Rising Stars

Firms in the Spotlight Antitrust and competition

AnantLaw

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Our team always puts our clients first. We bring fresh ideas, innovative solutions and perspectives to all our engagements. Our relentless focus on forging bold ideas helps our clients achieve superior outcomes in competitive environments. Our focus on trust, ethics, nurturing diverse opinions and building a collaborative culture helps us drive excellence for our clients …

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Antitrust and competition in India

AZB & Partners

With bench strength in Mumbai, Delhi and Bangalore, AZB & Partners acts for a roster of prominent clients, such as Google, Uber and Mercedes, in high-profile, cross-border competition matters, with merger control and enforcement work prominent in the group’s workload. The team is led by the trio of Bharat Budholia, who has an impressive track record in handling merger control mandates; Hemangini Dadwal, ‘a thorough and very prompt professional‘; and Ram Kumar Poornachandran, who acts for Indian and international clients in the digital, healthcare, energy and consumer goods sectors. Gaurav Bansal is noted for his strength in handling merger filings, often for clients in the automotive, aviation and telecoms sectors. Samir Gandhi and Nikita Agarwal are key names to note.

Practice head(s):

Ram Kumar Poornachandran; Bharat Budholia; Hemangini Dadwal


Other key lawyers:

Samir Gandhi; Gaurav Bansal; Nikita Agarwal


Testimonials

‘A wonderful team. Very prompt and understands clients’ needs and requirements well. Gives pragmatic advice in the simplest way possible.’

‘Hemangini Dadwal is fully up-to-date with the latest developments and has a worldwide view.’

‘Very enthusiastic team and most importantly, highly supportive and responsive.’

Key clients

Google LLC


Tata Group


Vistara


Star India / Disney Broadcasting


GSK Plc


Board of Cricket Control in India


Holcim Group


Shell Overseas Investments B.V.


Bain Capital


Reliance Strategic Business Ventures Limited


EQT AB


Vista Equity Partners and Elliott Investment Management L.P.


Rane Brake Lining


Haldiram Foods


TPG


CleanMax Solar


Work highlights


  • Advising Google on abuse of dominance investigations concerning Android TV, Android smartphones and news publishers.
  • Advising Tata Group on the competition law aspects of the merger of Vistara into AIL, the subsequent acquisition of shares in the merged entity and Tata Sons Private Limited, and the acquisition of shares by Singapore Airlines Limited in the merged entity.
  • Representing the Star Group in proceedings before the Supreme Court, Kerala High Court, and the CCI concerning abuse of dominance claims and anti-competitive agreements.

Khaitan & Co LLP

Khaitan & Co LLP stands out for its strength in handling multi-jurisdictional competition law matters, and has a solid track record in acting for private entities, government bodies, leading corporates and large public sector companies. In New Delhi, practice head Manas Kumar Chaudhuri advises on enforcement matters relating to anti-competitive agreements and abuse of dominance claims, and regularly appears before the Competition Commission of India (CCI) and the Supreme Court. Also in New Delhi, Sagardeep Rathi specialises in merger control filings, bid rigging and cartelisation issues. Mumbai-based Anshuman Sakle – who rejoined from Cyril Amarchand Mangaldas in mid-2022 – assists with merger control cases, abuse of dominance issues, cartel investigations, and the competition law aspects of joint ventures and distribution agreements. Anisha Chand and Pranjal Prateek are key names to note in the Mumbai and New Delhi offices respectively.

