Operating for a varied array of clients across the logistics, financial services and telecoms sectors among others, AZB & Partners's core streams of work include investment funds, buy-outs and asset management. The team comes recommended for its 'strong industry-specific knowledge' and its 'on-the-ground practical view'. Key contacts at the practice are Zia Mody, who enjoys extensive experience in handling M&A, joint ventures and compliance work, Ashwath Rau, a notable expert on the private equity and investment fund side, and Anil Kasturi, whose arsenal of skills encompasses private equity, disposals and public takeovers. Darshika Kothari bolsters the team with her capabilities that span entry and exit strategies, foreign investment regulations and structuring instruments.

Capable of advising clients on the full spectrum of issues arising from private equity and venture capital, Cyril Amarchand Mangaldas is a strong choice for sovereign wealth funds and blue-chip private equity funds, and excels at addressing issues such as strategic transactions, buyout deals and future capital raising. The practice is spearheaded by Cyril Shroff, whose capabilities include private client, financial regulatory and infrastructure issues, Reeba Chacko, an expert across the retail, e-commerce and real estate sectors, and the ‘extremely commercial’ Ravindra Bandhakavi, who focuses on sizeable M&A and private equity transactions. S. Harish is another key contact, with experience of transactions in industries including heavily regulated sectors.

Noted for its ‘commercially savvy and technically sound’ nature, IndusLaw’s diverse offering extends across the full spectrum of the investment cycle, and the team is also highly experienced when it comes to risk management, shareholder agreements and cross-border transactions. Anindya Ghosh specialises in private equity and venture capital, while Winnie Shekhar maintains a wide-ranging practice that covers fund investments, venture capital funding and structuring. Rashi Saraf is recommended for her skills across both domestic and cross-border transactions within this space. Rahul Tiwari is also one to note.

Counting a diverse multitude of private equity funds, banks and hedge funds among its key roster of clients, the ‘super-collaborative’ Khaitan & Co LLP retains a broad offering that encompasses fund formation, regulatory compliance and a significant amount of private equity investment. Bharat Anand, who principally focuses on private equity investments and joint ventures, Aakash Choubey, who excels in an array of corporate and commercial transactions, and Kartick Maheshwari, who has handled significant joint ventures and investment work, jointly helm the practice. Other key names to note include the ‘very knowledgeable’ Siddharth Shah, who oversees multimillion-dollar deals, as well as Haigreve Khaitan and Shreya Dua.

‘Responsive and commercial’, Shardul Amarchand Mangaldas & Co demonstrates particular proficiencies across the sectors of employment, IP, real estate and policy, and is routinely entrusted by private equity firms and sovereign wealth funds. The practice, which is regarded as a ‘joy to work with’, is jointly helmed by Shardul Shroff, Akshay Chudasama and Raghubir Menon. Other key contacts in the team include Abhishek Guha, Anuj Bhasme and Gunjan Shah, bringing a considerable amount of private equity and joint venture expertise to the group. The team is regarded for its ‘never-say-die attitude’ and ability to take into account ‘important commercial nuances’. Jay Gandhi and Tanya Uppal are also recommended.

Yogesh Singh steers the ‘solution-oriented’ team at Trilegal, excelling in distressed asset transactions as well as structuring and corporate aspects. The practice operates across a variety of issues, from entry and exits to offshore funding and fund formations, and enjoys considerable expertise in the industries of renewable energy, infrastructure and financial services. Sridhar Gorthi is well-versed on both the corporate and private equity sides, while Nishant Parikh‘s wide-ranging expertise is comprised of restructurings, mezzanine investments and M&A. Seasoned practitioner Amit Khansaheb is active across a range of sectors, from tech and e-commerce to healthcare and energy. Other names to note include Aditya Jha and Pranav Atit.

JSA Law is noted for its ability to handle matters arising from the online gaming, life sciences and healthcare industries, and the team welcomed Iqbal Khan who joined from Shardul Amarchand Mangaldas & Co in June 2024 . Key contacts at the firm include Sidharrth Shankar, Vikram Raghani and Vivek Chandy.

Samvad Partners is notable for its skills in handling fund formations, angel investments and seed rounds for a multitude of clients, including those operating within the fields of healthcare, logistics and e-commerce. Vineetha MG, who is well-versed in private equity investments and venture capital transactions; Ashwini Vittalachar, who is relied upon by venture capital funds, start-ups and promoters; and Neela Badami, who specialises in advising investment funds and start-ups on all facets of the investment process, as well as being a strong choice for social impact funds, lead the group. Ekta Bahl is recommended for her IT, infrastructure and banking sector expertise.

