Being one of the fastest growing economies in the world, India presents vast opportunities and challenges.
Our track record of advising clients on high profile and significant cross-border transactions, projects, disputes and debt and equity financings, has earned us a reputation for being a market-leading India practice. We are regularly the firm of choice for both international clients and Indian corporates in relation to their most important matters in India as well as overseas.
This gives us an excellent balance of perspective, allowing us also to understand the perspective of the Indian business and the cultural and practical challenges and to share clear insights as to the best actions to take and tactics to adopt to overcome the legal and practical hurdles in order to deliver matters to execution.
Our practice is based across our London, Singapore, Dubai and Hong Kong offices and operates seamlessly as one adaptable team that can be tailored as required.
Due to Indian regulation, we are precluded from having offices on the ground in India and practising Indian law. However we have strong relationships with top Indian law firms with whom we work to deliver a seamless service.
Our wider commitment to India includes work with law schools and local charities and sets us apart from other firms.
Insights and updates
Recent Experience
Our expert teams across sectors and practice areas provide a diverse range of legal knowledge to our clients in the region
Bharti Global
Advising on its US$1 billion acquisition of OneWeb, in consortium with the UK Government, and subsequent investments into OneWeb from SoftBank, Eutelsat, Hanwha and Hughes Network totalling US$2.7 billion.
New Development Bank
Advising on the US$300 million loan to REC Limited to support the Government of India’s increasing investment in the renewable energy sector.
Copenhagen Infrastructure Partners (CIP)
Advising on the joint equity investments in renewable energy projects in India through its Copenhagen Infrastructure New Markets Fund I (CI NMF) with Amp Energy India.
EDEN Renewables India
Advising the Joint Venture of EDF Renouvelables S.A and Total Eren S.A on a green limited recourse project term loan to finance a 450 MWp (300 MWac) solar project in Rajasthan, India.
Goldman Sachs
Advising on the significant minority stake investment into Aragen Life Sciences Private (Aragen).
Goldman Sachs
Advising on an investment in Indian biopharmaceutical company Biocon Biologics through the subscription of optionally convertible debentures.
Accolades
CHAMBERS ASIA-PACIFIC 2023
Band 1 for Projects & Energy (International Firms) (Expertise Based Abroad) in India
CHAMBERS ASIA-PACIFIC 2023
Band 1 for Corporate/M&A (International Firms) (Expertise Based Abroad) in India
Legal 500
Ranked Tier 1 for India Foreign Firms by Legal 500 for 14 consecutive years (2008-2022)
INDIAN BUSINESS LAW JOURNAL (IBLJ)
Recognised for 13 consecutive years as one of the top international law firms for India-related work
CHAMBERS ASIA-PACIFIC 2022 (INDIA)
A market source notes:
"The team at Herbert Smith Freehills is one of the active firms in the Indian market and has good knowledge of the requirements of their clients; we have found their team to be extremely thorough in their advice, with business-oriented solutions.”
LEGAL 500 ASIA PACIFIC (INDIA) 2022
"Longstanding local relationships and highly regarded hands-on team of superlative partners.”