Practice head(s):

Manas Kumar Chaudhuri


Other key lawyers:

Anisha Chand; Anshuman Sakle; Sagardeep Rathi; Pranjal Prateek


Key clients

Viterra India Private Limited


Leading Kraft Paper Manufacturers


Anheuser-Busch InBev SA/NV


Apollo Tyres Limited


INOX India Private Limited


Axis Bank Limited


Umang Commercial Company Private Limited


JSW Energy Limited


Abu Dhabi Investment Authority


Oman Investment Corporation


Shardul Amarchand Mangaldas & Co

Led by John Handoll, the team at Shardul Amarchand Mangaldas & Co excels in all areas of competition law, including merger control, leniency proceedings, cartel investigations, abuse of dominance claims, and competition compliance matters. Naval Chopra is well versed in advising on complex abuse of dominance claims and merger control proceedings, also key areas of expertise for corporate and competition law expert Shweta Shroff Chopra. Harman Singh Sandhu defends large multi-national clients in high-profile cartel enforcement cases and leniency matters, while Yaman Verma and Rohan Arora are active in abuse of dominance cases. Merger control expert Aparna Mehra is also singled out.

Practice head(s):

John Handoll


Other key lawyers:

Shweta Shroff Chopra; Naval Chopra; Harman Singh Sandhu; Yaman Verma; Rohan Arora; Aparna Mehra


Testimonials

‘The antitrust and competition team comes with expertise, deep knowledge and experience. They are quick to understand the nuances of the industry and are able to give very practical and relevant advice.’

‘Harman has been excellent to work with. He is calm under pressure and able to pre-empt client queries very effectively.’

‘The antitrust and competition practice of SAMCO is devoted to understanding the complexities involved in the business and applying solutions that are tailor-made for clients’ needs. They provide practical advice keeping in mind jurisprudential evolution in India and the trends emerging from mature markets such as the US and the EU.’

‘Naval Chopra is known for his practical approach and out-of-the-box thinking. Harman Singh Sandhu provides an optimal mix of strategic and tactical advice, staying focused on the near-term and long-term objectives.’

‘They have excellent subject knowledge, and are client friendly and focused.’

Key clients

Sony Pictures Networks India Private Limited


Bangla Entertainment Private Limited


Asian Paints Limited


UBS Group AG And Credit Suisse Group AG


JK Tyre and Industries Limited


WhatsApp LLC and Meta Platforms Inc.


Facebook India Online Services Private Limited


IndiaIdeas.com Limited


Saudi Aramco


Archroma Operations S.à.r.l


Jai Polypan Private Limited


Blackstone Inc.


Abu Dhabi Investment Authority


Saudi Agricultural and Livestock Investment Company


Oravel Stays Limited


Apollo Global Management Inc.


Hapag-Lloyd AG


Coal India Limited


Work highlights


  • Represented a client in a complaint on Google’s billing and payment system, resulting in the CCI making an order against Google.
  • Acted for Sony Pictures Networks (now Culver Max Entertainment) in the notification to and clearance by the CCI, subject to conditions of the amalgamation of Zee Entertainment with Sony.
  • Defended Asian Paints Limited against abuse of dominance allegations; the CCI passed a favourable order dismissing all allegations.

Trilegal

Under the leadership of Mumbai-based Nisha Kaur Uberoi, Trilegal's team of 'really hard working lawyers' handles the whole spectrum of competition law matters, including merger control, cartel investigations, abuse of dominance claims and compliance. Uberoi regularly acts for global companies, and Gautam Chawla and Rudresh Singh excel in representing domestic and international clients in merger control matters, cartel investigations and other contentious matters. Radhika Seth is very experienced in advising on cartelisation and bid rigging matters. Harshita Parmar and Mumbai-based Mathew George are key practitioners. Aside from George, all named practitioners are based in New Delhi.

Practice head(s):

Nisha Kaur Uberoi


Other key lawyers:

Gautam Chawla; Radhika Seth; Rudresh Singh; Harshita Parmar; Mathew George


Testimonials

‘Deep understanding of the client business.’

‘The Trilegal team is exceptional at handling both merger control and behavioral investigations for platforms markets. Their grasp on competition issues of tech platforms are superb and they understand the nuances around our business very well.’

‘Rudresh Singh is simply outstanding. His command over competition law – specially on issues of digital platforms, algorithms, data and competition law – is phenomenal. More importantly, his understanding of the tech complexity of digital platforms is unparalleled in the Indian market. His availability is next to none – always there to handle complex issues.’

