Infrastructure

The Infrastructure Practice group at the Firm is recognised for its in-depth knowledge of sectoral regulations with transactional, financing, and disputes experience and provides holistic advice to our clients. This practice group comprises of transportation, power & energy, ports & shipping, railways, aviation, telecom, water management and sanitation, steel, and social and commercial infrastructure.

Our Infrastructure Practice group blends the expertise across practice areas, and our partners assist holistically in a manner that is adapted to our clients and covers the full spectrum of the legal requirements, including:

• Assisting and advising with bidding for Public Private Partnership (PPP) projects (including advising on India’s first Toll Operate Transfer (TOT) bundle tendered by the National Highway Authority of India (NHAI));
• Advising on complex merger & acquisitions transactions and fundraising in the infrastructure sector including where control changes as a consequence of the transaction;
• Assisting and advising with contract management for EPC, O&M, capital equipment procurement, and other agreements;
• Assisting with raising secured and unsecured debt facilities for lenders and borrowers; and
• Advising on a range of disputes.

Our team has worked with Government agencies and PSUs, developers, sponsors and promoters, banks, infrastructure and pension funds, project vehicles, contractors, engineers, and consultants across the spectrum of infrastructure asset classes.

Our mandates span mergers & acquisitions, joint ventures, project finance, service concession arrangements, development arrangements, PPP projects of various types, engineering procurement construction (EPC) contracts, restructuring, public and private placements, insolvency and bankruptcy, and dispute resolution.

Our multidisciplinary approach and frequent interaction with sector regulators enable us to identify potential issues and structure complex transactions efficiently and allows us to help clients successfully navigate the Indian regulatory framework.

Indicative Experience

Energy

• Advising Citigroup, Inc. and Natixis with respect to structuring and documenting the purchase of Carbon Emission Reductions issued by SRF Limited and Gujarat State Energy Generation Limited, respectively.

• Advising NIIF Infrastructure Finance Limited (formerly known as IDFC Infrastructure Finance Limited) with respect to refinancing of a 32 MW/46.4 MW solar project of Clean Max Photovoltaic Private Limited.

• Advising DNV GL Group with respect to various matters regarding certification of renewable energy projects.

Ports and Shipping

• Advising JM Baxi Group with respect to its bids and subsequent documentation for concessions at Vishakhapatnam Port, Paradip Port, Haldia Port, Kolkata Port, and Kandla Port.

• Advising International Cargo Terminals and Infrastructure Private Limited with respect to a joint venture in order to qualify for operation and maintenance tender floated by Kuwait Port Authority at Shuaiba port.

• Advising ICICI Bank Limited (the lenders) with respect to the financing of Dhamra Port in Orissa.

Roads and Highways

• Advising Valecha Engineering Limited with respect to various matters pertaining to its highway concessions and projects.Advising IJM Corporation Berhad with respect to the acquisition of shares of Swarna Tollway Private Limited.

• Advising MentorCap Management Private Limited with respect to effecting the sale and purchase of artworks and setting up a joint venture for purchasing and marketing artworks.

Telecom

• Advising and representing Idea Cellular Limited on various matters including:
  • The merger of Vodafone India Limited and Vodafone Mobile Services Limited with Idea Cellular Limited;
  • The issue of listed, unsecured, partially paid non-convertible debentures by Idea Cellular Limited to IDFC Bank;
  • Before the Competition Commission of India in various competition law matters;
  • On transfer of the right to use spectrum in service areas of Gujarat and Bihar by Videocon Telecommunications Limited; and
  • The sale of its wholly-owned passive infrastructure subsidiary to ATC Telecom Infrastructure Private Limited.

• Advising Buongiorno SpA with respect to the transfer of Buongiorno Digital Innovation India Private Limited as part of global restructuring.

• Advising Macquarie-SBI Infrastructure Fund with respect to its investment in Viom Networks (telecom tower company) and transfer of multiple investments in the infrastructure sector to SBI Macquarie Investment Trust.

Others

• Advising Washington Consulting Group, Inc. with respect to its joint venture with Sakthi Aviation Consultancy Services Private Limited regarding setting up of training academies in India for air traffic controllers for the Airports Authority of India.

• Advising French Risk Mutual Fund (FCPR) danone.communities with respect to its various investments in Naandi Community Water Services Private Limited.

• Advising New Earth Bio Remedies Private Limited, a wholly owned subsidiary of Clean Water LLC, with respect to setting up its distribution network in India.