it a must read? Probably: if you don’t know the stuff that’s in this book, you don’t know what is going on.
So even if you are not particularly interested in natural gas, you need to get through this book, and have it on the shelf for the day you want to throw its contents at the stubborn head of an inflexible colleague who takes a political position other than yours!
Its a do it anyway! And its a keeper.
Without doubt, as comprehensive a record of both as you would ever want to read. Even if you are great with your daily papers, this book puts it in one place for you. That is enough reason to read it.
Is it an entertaining read? Good grief, no. Not unless you really trip on personality based political intrigue. I’ts about natural gas. Its written in the style adopted by “serious journalists”, especially financial journalists. Is it a riveting read? No: its pages and pages of transcripts and précis of news reports. Is it a must read? Probably: if you don’t know the stuff that’s in this book, you don’t know what is going on.
So even if you are not particularly interested in natural gas, you need to get through this book, and have it on the shelf for the day you want to throw its contents at the stubborn head of an inflexible colleague who takes a political position other than yours!
Its a do it anyway! And its a keeper.
July 5, 2014
A must read including the extreme details, high time Indian economy grows out of the Ambani economy!
August 2, 2020
This book by Paranjoy Guha Thakurta is excellent. The book is also very depressing.
This is not an easy book to review because I have to resist the temptation to pass judgment on the various players mentioned in the book. I do have my opinions about them, but this is not the place to discuss my impressions.
I must congratulate Paranjoy for his courage in writing this little tome. It is not easy to write a book like this when there are powerful forces ranged against you.
The book tells the tale of crony capitalism, and it focuses on the Ambani family, as well as the political players involved.
It is depressing because it demonstrates that democracy in India is flawed. It is not a democracy ‘for the people, by the people, and of the people.’ It is a democracy ‘for some people, by some people, of some people.’
The reportage is excellent. Paranjoy has written lucidly. This is not an easy task, considering the mounds of material he has gone through. Through it all, he has written a compelling story of greed and corruption.
I recommend this book to anyone who wants to understand how democracy works in our country.
This is not an easy book to review because I have to resist the temptation to pass judgment on the various players mentioned in the book. I do have my opinions about them, but this is not the place to discuss my impressions.
I must congratulate Paranjoy for his courage in writing this little tome. It is not easy to write a book like this when there are powerful forces ranged against you.
The book tells the tale of crony capitalism, and it focuses on the Ambani family, as well as the political players involved.
It is depressing because it demonstrates that democracy in India is flawed. It is not a democracy ‘for the people, by the people, and of the people.’ It is a democracy ‘for some people, by some people, of some people.’
The reportage is excellent. Paranjoy has written lucidly. This is not an easy task, considering the mounds of material he has gone through. Through it all, he has written a compelling story of greed and corruption.
I recommend this book to anyone who wants to understand how democracy works in our country.
July 17, 2021
Wonderful piece of investigative writing, shows the murky under belly of how governments across timelines collaborate to loot public wealth in private interest. It is also a sneak peek into how honest people also exist in this set up who are often side lined and forgotten. This is as much a tribute to those people as well .
September 2, 2014
This is an important book to read as it shows how complicated & grey things can be in governance. In a democracy, people must elect leaders who are not only honest but also educated. Poorly educated leaders cannot be expected to make the right decisions; however these decisions can have long-term effects on complex systems like the economy, environment etc.
May 10, 2014
What a book. well researched with all the necessary back up materials in the form of appendix
Must read in today's context. It proves how RIL is looting our country in connivance with our national parties, both Congress and BJP
Must read in today's context. It proves how RIL is looting our country in connivance with our national parties, both Congress and BJP
October 3, 2014
Good research but could have been edited better to make it an engrossing read
November 24, 2017
In media sometimes you read Soft Politico-Business Porn. But this book is full of Hardcore Pornography about Indian politics. Everyone is Naked and doing it in Upper Crust since Indira Gandhi era. Hats off, pants down!
Worth 600 pages, goes down to your head, makes you think about things, you never considered to be true at best your guess. The book is not just about the crony capitalism or Anil-Mukesh fight, but beyond that, it reviews the whole Oil and Gas Policy of the country since 1980 and events and technical loop-hole leading to the corrupt practices. Politician, Scientist, Judge, Lawyer, executive, Press, Businessman academic professional etc, are involved in the chain and every Constitutional body is literally fucking the natural resources in the way that only upper crust of the country can benefit from them, even benefits on benefits are part of the deal. The author did a remarkable job in putting so many things in perspective. A person with very light knowledge of the Oil and Gas politics in the contemporary India can easily enjoy it without break.