Key clients

Prosus N.V. and PayU Payments Private Limited


Manipal Health Enterprises Private Limited


JM Baxi Ports & Logistics Limited


Apple Inc.


Schneider Electric SE


Temasek Holdings Private Limited


Grasim Industries Limited


Arcelor Mittal


Heineken N.V


UltraTech Cement Limited


Zee Entertainment Enterprise Limited


KKR & Co. Inc.


Edelweiss Group


Walmart


Bandhan Holdings


ChrysCapital


GIC


Zomato Ltd.


Kawasaki Kisen Kaisha Ltd. Japan


ANI Technologies Pvt. Ltd.


Keihin Corporation, Japan


Brookfield Asset Management


Naspers Limited


International Spirits and Wines Association of India


Championship Cricket LLC (owned by Avram Glazer)


Ares SSG Capital Management (Singapore) Pte. Ltd.


Hindustan Coca-Cola Beverages Private Limited


Boehringer-Ingelheim


Itochu Corporation


Comcast Corporation


Japanese Industrial Partners


Work highlights


  • Representing UltraTech Cement, Binani Cement and Century Cement in the alleged cement cartel case before the Supreme Court of India.
  • Assisted Prosus N.V. and PayU Payments Private Limited with securing unconditional approval from the CCI concerning a $4.7bn proposed acquisition of IndiaIdeas.com Limited.

Cyril Amarchand Mangaldas

Cyril Amarchand Mangaldas' practice stands out as 'very good in antitrust matters'. The team is very experienced in advising on enforcement and merger control matters in the digital, tech and online retail sectors, with an extensive client roster of large Indian and international companies and emerging start-ups. The Mumbai-based duo Cyril Shroff and Avaantika Kakkar co-head the practice; Kakkar has extensive expertise in handling complex merger filings, abuse of dominance issues and cartel investigations, as well as advising on dawn raids, and she is sought after by companies in the pharmaceuticals, tech, financial services, infrastructure and automobile sectors. Vijay Pratap Singh Chauhan acts on major cartel investigations, bid rigging and abuse of dominance cases. Dhruv Rajain brings experience in handling enforcement and compliance matters, in addition to pre-merger filings, and Kirthi Srinivas advises on leniency applications.

Practice head(s):

Cyril Shroff; Avaantika Kakkar


Other key lawyers:

Vijay Pratap Singh Chauhan; Dhruv Rajain; Kirthi Srinivas; Kaustav Kundu


Testimonials

‘The team has exceptional sector knowledge and in depth understanding of different businesses, which uniquely positions them to deliver a more accurate antitrust analysis. They have developed a rapport with the regulators over the course of multiple engagements and the regulators have developed trust in their judgement.’

‘Our transaction was led by Dhruv Rajain and overseen by Avaantika Kakkar. Both were extremely professional, knowledgeable and thorough. Dhruv Rajain stood out for his attention to detail and regular communication about the process / legal nuance and we believe that his contributions were pivotal for the transaction.’

‘Avaantika has enormous experience in this practice.’

‘Avaantika is well known as a leader in this area. Her team is exceptionally good.’

Key clients

Viacom 18 Media Private Limited, Reliance Projects & Property Management Services Limited


Google


Essar


Canada Pension Plan Investment Board


Serum


Adani Group


Advent International


Baring Private Equity Asia


DSK Legal

The New Delhi-based competition law practice at DSK Legal stands out for its extensive expertise, often advising on merger control, cartelisation issues, bid-rigging, anti-competitive agreements, abuse of dominance claims, and compliance matters. The department is led by the tetrad of Abdullah Hussain, who has an excellent track record acting for clients in the manufacturing, aviation, pharmaceuticals, shipping and tech sectors; Kanika Chaudhary Nayar, who has extensive expertise in handling cartel investigations, abuse of dominance cases, anti-competitive agreements and merger control filings; Kunal Mehra, a key name for assisting prominent corporates with competition compliance work; and Abhishek Singh Baghel, who is sought after by international clients regarding a range of contentious and non-contentious competition matters.

