Expertise
Logistics
Advising on infrastructure, regulatory, and transactional aspects of logistics operations.
Get in touchThe Firm advises logistics, supply-chain and warehousing businesses, as well as investors and lenders in the sector, on the full range of legal, regulatory and transactional matters arising from their operations and investments in India. Our practice spans strategic investments, joint ventures, acquisitions, infrastructure and project finance, warehousing and logistics parks, leasing, distribution and supply-chain arrangements, as well as sector-specific regulatory and tax matters. The Firm has advised leading international and Indian logistics players, private equity investors and financial institutions on complex transactions across freight, e-commerce logistics, industrial warehousing and port-linked infrastructure. Combining sector knowledge with strong corporate, finance, regulatory and tax capabilities, the Firm provides integrated and commercially focused advice across the logistics and supply-chain value chain.
Representative Matters
- Advised CJ Corporation in its investment into DARCL Logistics Limited to form a 50-50 JV. The promoters of DARCL comprised 4 families that had started the business and exercised significant influence over the company. As CJ was a strategic partner (and not merely a financial investor), it was imperative to achieve a balance between the requirement of the parties for professional management of the company without significantly diluting the family’s influence.
- Advised CJ Logistics Corporation in its acquisition of 50% stake in DARCL Logistics Limited for USD 50.6 million.
- Advised Aaidea Solutions Private Limited and the group of investors in acquiring undisclosed stake in Aaidea Solutions Pvt. Ltd. (Dba MilkBasket), an India-based daily milk delivery service, for an estimated consideration of USD 7 million.
- Advised Carlyle, one of the world’s largest and most successful private equity firms, in acquiring a significant minority stake in Delhivery Private Limited, an ecommerce logistics firm which facilitates the delivery of goods for online retailers like Flipkart, Amazon, Paytm, amongst others USD 413 million.
- Acted for and advised Mr. Pankaj Chaddah, co-founder of Zomato Media Private Limited, a leading player in the online business of providing food delivery, restaurant reservation and table management services, etc. in connection with his exit from Zomato and part divestment of his stake in Zomato. The transaction involved sale of his part stake in Zomato to Temasek Holdings and Sunlight Fund LP, a limited partnership, for approximately USD 14 million and USD 21 million, respectively.
- Advised Tencent Holdings Limited in its investment in Bundl Technolgies Private Limited which owns and operates Swiggy (the food delivery app)- both in the form secondary purchase from existing shareholders as well as in the form of primary issuance. In the concerned round of funding, Swiggy has raised a mammoth USD 1 billion marking what is by far the biggest ever funding round in the country’s ever-expanding food-tech sector, with Tencent being one of the lead investors with approximately USD 180 Million being invested in the transaction.
- Advised an Australian Logistics Provider on the indirect tax implications of their proposed venture in India. The advice, inter alia, encompassed issues related to Customs duties, CENVAT and VAT/CST.
- Acted for the consortium of Bank of Baroda and State Bank of India, in connection with construction finance to the tune of INR 163 crores provided to Indospace Rohan Logistic Park, Chakan for construction and development of industrial logistic park in Chakan, Pune. In addition, we acted as Lenders’ Legal Counsel for Bank of Baroda in relation to future lease rental discounting facility (of approximately INR 25 crores) granted to the company.
- Advised and assisted Rhenus Contract Logistics in leasehold acquisition of a warehousing facility measuring approx. 30,000 square feet at TVS Industrial and Logistics Park.
- Acted for and advised NIIF Infrastructure Finance Limited in connection with the financial assistance aggregating to INR 4050 million to TVS Industrial & Logistics Parks Private Limited, for refinancing of indebtedness incurred/investments made in relation to the operating warehouses of the Borrower spread across 4 (four) locations.
- Advised Ascendas group, a leading provider of business space solutions engaged in master-planning, developing, managing and marketing IT parks, industrial & logistics parks, offices and retail spaces. The transaction involved the acquisition of 100% stake by Cyber Pearl Information Technology Park Private Limited (a wholly owned subsidiary of Ascendas India Trust) in Ascendas IT SEZ (Chennai) Private Limited (CyberVale) from Ascendas Land International Pte. Ltd. for a total purchase consideration of INR 1,615.1 million.
- Advised FTD Group, one of the largest and most trusted online florist and gift companies in the world, in relation to the acquisition of a part of its business, by an affiliate of Nexus, a Los Angeles-based private equity firm.
