New Delhi, July 14: Reliance Industries chief Mukesh Ambani today met finance minister P. Chidambaram and his team of officials, including the revenue and economic affairs secretaries.

The elder Ambani scion has been trying to convince the finance ministry to pay him duty drawback on petroleum products exported by his firms.

Chidambaram is reluctant to grant Ambani’s wish. The government loses around Rs 2,400 crore every year as companies like Reliance write off their customs on crude imports against the duty drawback for exports such as naphtha.

However, the petroleum ministry is supporting the Ambani demand, claiming that duty drawback payouts are WTO-compatible and was recommended by the Kelkar committee on taxation. This is Ambani’s first meeting with the finance minister after the settlement of ownership issues in the Reliance empire. RIL officials, however, described it as a “courtesy call”.

Last month, younger brother Anil met President A.P.J. Abdul Kalam, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, home minister Shivraj Patil, the finance minister, plan panel deputy chairman Montek Singh Ahluwalia, company affairs minister Prem Chand Gupta and IT and telecom minister Dayanidhi Maran in a single day.

Though the Anil camp had also described the meetings as courtesy visits, the interaction with political heavyweights were seen as part of an exercise to build bridges.