Practice head(s):

Abdullah Hussain; Kanika Chaudhary Nayar; Kunal Mehra; Abhishek Singh Baghel


Other key lawyers:

Danish Khan


Testimonials

‘Ability to understand the business context and background, and connect with the latest developments in the law.’

‘Easy accessibility and availability.’

‘The team is quick and also very flexible on billing.’

‘Abhishek Singh Baghel is a hands-on partner with extensive knowledge and experience in the area. Always love to work with him.’

‘The DSK team is second to none in navigating complex merger approvals in India.’

‘Kanika Chaudhary Nayar and Abdullah Hussain are standout antitrust practitioners at DSK.’

‘The attorneys at DSK are very knowledgeable and responsive.’

‘Kanika Chaudhary Nayar and Abdullah Hussain are outstanding lawyers. ’

Key clients

Tamarai Technologies Pvt. Ltd.


Minda Corporation


East India Petroleum Private Limited


IDP Education Ltd, Victoria, Australia


Andhra Pradesh Excise Department and the Andhra Pradesh State Beverages Corporation


Bayer AG


GMR Hyderabad International Airport Limited


Mahyco Seeds


JSW Paints Private Limited


J.C. Bamford Excavators Limited & JCB India Limited


Quality Care India Limited (“CARE”)


National Investment and Infrastructure Fund


OpenX Technologies Inc.


AlpsAlpineCo. Ltd., Japan


IndiaMart Intermesh Limited


Manash Lifestyle Private Limited ‘Purple’


Producers Guild of India


Planet Holding Limited, UK


Taboola India Pvt. Ltd.


Fortis Escorts Heart Institute, New Delhi


Fortis Flt. Lt. Rajan Dhall Charitable Trust Hospital, Vasant Kunj, Delhi


Work highlights


  • Represented the Andhra Pradesh Excise Department and the Andhra Pradesh State Beverages Corporation before the CCI in an abuse of dominance case filed by the International Spirits and Wines Association of India.
  • Represented GMR before the CCI and subsequently before the Supreme Court, in abuse of dominance proceedings initiated by Air Works relating to the Hyderabad International Airport.
  • Advising East India Petroleum Private Limited on its compensation claim filed against South Asia LPG Private Limited before the NCLAT.

Economic Laws Practice

Economic Laws Practice has excellent expertise in acting for domestic and international clients in a range of sectors, including tech, pharmaceuticals, manufacturing, oil and gas, sports and entertainment, in merger control mandates and enforcement proceedings before the CCI and a range of court levels up to the Supreme Court, which are key areas of strength for managing partner Suhail Nathani and Ravisekhar Nair. Parthasarathi Jha advises tech, pharmaceutical, media and entertainment clients on merger control notifications and competition compliance issues. Abhay Joshi fields extensive experience in handling anti-competitive agreement investigations.

Practice head(s):

Suhail Nathani; Ravisekhar Nair; Parthsarathi Jha; Abhay Joshi


Testimonials

‘The team is very cooperative and transparent in discussing the issues with us as clients. They have very good knowledge and are very punctual.’

‘Parthasarathy Jha is prompt and direct.’

Key clients

National Egg Co-ordination Committee


ETC Agro Processing (India) Private Limited


United Breweries Limite


SKF (India) Limited


Google LLC, Google India Private Limited and Google Ireland Limited


Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson


Geep Industries (India) Private Limited


INOX Leisure Limited


IREL (India) Limited


JSA Law

At JSA Law, the team has ‘up-to-date knowledge on all key competition issues‘. The group handles a wide spectrum of competition law matters, including abuse of dominance claims, cartel investigations, merger filings and contentious antitrust mandates. Practice head Vaibhav Choukse is ‘a strategic advisor‘ with extensive experience in advising on leniency matters and merger control mandates. Ela Bali, who was promoted to partner in April 2023, is ‘insightful with a keen understanding of client needs and gives practical advice‘ on competition compliance issues, dawn raids, and the competition aspects of commercial agreements. Senior associate Aditi Khanna and associate Faiz Siddiqui are singled out for their contributions.

