Vipin Khanna

Vipin Kumar Khanna (14 December 1930 – 7 November 2019) was an Indian businessman, financier and army officer. Khanna had diverse business interests. He founded Dynamic Sales Service International, a commodities trading and marketing company, which further expanded into railways, oil, infrastructure and additional industries. Khanna also had other business interests, which included interests in the arms, aerospace, software, investment banking, hospitality, and alcohol industries. He was a Non-Resident Indian based in London, England, and also had a base in Delhi, India.

Khanna was born in Lahore, Punjab Province. During the partition of India in 1947, Khanna and his family fled Lahore, and migrated to Delhi. He was commissioned into the Indian Army in 1950, and eventually reached the rank of Major, before voluntarily retiring from the army in 1965. After his retirement from the army, Khanna began his business career.

Khanna had a controversial business career. His name was frequently associated with numerous controversies, including allegations of arms lobbying, links to offshore companies, and involvement in bribery scandals; however, investigations into these matters found no evidence of wrongdoing, and the allegations were subsequently dropped. Khanna was allegedly one of the largest and most powerful arms dealers in India since the 1980s; however, the allegations against him were never proven. Despite the lack of evidence, Khanna faced persistent allegations of arms dealing, links to foreign defence companies, and involvement in various arms deals throughout his business career. According to statements and claims by the Government of India and Indian investigative agencies, Khanna was reported to be a powerful and influential person both in India and globally. Khanna died on 7 November 2019, in New Delhi.