TOKYO -- Fallout from a short-seller's brutal attack on India's Adani Group is starting to hit partnerships crucial to its huge expansion plans, with French oil major TotalEnergies saying it has put on hold an investment into the Indian conglomerate's green hydrogen project.

TotalEnergies CEO Patrick Pouyanne said after the European company announced its earnings on Wednesday that it would hold off on the investment until seeing the results of an independent audit launched by the Adani Group into its business practices. The size of the deal has not been disclosed.