Projects, Energy & Infrastructure
Having advised on the largest and most prestigious projects, the Firm’s experience in the infrastructure and energy sector is unparalleled.
The Firm has assisted various stakeholders such as project developers, contractors, Indian and foreign investors, regulatory authorities, multilateral institutions, international banks, and financial institutions.
The Team has provided advisory and legal assistance in connection with more than 100 projects across sectors (Power, Oil and Gas, Transport, Urban Social Infrastructure, Nulcear and Mining) in India, People’s Republic of China, Nepal, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka.
Our energy practice includes advice on thermal and renewable energy projects including solar, wind, hydro, oil, gas, mining, and biomass projects. Our infrastructure practice includes advice on the construction, financing, and operation of roads, railways, airports, ports, logistics, water, and waste management projects.
The Team has extensive experience in drafting, negotiation and vetting of project agreements and project financing documents, bidding process, undertaking due diligence exercise on projects and preparation of risk matrix and ascertaining regulatory compliances under Indian law.
The Firm holds the top position among legal advisers in the BloombergNEF Clean Energy League Tables.
Our Partners:
Bengaluru
Kartikeya Dubey
Bengaluru
Overview
Kartikeya is a Partner with the Banking & Finance Practice Group at Luthra & Luthra Law Offices. Kartikeya has been actively involved in advising domestic and foreign clients in the areas of project finance, corporate finance, debt restructuring, banking & finance regulations and external commercial borrowings. He represents both lenders and borrowers in financing transactions and has experience in sectors spanning airports, hospitals, manufacturing, road, power, renewable energy (wind and solar power) and technology services.
Experience Statement
- Advised L&T Financial Services Limited and different entities under it in relation to separate term loan facilities aggregating to approximately INR 1,701 Crores provided to 12 (twelve) special purpose vehicles set up by Essel Green Energy Private Limited for developing and implementing a total capacity of 365 MW solar power projects in the states of Odisha, Uttar Pradesh, Karnataka and Maharashtra.
- Advised a consortium of lenders led by State Bank of India in relation to financial assistance for an amount of INR 16,000 Crores made available to Hindustan Urvarak & Rasayan Limited, for the purpose of part financing the cost of construction and development of three separate natural gas based urea manufacturing complexes with a total urea capacity of 11550 tons per day and ammonia capacity of 6600 tons per day, in Gorakhpur, Uttar Pradesh, Sindri Jharkhand and Barauni Bihar.
- Advised lenders led by Axis Bank Limited in relation to loan facilities aggregating to INR 1665,00,00,000 made available to Cavendish Industries Limited for the purpose of refinancing certain existing indebtedness availed by the company and in relation to certain working capital facilities aggregating to INR 400,00,00,000 made available to the Company.
- Advised a consortium of about 30 Indian and overseas banks, financial institutions, mutual funds and asset reconstruction companies led by Edelweiss Asset Reconstruction Company Limited in relation to the structuring of the entire existing financial indebtedness of BILT Graphic Paper Products Limited aggregating to approximately INR 5,000 Crores into inter alia term loans, non-convertible debentures and compulsorily redeemable preference shares.
- Advised Bangalore International Airport Limited in relation to a term loan facility of INR 160 Crores availed by Bangalore International Airport Limited from a syndicate of banks led by ICICI Bank Limited for part financing certain capital expenditure in relation to the refurbishment of the existing terminal, forecourt improvements and realignment of terminal T1 of the Bengaluru International Airport.
Mumbai
Nishant Singh
Mumbai
Overview
Mr. Nishant Singh is a Partner at Luthra & Luthra Law Offices India and specializes in the area of Mergers & Acquisitions, Private Equity & Venture Capital and Banking & Finance.
Nishant is admitted to practice law in India and the State of New York (USA). In the last 19 years, Nishant has worked on a wide array of equity and debt financing transactions across multiple sectors and countries. In the M&A space, he has worked on listed as well as unlisted company transactions including, public takeover, PIPE, going private, JV and minority or majority equity investments. As regards the debt investment, he advises on structured debt funding and re-structuring transactions.
Nishant also advises corporate houses and HNI’s in relation to investigations by government agencies like Serious Fraud Investigation Office, Central Bureau of Investigation, Enforcement Directorate, Economic Offence Wing for charges of bribery, money laundering, corporate fraud and various other offences and assists clients in formation of internal corporate policies and structures against anti-bribery, anti-corruption, anti-corporate fraud, whistleblowing, anti-sexual harassment, data privacy and cyber security.
Prior to joining Luthra & Luthra Law Offices India, Nishant was a partner with IndusLaw, Mumbai and prior to that with Khaitan & Co, Mumbai. Also, his past international experience of working with the top tier law firms in San Francisco (Perkins Coie LLP), New York and London (Dewey & LeBeouf LLP) offers his clients a distinctive approach and expertise on cross-border deals.
Nishant has consistently been endorsed as a ‘Leading Lawyer’ for financial and corporate law in India by IFLR1000 (2019-23) and as an ‘Elite Legal Practitioner’ in Asia Pacific Region by Legal 500 (2018-2022).
Nishant has been recognized as one of the ‘Leading Lawyers of India’ for Banking & Finance, Corporate/M&A and Private Equity by asialaw (2015-2023), and a ‘Rising Star’ by Legal Era Awards 2016.
Experience Statement
- Advised Future Group in relation to USD 5 billion debt re-structuring of Future Retail Limited, Future Enterprises Limited, Future Lifestyle Fashions Limited, Future Consumer Limited, Future Supply Chain Solutions Limited, and other unlisted companies for all outstanding debt owed to 28 Indian banks-consortium under the resolution framework for COVID-19-related stress announced by the Reserve Bank of India.
