A&O Shearman’s ‘formidable’ dedicated India team, based primarily in Singapore and London, runs the gamut of contentious and non-contentious mandates, with notable strength in capital markets, private equity, and banking and finance. Acting for domestic clients and foreign investors in India, the team has a deep specialist knowledge of the Indian market and is particularly well known for handling direct lending transactions. Sheila Ahuja takes point on contentious matters and the ‘meticulous’ Pallavi Gopinath Aney is the key contact for capital markets, while managing partner Gautam Narasimhan leads on the banking and finance side. Harsh Pais, in London, is the key name for corporate and M&A. May 2023 saw Singapore-based Rishi Hindocha, the leader of the firm’s India restructuring and insolvency practice, promoted to partner.

Primarily based in Singapore and London, Linklaters LLP’s India group has an active presence in the country and acts for both domestic businesses and international corporates seeking to operate in India. Narayan Iyer, based in London, is a seasoned projects and energy specialist, focusing on acquisitions, leveraged finance and other transactions in these sectors. Amit Singh heads the firm’s India group, a notable area of strength, from his base in Singapore. Ben Carroll, in London, takes point on disputes, including international arbitration, and Philip Badge, in Singapore, has extensive experience of handling complex Indian cross-border transactions. Since publication, Savi Hebbur has left the firm.

With notable strength in capital markets, corporate and M&A, and disputes, the India practice at White & Case LLP acts for an impressive roster of high-profile international clients seeking to invest in India, as well as advising Indian clients on their investments abroad. Drawing on the firm’s large global network, the practice regularly handles cross-border India-related matters for multinational corporations and banks. London-based practice head Dipen Sabharwal KC is highly regarded for his international arbitration expertise and is triple-qualified in India, New York, and England and Wales. Nandan Nelivigi, in New York, is the key name for energy, projects, and infrastructure financing; Aloke Ray KC and Aditya Singh take point on large international arbitrations from London and Singapore, respectively. Singapore-based lawyer Sayak Maity left the firm in March 2024.

Drawing from the firm’s large international network of offices, Baker McKenzie Wong & Leow’s India practice is a one-stop shop for global clients operating in India. Acting for a diverse roster of clients, including major Indian corporations and large multinationals operating in the Indian markets, the team’s key areas of strength include M&A, capital markets, trade, tax, and contentious work. Singapore-based principal Ashok Lalwani leads the India team and is also the head of the firm’s broader Asia Pacific capital markets practice. Other key names in Singapore include the ‘very knowledgeable‘ banking and finance specialist Kah Chin Chu and the ‘stand-out’ Kunal Katre, who is recommended for his advice concerning syndicated loans, acquisition financing, and private equity matters, where Emmanuel Hadjidakis is another key figure.

The India team at Clifford Chance ‘goes above and beyond‘ to advise Indian and foreign companies on the full range of transactional work and multi-jurisdictional disputes. Contentious work is a notable area of strength for the team, which is led by seasoned litigators Nish Shetty and Kabir Singh, both in Singapore. ‘Exceptional advocate‘ Shetty is highly recommended, as is the ‘top-class’ Singh; both are key players in the Indian international arbitration space. Another key name in the Singapore office is litigator Elan Krishna, as well as former US Department of Justice prosecutor Vasu Muthyala, who joined the team in August 2022.

King & Spalding LLP’s India group is regularly instructed to advise on disputes and transactional mandates for a wide variety of clients, both domestic companies and international corporates. The energy sector is a notable area of expertise for the team, which assists India-based companies on oil and gas as well as renewable energy matters; aviation and tech are other key focus sectors. The team is jointly led by Atlanta-based M&A expert Rahul Patel and London’s Amit Kataria, who joined from Morrison Foerster in September 2022 alongside counsel Sunandini Das, significantly strengthening the group’s transactional offering. In Singapore, Parveet Singh Gandoak is another key name for transactional work.

With notable expertise in handling transactions covered by US and English law, the India practice at Latham & Watkins LLP acts for local, regional, and international clients on the full range of high-value capital markets, M&A, private equity, and finance matters. Leveraged financing transactions are a key focus for the team, as are public offerings and foreign investments. Rajiv Gupta heads the team from Singapore and is a seasoned commercial transactions, spin-offs, and joint ventures expert. Another key name on the corporate side is Sidharth Bhasin, also in Singapore, as well as London-based Sam Newhouse, global vice chair of the firm’s M&A practice.

Acting for global financial institutions and domestic and international companies in the steel, energy, and infrastructure sectors, Milbank’s India practice stands out for its expertise in capital markets, projects, and financing work. Practice co-head James Grandolfo, in Hong Kong, has a broad debt and equity practice and leads on corporate and M&A instructions, while co-head John Dewar takes point on project finance from the firm’s London office. In Singapore, Giles Kennedy and new partner Terrence O’Donnell are recommended for their IPOs, share placements, and high-yield bonds expertise.