Vandana Pai helms the team at Bharucha & Partners from Mumbai, which is capable of handling the full spectrum of matters arising from the investment cycle and is regularly entrusted by portfolio investors, angel investors and venture capital funds for such mandates. The group’s wide-ranging experience extends from the industries of tech and media to energy and real estate. Pai excels in overseas investments by Indian companies, while Swathi Girimaji frequently handles matters for start-ups.

With particular expertise in the pharma and real estate fields, DSK Legal is routinely retained by a plethora of domestic and offshore entities for all facets of fund and investment work. Managing partner Anand Desai's strengths lie in private equity and hedge fund transactions. In New Delhi, Aparajit Bhattacharya is notably well-versed in cross-border transactions and foreign investments, while Rishi Anand bolsters the practice with his tech expertise. In Mumbai, Hemang Parekh handles both M&A and private equity transactions. Ajay Shaw is also recommended.

Able to draw upon its global firm network, the 'highly knowledgeable' Nishith Desai Associates has considerable experience in structuring a plethora of funds and is able to handle the full spectrum of matters arising from entry to exit. Founding partner Nishith Desai operates from the firm's Mumbai office, while New Delhi-based Parul Jain principally focuses on international tax mandates and a variety of cross-border transactions. Nandini Pathak's strengths encompass both venture capital and private equity mandates at a domestic and international scale.

The ‘excellent’ S&R Associates regularly represents a range of private equity and venture capital funds, foreign portfolio investors and ESG investors, among others, in a diverse multitude of regulatory and legal compliance issues. Members of the team to note include Rajat Sethi, who frequently handles matters pertaining to foreign investment, private equity-based restructurings and shareholder disputes, and Sanjeev Adlakha, who maintains a broad practice that encompasses private equity, joint ventures and general corporate mandates. Venkatesh Vijayaraghavan is another key contact. Mohit Gogia left the firm in August 2024, while Viral Mehta departed in September 2024.

Offering a team of 'seasoned professionals with extensive experience', Spice Route Legal's strengths lie in handling private equity and venture capital mandates arising from regulated sectors, such as tech, energy and life sciences, while also demonstrating significant cross-border capabilities. Mumbai-based Praveen Raju and Bengaluru-based Mathew Chacko jointly helm the team; the former is well-versed in issues surrounding alternative energy, healthcare and life sciences, and the latter principally focuses on tech and media related deals.

‘Flexible and responsive’, Veritas Legal demonstrates proficiencies across cross-border investments, strategic alliances and a host of private equity mandates. The practice is jointly helmed by four key players, namely Abhijit Joshi, Manav Raheja, Kunal Doshi and Tushar Raut. Founding and managing partner Joshi is highly experienced in advising global conglomerates and large private equity houses, while Raheja is well-versed in investments, acquisitions and sales. Doshi principally focuses on multi-jurisdictional matters and Raut is active across the sectors of e-commerce, pharma and tech.

With extensive experience in regulatory matters, shareholder agreements and investment structuring, ALMT Legal is relied upon by an array of venture capital and private equity funds for contentious and non-contentious issues. Mumbai’s Statira Ranina possesses experience operating across the sectors of IT, e-commerce and manufacturing, and Bengaluru’s Dhanya Menon, an expert on domestic and international scale mandates, co-lead the ‘detail-oriented’ group.

Counting managers, sponsors, seed investors and placement agents among its key client roster, Economic Laws Practice enjoys notable expertise in healthcare and is often engaged to handle a varied collection of investment and advisory mandates. Suhail Nathani and Yashojit Mitra co-lead the team; the former is notably adept at WTO disputes while the latter excels on the full spectrum of work arising from private equity transactions. Mitra is also recommended for his ability to provide 'business-oriented solutions'.

At Luthra and Luthra Law Offices India, the team is well-positioned to advise global clients across the full spectrum of private equity and structured transactions, with its investment advice extending from fund formations through to exits. Nishant Singh is regarded for his financing transaction expertise, with Deepak Kumar Thakur being noted for his capabilities that span corporate and regulatory issues across both the private equity and joint venture sides. Navin Syiem's wide-ranging experience is comprised of cross-border acquisitions, clean energy financings and the negotiation of private equity transactions, while Akshit Kapoor is entrusted by both Indian and international clients.