Practice head(s):

Vaibhav Choukse


Other key lawyers:

Ela Bali; Aditi Khanna; Faiz Siddiqui


Testimonials

‘The team is excellent, offering fresh, dynamic and commercial advice.’

‘Vaibhav is insightful with a keen understanding of client needs and gives practical advice, which shows his sensitivity to commercial realities.’

‘There were experienced lawyers at all levels. They really know their stuff, the intricacies of antitrust regulation and how the process actually works. They are also really responsive.’

P&A Law Offices

With an extensive presence across New Delhi, Mumbai and Bangalore, P&A Law Offices is sought after by prominent Indian companies and multinational corporations in the tech, retail, automobile, manufacturing, pharmaceuticals, financial services, media and entertainment sectors. The competition practice is led by the New Delhi-based tetrad of managing partner Anand Pathak, who provides 'best-in-class, strategic competition law advice'; the 'very well informed and vigorously results-oriented' Shashank Gautam, whose workload includes cartel cases, abuse of dominance and merger control matters; Sreemoyee Deb, who is 'very well connected' and has a solid track record in representing clients in high-profile cases before the CCI and the Competition Appellate Tribunal (CAT); and Anubhuti Mishra, who is well versed in representing e-commerce, steel, manufacturing, automobile and retail companies in competition mandates.

Practice head(s):

Anand Pathak; Shashank Gautam; Sreemoyee Deb; Anubhuti Mishra


Testimonials

‘The team demonstrates strategic thinking.’

‘P&A Law Offices’ team has substantial domestic and international experience, and their responsiveness and creativity allows them to solve complex matters with ease. More importantly, particularly for their competition team, they have extensive knowledge across various jurisdictions and collaborate well with international law firms and clients.’

‘Shashank is a market leader and has an excellent reputation in the competition market. He demonstrates strong knowledge of competition and antitrust issues and is strongly results-oriented. His advice to clients is always practical.’

Anand Pathak never fails to demonstrate his strong subject matter expertise in his competition work. His knowledge and experience is extensive.’

‘Anand Pathak is a very good technical lawyer.’

‘A very sound, competent and hard-working team, who work cohesively.’

‘Anand Pathak is one of the most talented and outstanding lawyers. He is always available to offer guidance and support.’

Key clients

Air Vistara


Amazon Asia-Pacific Holdings Private Limited


Amazon.com NV Investment Holdings LLC


Amazon Seller Services Private Limited


Amazon Wholesale India Private Limited


Angul Energy Limited


Carlsberg Asia


Nilesh Patel, Managing Director, Carlsberg India Private Limited


Competition Commission of India


Diageo India


General Motors India Private Limited


GoIbibo India Private Limited


MakeMytrip India Private Limited


Mercedes-Benz India Private Limited


Nissan Motors


Rallis India Limited


Schneider Electric Group


Sony Pictures Network India Private Limited


SPE Films India Private Limited


Super Cassettes Industries Private Limited


Tata Capital Financial Services Limited


Tata Motors Limited


Tata Steel BSL Limited


Tata Steel Europe


Tata Steel Limited


Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson (Publ) (Ericsson)


TransUnion CIBIL


ITC Limited


Brittania Industries Limited


Air Asia


Jindal Stainless Steel Limited


UpGrad


Cars24


AirBnB


Work highlights


  • Represented Amazon NV before the CCI in relation to a show cause notice pursuant to a complaint filed by Future Coupons Private Limited.
  • Represented MakeMyTrip Pvt. Ltd in a CCI investigation relating to alleged anti-competitive conduct and abuse of dominance.
  • Representing the managing director of Carlsberg India Private Limited, one of the individuals on whom a penalty was levied in the investigation conducted by the Competition Commission of India against beer manufacturers.