Gibson Dunn acts for major international and domestic clients across the tech, finance, telecoms, and infrastructure sectors. Leveraging the firm’s global capabilities, the India team regularly assists multinational clients on business-critical internal investigations, arbitrations, and regulatory compliance issues. Singapore-based Jai Pathak oversees the team and is a key contact for large transactions, with particular experience in cross-border takeovers, joint ventures, and dispositions. He is ably assisted by of counsel Karthik Ashwin Thiagarajan, also in Singapore, who is also recommended for his investigations and anti-corruption reviews practice.

The ‘very involved, pragmatic, and extremely solution-oriented’ team at Hogan Lovells Lee & Lee acts for domestic and multinational corporates, private equity houses, and investment funds, handling the full range of issues relating to cross-border transactions, including financing, restructurings, M&A, and IPOs. The practice is now jointly headed by Singapore-based duo Biswajit Chatterjee and Stephanie Keen; managing partner Chatterjee is recommended for equity and debt capital markets matters, while Keen has a broad corporate and M&A practice with notable strength in advising clients across the fintech, telecoms, and energy sectors. Another core member of the team is counsel Kaustubh George, who assists issuers and underwriters on public offers, international issuances, and venture capital funding.

Reed Smith LLP’s India group leverages the firm’s global network and strength in litigation and international arbitration to provide a comprehensive offering for Indian and international clients across a wide range of sectors. Praised by clients for his ‘piercing insight into the Indian market’, practice head Gautam Bhattacharyya, who also co-heads the firm’s international arbitration practice, has extensive experience of representing banks, international corporates, and domestic companies in high-profile international arbitrations; he splits his time between Singapore and London. Also in London, new partner Nathan Menon is recommended for structured finance work, while Sarah Caldwell is the key name for capital markets and debt restructurings.

Manoj Bhargava leads Sidley Austin LLP’s India group, which draws on the firm’s broader resources and international reach to provide a full-service offering with a notable emphasis on capital markets, banking and finance, and private equity. Bhargava, in Singapore, leads the capital markets practice and advises on high-value IPOs as well as equity and debt capital markets offerings. Also in the core Singapore team is Parthiv Rishi, who is recommended for his private equity expertise, while Palo Alto’s Andrew Harper has a broad corporate practice with a focus on advising US firms operating in the Indian market.

Clients in the private equity and investments sphere frequently seek out Cleary Gottlieb Steen & Hamilton’s India practice for its expertise in inbound and outbound M&A, restructurings, and cross-border transactions. Key contacts in the team include Tihir Sarkar and Nallini Puri, who lead on India work from the firm’s London office and regularly act for sovereign wealth funds and multinational corporates, where Michael Preston is another key name.

With a particular focus on the financial services sector, the India group at Debevoise & Plimpton LLP acts for international investment banks, global and regional private equity firms and financial institutions. The team is now jointly led by Geoffrey Burgess and Lord Peter Goldsmith KC, both based in London, following the 2023 departure of former co-head William Chua.

Singapore-based law firm Duane Morris & Selvam LLP excels in high-end capital markets transactions in Singapore and has an in-depth understanding of equity capital markets work in India and Indonesia, including issues involving financial services, investment banking, and insurance companies. Jamie Benson leads the practice and has significant expertise in advising on securities offerings by Indian issuers, including public and private equity placements and high-yield, convertible, and investment-grade bond offerings.

The India team at Jones Day, which is coordinated from Singapore and draws on expertise across the firm’s international network, has strong experience of advising Indian and international borrowers and lenders on the full range of banking and finance deals. Sushma Jobanputra leads the group from Singapore and handles cross-border debt restructurings and structured finance across the region, working alongside Vinay Kurien. M&A is another area of strength; Dennis Barsky is the key name here, working alongside the ‘fantastic’ Ben Witherall, who advises international and regional clients on inbound investment transactions in India, as well as on capital markets matters.

Regularly instructed by clients from across the life sciences and pharma sectors, Kirkland & Ellis LLP regularly handles both contentious and transactional matters for domestic and international companies and investors. Srinivas Kaushik and Atif Khawaja co-head the team from New York, working alongside co-heads Cori Lable, in Hong Kong, and Asheesh Goel, in Chicago. Kaushik advises financial entities and private equity clients on investments and M&A, and litigator Khawaja is recommended for high-value commercial disputes, while Lable and Goel take point on corruption investigations and risk assessments.

Stephenson Harwood routinely advises India-based corporations, banks, high-net-worth individuals, and families on the full range of matters. The team, based primarily in London and Dubai, particularly stands out for its significant experience advising clients in India-related disputes, handling both international arbitrations and general commercial litigation. Kamal Shah, based in London, heads the practice and is a key name for contentious mandates. Diwakar Agarwal, in Dubai, takes point on complex M&A, private equity, and general corporate matters for clients in India.

Now jointly led by Singapore-based duo Smitha Menon and Koh Swee Yen, the ‘high-quality‘ India group at WongPartnership LLP handles both advisory and contentious matters, including inbound and outbound investments, restructuring and insolvency issues, and arbitrations. Menon has extensive commercial arbitration experience and handles a broad range of restructuring and insolvency proceedings, while litigator Koh is highly recommended for her practice as counsel in international arbitrations. Also in the core team is Teck Wee Tiong, who has a growing commercial and corporate dispute practice.