Enjoying a presence across a myriad of sectors, including tech, pharma and financial services, Majmudar & Partners is frequently engaged to handle investment transactions, exits and regulatory mandates, with a recent increase in its operations for international private equity funds. Akil Hirani, who holds expertise in mergers and business transfers, leads the team from Mumbai alongside Bengaluru-based N. Raja Sujith, M&A practice head Rukshad Davar, and Ravi Raghavan, who possesses considerable tax capabilities.

Capable of advising clients across the seed, growth and expansion phases, Vertices Partners is particularly active across the fintech, agritech, manufacturing and fashion sectors. Practice leader Vinayak Burman is geared to handle investments and capital raisings for a variety of clients, while Amit Manubarwala's arsenal of skills include some high-value investments and divestments. Other names to note include Siddharth Raja and Archana Khosla Burman.

Led by Moksha Bhat and Dushyant Kumar, AP & Partners is a strong choice for Indian tech start-ups, capable of covering issues including capital raising transactions, joint ventures and business transfers, and the team also routinely operates for domestic and international funds and sponsors. Other key names to note include corporate expert Anand Prasad as well as Arjun Sinha, who is engaged by tech companies frequently for assistance.

Rajesh Begur and Priyanka Nayak jointly spearhead the practice at Begur & Partners, which is well-positioned to advise across a diverse range of private equity and venture capital mandates for investors and advisers. Begur is geared to handle complex transactional work in this field for an array of domestic and international scale clients, while Nayak frequently handles matters arising from the industries of tech, healthcare and education, to name a few.

Active across the power and infrastructure, aviation and education sectors, among others, Dentons Link Legal is routinely engaged to handle investments, negotiations and regulatory issues for a diverse roster of clients. The practice is jointly helmed by Nusrat Hassan and Anand Srivastava; the former's capabilities encompass disputes, private equity investments and commercial issues for an array of international clients. Rohitashwa Prasad joined from JSA Law in November 2023, bringing his experience operating for investment banks and private equity funds to the practice. Other key names to note include Vinu Peter Immanuel and Namita Das.

With demonstrable capabilities across the disputes, banking and finance, and real estate arenas, Stratage Law advises clients on a diverse stable of transactions and investment strategies and is proficient at managing cross-border mandates. Practice leader Darshan Upadhyay operates for multinational corporations and funds on issues such as India entry, exchange control regulations and shareholder disputes. Bhavin Gada's strengths lie in private investments, funds and regulatory issues. Shyam Pandya is also recommended.

Noted for its 'very strong professionalism', Ahlawat & Associates is firmly established in the private equity sphere, routinely entrusted by embassies, banks and consultancy companies. Uday Singh Ahlawat, who specialises in foreign direct investment and entry strategies into India, and Sheena Ogra, who regularly handles employment law and commercial transactions, lead the group.

Argus Partners‘ expertise encompasses a variety of investment and acquisition transactions alongside the management of private equity funds. In Mumbai, Krishnava Dutt‘s experience extends from media rights and acquisitions to strategic debt restructurings, while Adity Chaudhury possesses extensive knowledge of the sports sector. Other key names to note in the practice include Bengaluru-based Ankit Guha, Mumbai’s Abhinav Bhalaik, Kolkata’s Arka Majumdar and Bengaluru-based Pallavi Kanakagiri who joined from IndusLaw in December 2024.

Satish Kishanchandani and Pritha Jha jointly helm the team at Pioneer Legal; the former's strengths are comprised of acquisitions, corporate restructuring schemes and joint ventures, and the latter is highly active in the media, entertainment and advertising industries. The team is well-versed in private equity issues and transactions arising from the sectors of education, healthcare, pharma and financial services.

Counting an array of financial investors among its key clients, Talwar Thakore & Associates comes recommended for its ‘deep knowledge of the private equity industry’ as well as its ‘professional, constructive approach’. Key contact Gautam Saha‘s wide-ranging experience includes debt and equity financing, project finance and private equity investments, among other issues, while Sachin Mehta is well-versed in matters arising from the telecoms and tech sectors. Another name to note is Amrita Patnaik, who excels at cross-border transactions and South Asian investments.