Worth 600 pages, goes down to your head, makes you think about things, you never considered to be true at best your guess. The book is not just about the crony capitalism or Anil-Mukesh fight, but beyond that, it reviews the whole Oil and Gas Policy of the country since 1980 and events and technical loop-hole leading to the corrupt practices. Politician, Scientist, Judge, Lawyer, executive, Press, Businessman academic professional etc, are involved in the chain and every Constitutional body is literally fucking the natural resources in the way that only upper crust of the country can benefit from them, even benefits on benefits are part of the deal. The author did a remarkable job in putting so many things in perspective. A person with very light knowledge of the Oil and Gas politics in the contemporary India can easily enjoy it without break.
January 17, 2018
It was quiet a deep book telling the readers about the inside functioning of government and how one corporate house manages to keeps its self interests above others.
This book is definitely a good read if one needs to know about the internal functioning of the oil and gas policy structure in our nation. I love the deep insights provided by the author and definitely i could not have got these insights on tv or newspaper report. Love the hard work of the authors that they have put.
This book is definitely a good read if one needs to know about the internal functioning of the oil and gas policy structure in our nation. I love the deep insights provided by the author and definitely i could not have got these insights on tv or newspaper report. Love the hard work of the authors that they have put.
July 5, 2017
A Must Read Book.
April 23, 2018
Very detailed and meticulous analysis.
November 15, 2018
KG D-6 controversy unplugged
July 22, 2020
Real picture of crony capitalism in India. Written in very layman language.
March 18, 2017
I salute the Author for writing a book on such National importance. Even the CAG did not mention any figure of amount of losses like they did in Coalgate and 2G Scams.
Its a scam that the Ambani Brothers were fighting for their share of National Resource which is owned by the People of India. And by deliberately reducing the production to increase Gas prices is absolutely damming. Its a great mistake that Government allowed participation of private players in exploration and production of Natural Resources.
Its a scam that the Ambani Brothers were fighting for their share of National Resource which is owned by the People of India. And by deliberately reducing the production to increase Gas prices is absolutely damming. Its a great mistake that Government allowed participation of private players in exploration and production of Natural Resources.
September 20, 2020
Mukesh Ambani pulls all the strings in Indian government, whichever the party in power may be. This book must be read by all simply to absorb that fact. The book does an excellent job of reporting every event surrounding the KG D6 controversies. It's a gold mine of information. Where the book could have perhaps been more effective would be in its story telling power. At times it reads like a series of news reports rather than one single, strong well-rounded narrative. But read it all the same for the sheer fuckery that the Ambanis indulge in. Read it because the book unnerved Ambani and he tried (unsuccessfully) to get it banned.
January 31, 2015
This was my first book on government policy. Lot of points were repeated which was important to keep track of the facts. The govt and Reliance don't come out looking good and kudos to the honest officers and activists fighting crony capitalism. With corporations becoming stronger it leaves a bleak future for India if government policy is implemented in this manner.
May 30, 2015
Writer tried very hard to sell idea of crony capitalism, but in my view this book is quiet exaggeration. Not fully agree with writers view. This book can diverts thoughts of many ppl who may find his view comfortable, but all stories cooked on Ambani is true or not, nobody can confirm.
Read it, but don't believe anything blindly.
Read it, but don't believe anything blindly.
October 10, 2014
An eye opener!
May 16, 2015
Read this to know how Crony Capitalism had taken place in India. This book illustrates a War between Gas Players in India.
May 1, 2016
This book was a drag. Repeating details over and over and lengthy descriptions.
April 19, 2017
Very good read! While I am no socialist - crony capitalism is NOT free markets and not what is "proven to be the best" paradigm of economic growth.
Docking a star only because it hasn't been edited/organized well. Considering the subject matter, it is quite understandable that the author was unable to get too much help.
Docking a star only because it hasn't been edited/organized well. Considering the subject matter, it is quite understandable that the author was unable to get too much help.
September 17, 2018
A Must Read Book.
Displaying 1 - 22 of 22 reviews