Talwar Thakore & Associates

Talwar Thakore & Associates' practice has solid expertise in handling merger control mandates, often appearing before the CCI. The client roster includes prominent companies in the digital markets and healthcare sectors; in a notable highlight, the firm represented Match in its complaint against Google for anti-competitive conduct in relation to in-app payments. Practice head Sonam Mathur handles the full gamut of competition law issues, including cartel investigations, abuse of dominance allegations, and complex merger control matters. Dinoo Muthappa, who was promoted to the partnership in April 2023, advises domestic and international clients in the financial services, automobiles, consumer goods and media sectors. Managing associate Shubhang Joshi is also a key name to note.

Practice head(s):

Sonam Mathur


Other key lawyers:

Dinoo Muthappa; Shubhang Joshi


Testimonials

‘The team is very energetic and responsive. They constantly keep the client informed and involved.’

‘Very easy to work with.’

Key clients

Match Group


Heraeus Group


Linde plc


HSBC Group


Generali Group


Syngenta


Spotify


PepsiCo


Sanofi


Roche


Orix Corporation


American Tower Corporation


The Economist


ResMed


Disney-Star


Carrier


Work highlights


  • Acting for Match in bringing a claim of alleged anti-competitive conduct against Apple, concerning the policies of the latter’s App Store.
  • Assisted Carrier and Viessmann HoldCo with the competition law aspects of the acquisition of Viessmann Climate Solutions SE and its subsidiaries by Carrier, as well as the acquisition of a minority shareholding in Carrier by Viessmann HoldCo.

Chandhiok & Mahajan, Advocates and Solicitors

Chandhiok & Mahajan, Advocates and Solicitors‘ team has ‘rich experience in competition law‘. The New Delhi-based practice regularly handles merger control issues, leniency matters, cartels and abuse of dominance work, with particular expertise in advising clients in the tech, automobile, media, chemicals and pharmaceutical sectors. Department head Karan Singh Chandhiok has solid experience in acting for high-profile domestic and multinational corporations, such as Google, Intel and Hyundai, in competition matters. Avinash Amarnath is well versed in advising on complex cartel and abuse of dominance investigations and vertical agreements, and Deeksha Manchanda specialises in representing tech, automobile and pharmaceutical clients in a broad range of competition law matters. Lagna Panda is a key name for assisting with enforcement proceedings and internal compliance investigations.

Practice head(s):

Karan Singh Chandhiok


Other key lawyers:

Deeksha Manchanda; Lagna Panda; Avinash Amarnath


Testimonials

‘The competition law team is easy to approach and has in-depth knowledge of Indian and global competition laws.’

‘Karan Chandhiok and Avinash Amarnath have set the bar high in terms of handling antitrust issues.’

Key clients

Google


Intel Corporation


FabHotels


Asianet Digital Network Private Limited


BookMyShow


JCB Limited and JCB India Private Limited


UFO Moviez


Hyundai Motor India Limited


Vifor Pharma


Panasonic


Work highlights


  • Defended Google before the CCI in competition litigation relating to its Play Store payments policy and UPI payment app.
  • Representing Intel before the CCI concerning an abuse of dominance allegation filed by an Indian company.
  • Acted for Vifor in an investigation into its licensing practice for one of its drugs, involving allegations of anti-competitive activity and abuse of dominance.

Dentons Link Legal

Aviation work forms the backbone of Dentons Link Legal's practice, and the team has a solid track record for representing clients in litigation and investigations before the CCI. The group is also noted for its strength in assisting healthcare, energy, tech and retail sector clients with cartelisation, vertical agreements and compliance matters. The department is led by the triumvirate of Atul Sharma, Anand Srivastava and Abhishek Sharma, who is well known for appearing before the Supreme Court in competition-related disputes. Ketan Mukhija is a key name in the New Delhi office.

