South Asia
Blackstone downbeat on India prospects
The Blackstone Group has turned cautious about opportunities in India, where it says “serious governance issues” threaten to erode investor returns. The firm, which earlier this month bought a majority stake in auto parts maker Agile Electric for...
Mahindra Lifespace, Standard Chartered form real estate JV
Mahindra Lifespace Developers (MLD), an Indian real estate and infrastructure developer, and SCM Real Estate (SCM), a Singapore-based investment arm of Standard Chartered bank, have formed a joint venture to develop residential projects in India. The...
CLSA Capital backs India’s Luminous Water Technologies
CLSA Capital Partners (CLSACP) has invested INR 550 million ($9.2 million) in water-purifier maker Luminous Water Technologies (LWT) from its ARIA Investment Partners IV fund.
Multiples buys ICICI Venture's stake in Vikram Hospital
Multiples Alternate Asset Management has bought a 64% stake in Bangalore-based Vikram Hospital from ICICI Venture Funds Management, and also infused direct capital for debt repayment.
Creador set for $105m first close on Fund II
India and Southeast Asia-focused GP Creador is expected to reach a first close of $105 million on its second fund by mid to late August. The full target is $250 million.
Standard Chartered boosts stake as India’s Fortis moves to cut debt
Standard Chartered Private Equity (SCPE) will invest a further $13.5 million in hospital chain Fortis Healthcare through a preferential allotment of shares, taking its total holding to around 2.7%.
Accel leads $6m investment in India B2B group buy platform
Accel Partners and return backers Kalaari Capital and Inventus Capital have put $6 million into group buying website Power2SME, in a Series B round for the company.
Actis to buy India lighting business from Halonix
Actis is set to buy the loss-making general lighting division of its portfolio company Halonix, a manufacturer of compact fluorescent lamps for general lighting and halogen lamps for automotives.
Arisaig invests $30m for stake in India McDonald’s franchisee
Arisaig Partners has bought a 3.47% stake in Mumbai-listed Westlife Development for INR1.8 billion ($30 million). Westlife controls McDonald’s restaurants in west and south India through its direct subsidiary, Hardcastle Restaurants. It is one of two...
Kartrocket gets seed funding from 5ideas Startup Superfuel, 500 Startups
Indian e-commerce platform Kartrocket has raised a seed round of funding from 5ideas Startup Superfuel and 500 Startups.
A new alternative: SME liquidity in India
India has opened up a channel for domestic start-ups to sell shares without going through a full IPO. The platform offers new fundraising and exit options, but regulators could help by removing more red tape
Rich man’s game: The cost of fundraising in Asia
Asian GPs and fund lawyers are struggling with a demand-supply imbalance. LPs are negotiating more and conceding less - but for all that managers say fundraising costs are going up, lawyers say fees are going down
Everstone to invest $33m in Indian NBFC
Everstone Capital is to invest INR2 billion ($33.5 million) for a 15-20% stake in Hinduja Leyland Finance (HLF) a non-banking financial company (NBFC) owned by the Hinduja Group.
Providence ups stake in India's Hathway Cable & Datacom
Providence Equity Partners has increased its stake in Indian cable and broadband operator Hathway Cable & Datacom by injecting INR1.5 billion ($25.1 million) alongside the promoter.
Standard Chartered, IL&FS-backed Ramky Enviro in Australian acquisition
Ramky Enviro Engineers (REEL), an Indian waste management company backed by Standard Chartered and IL&FS Investment Managers, has agreed to acquire Australian environmental engineering and petrochemical services provider Enviropacific Services .
IndiaVenture eyes $25m first close on healthcare fund
IndiaVenture Advisors (IVA), the PE arm of Indian healthcare company Piramal Enterprises, expects to reach a first close at around INR1.5 billion ($25 million) next month on IndiaVenture Trust Fund II, which has a full target of INR10 billion.
Baring ups stake in India’s Manappuram Finance
Baring Private Equity Partners India has upped its stake in Manappuram Finance, a listed non-bank financial company (NBFC) specializing in gold loans, to 11.56% from an earlier 9.48% via open market purchases.
Pearson, Village Capital to fund Indian education start-ups
Pearson - a UK education company which owns the Financial Times and publishers Penguin Random House - has teamed up with social investor Village Capital to set up a business incubator for Indian education start-ups.
ASK eyes $100m first close for $200m real estate fund
The ASK Group expects a $100 million first close of its first overseas real estate fund in September.
Blackstone to acquire India’s Agile Electric Works for $110m
The Blackstone Group has agreed to buy a majority stake in Indian auto parts maker Agile Electric Sub-assembly Limited (AESPL) and its listed subsidiary Igarashi Motors India(IMIL) for $110 million.
Apollo's McGraw-Hill Education buys out Indian JV partner
McGraw-Hill Education, a US-based textbook publisher backed by Apollo Global Management, has bought Tata Group’s minority stake in Indian publishing joint venture Tata McGraw-Hill Education. Financial details of the deal were not disclosed.
India relaxes FDI rules in telecoms, 12 other sectors
India has relaxed foreign direct investment (FDI) rules in sectors such as telecoms, single brand retail and oil and gas.
India’s FlipKart shops a $200m round
Indian e-commerce is in a state flux. While penetration is still relatively low compared to developed nations - just one in 10 Indians has access to the internet - the industry was worth $14 billion last year and growing rapidly. Competition for wallet...
Indian infrastructure: Bargain basement
Indian infrastructure has fallen out of favor with investors as the fallout from pre-2009 excesses lingers. However, new opportunities in old deals have some private equity players thinking twice about the sector