- Advised Agritrade Resources Ltd., a listed company on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange, in relation to acquisition of SKS Power Generation (Chhattisgarh) Limited through a One Time Settlement of INR 2170 crores (approx. USD 350 million) for all outstanding debt to State Bank of India, L&T Infrastructure Finance Company Limited and PTC (India) Financial Services Limited.
- Advised Engie Solar SAS and Electro Solaire Private Limited in a project financing for an amount of USD 100 million approximately availed from the Asian Development Bank and Société Générale for setting up a 2x 100MW AC grid-connected solar PV project in Raghanesda Solar Park, Gujarat.
- Advised IndoStar Capital Finance, a listed company, in relation to Brookfield Asset Management’s acquisition of 40% stake for INR 1225 crores through a mix of primary and secondary shares from Everstone Capital, infusion of capital in IndoStar Capital Finance, and public shareholders under the Takeover Code.
- Advised American International Group Inc. in its sale of American Life Insurance Corporation to MetLife Inc. for USD 15.5 billion.
Mumbai
Piyush Mishra
Mumbai
Overview
Piyush is a Partner in Infrastructure, Finance, Insolvency, and Restructuring Practice of Luthra and Luthra Law Offices India. Before joining Luthra and Luthra Law Offices India, he has worked with AZB Partners, Cyril Amarchand & Mangaldas, Allen & Overy LLP (London) and Amarchand & Mangaldas.
He is a dual-qualified lawyer, Advocate (India) and Solicitor (Non-Practicing), England & Wales, and is recognised as a ‘Notable Practitioner’ by asialaw, ‘Leading Lawyer’ by international publications including IFLR 1000 and Chambers & Partners.
He has extensive experience in distressed assets space including restructuring and insolvency, enforcement of security and acquisition of such assets. He has acted for Lenders (CoC and individual), Resolution Professionals, Bidders and Distressed Debt Funds in pre-IBC resolutions, CIRP process and liquidations.
Piyush is associated with reputed industry groups such as the Core Group on Insolvency, Federation of Indian Chamber of Commerce. He has authored and presented papers at various forums. These include various national and international seminars by INSOL (HK), IBBI (Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai), CFA Institute, SBI, ICSI (Eastern Region) and ICAI on insolvency laws. His publications include The Restructuring Review, 2019 and 2020, PLC’s Structured Finance & Securitisation Multijurisdictional Guide (2012) and various articles in Project Finance International.
Experience Statement
- Acted for various Resolution Professionals in the Corporate Insolvency Resolution Process (CIRP) for Punj Lloyd Limited, Jhabua Power Limited, Educomp Infrastructure Solutions and Marketing Limited.
- Advised a consortium of lenders, on sale of more than 51% shares in Jindal India Thermal Power Limited and Monnet Ispat and Energy Limited through an e-auction process under S4A and SDR schemes.
- Acted for State Bank of India and HDFC Bank Limited on a syndicated secured term loan of INR 10.8 billion approximately for Dalmia Cement (Bharat) Limited.
- Acted for a consortium of 27 lenders lead by PFC and SBI on INR 130 billion senior and sub debt secured syndicated facility for KSK Mahanadi.
- Acted for Cairn India Limited on the first reserve based funding in India in relation to approximately INR 40 billion syndicated secured facility from reputed lender through participating interest based funding and refinancing of the facility through listed rupee bond issuance.
Mumbai
Purvi Dabbiru
Mumbai
Overview
Purvi Dabbiru is a Partner with the Banking & Finance and Project Finance Practice Group at Luthra and Luthra Law Offices India. Having over 11 years of experience in this space, Purvi specializes in rendering advisory and legal assistance in the fields of banking and finance, project finance and debt restructuring space.
Her expertise ranges across sectors including ports, roads, power, renewables, real estate and manufacturing, and with expertise in wide range of financial products, including fund based and non-fund based facilities, private placements of debentures and external commercial borrowings. Having advised various stakeholders including lenders, borrowers, sponsors and guarantors, Purvi has an all-round approach in structuring transactions and negotiating documentation.
Experience Statement
- Advised Bharat Mumbai Container Terminals Private Limited (wholly owned subsidiary of PSA International PTE Limited) and PSA International PTE Limited, in relation to an external commercial borrowing (ECB) facility aggregating to approximately SGD 630 Million and certain hedging facility, provided by DBS Bank Limited.
- Assisted Nordic Investment Bank in relation to the facility of SEK 607,000,000 and EUR 8,600,000 provided to Power Grid Corporation of India Limited by Nordic Investment Bank for the purpose of part financing of a project of the company in India consisting of construction of a HVDC multi-terminal system package.
- Advised Infrastructure Finance Company Limited (United Kingdom) in connection with financial assistance in the form of an ECB facility aggregating to approximately USD 31 Million, to a company (confidential) developing, implementing and setting up a 100 MW (AC) solar power project including the transmission line.
- Advised Rajasthan Sun Technique Energy Private Limited, a company promoted by Reliance Power Limited, in connection with the financing, involving inter alia foreign currency facility and rupee term loans, for the development and operation of a 100 MW concentrating solar generation power plant at Rajasthan, with a project cost envisaged at approximately USD 410 Million.
- Acted for a consortium of lenders viz. Axis Bank Limited, Aseem Infrastructure Finance Limited and NIIF Infrastructure Finance Limited in relation to the financial assistances aggregating up to INR 17.799 Billion made available to four separate SPVs (forming part of the Actis Group) for the purpose of, inter alia, refinancing their existing debt with respect to their respective solar power projects in the states of Madhya Pradesh and Andhra Pradesh.