Practice head(s):

Atul Sharma; Anand Srivastava; Abhishek Sharma


Other key lawyers:

Ketan Mukhija


Key clients

SpiceJet Limited


CRCC High-Tech Equipment Corporation Limited


BSN Medical India


Microsoft


Metro Cash & Carry India


VPS Healthcare Private Limited


Vikram Solar Limited


IndusLaw

Operating out of New Delhi, the competition practice at IndusLaw regularly advises on merger control matters, anti-competitive agreements, abuse of dominance, dawn raids, leniency proceedings and compliance issues. Under the joint leadership of founding partner Avimukt Dar and Unnati Agrawal, the group has extensive experience defending companies before the Supreme Court, NCLAT, CCI, Director General and multiple High Courts in India. The team has a solid track record in assisting clients from the e-commerce, tech, telecoms, shipping, automobile, manufacturing, retail and consumer goods sectors. Senior associate Yash Lahoty acts on merger control matters and complex antitrust litigation.

Practice head(s):

Avimukt Dar; Unnati Agrawal


Other key lawyers:

Yash Lahoty


Testimonials

‘The competition law team at IndusLaw is highly skilled and knowledgeable. The team provides excellent guidance and representation to clients. Their proactive approach and attention to detail ensure that clients receive the best possible results.’

‘Unnati Agrawal demonstrates a deep understanding of competition law and provides clear, concise and practical guidance on how to deal with the issues at hand. She is dedicated to achieving favorable outcomes and always went above and beyond to ensure that the clients’ interests were protected.’

Key clients

PhonePe Private Limited


Independent Sugar Corporation Ltd.


Mitsubishi UFJ Financial Group


Oravel Stays Limited


Prosus Ventures B.V.


Sequoia Capital India Investments


UpGrad Education Private Limited


HDFC Bank Limited


Sapphire Foods Limited


Accel Partners


Penetron India Private Limited


Hindustan Unilever Limited


Work highlights


  • Advised PhonePe India Private Limited on the competition law aspects of its group restructuring.
  • Advised Independent Sugar Corporation Ltd on filing a Green Channel notification to the CCI, subsequently securing unconditional approval for the acquisition of Hindusthan National Glass and Industries Limited.
  • Defending Penetron India Private Limited before the NCLAT against alleged violations of Section 3 of the Competition Act, 2002.

Lakshmikumaran & Sridharan

Lakshmikumaran & Sridharan's practice is well versed in handling a broad range of competition matters, with a focus on anti-competitive agreements, unilateral conduct issues, abuse of dominance, bid rigging, vertical agreements and cartels. The team has solid expertise in representing clients before the CCI, the NCLAT, the High Courts and the Supreme Court, and regularly acts for companies in the automotive, infrastructure, manufacturing, aviation, e-commerce, energy, real estate and healthcare sectors. New Delhi-based Charanya Lakshmikumaran heads up the practice, in which Neelambera Sandeepan is a practitioner to note.

Practice head(s):

Charanya Lakshmikumaran


Other key lawyers:

Neelambera Sandeepan


Key clients

Honda Siel Cars Ltd.


Plasser India Pvt. Ltd


Indian Corrugated Case Manufacturers’ Association


Federation of Corrugated Box Manufacturers


Central Warehousing Corporation


Work highlights


  • Represented FCBM and its members before the CCI regarding a cartelisation matter.
  • Advised CWC on competition law compliance and clearance matters required for the fulfilment of a transaction.

Luthra and Luthra Law Offices India

Luthra and Luthra Law Offices India's competition law practice, led by the highly regarded practitioner G.R. Bhatia, handles a broad spectrum of antitrust and competition law matters. The team has established strength in handling abuse of dominance issues, cartel investigations, merger control and leniency proceedings, often for clients in the manufacturing, food and drink, infrastructure, biotech, pharmaceuticals, automotive and aviation sectors. Managing associate Arjun Nihal Singh is a star name in the department.

Practice head(s):

G.R. Bhatia


Other key lawyers:

Arjun Nihal Singh


Key clients

Dalmia Cement


NYK Line


Automotive Tyre Manufacturers Association


Gujarat Paper Mills Association


Avery Dennison (India) Private Limited


Maharashtra Hybrid Seeds Co. Pvt. Ltd.


Biocon Biologics Limited


Food Corporation of India


Hindware Sanitaryware Limited


Jet Airways


Jaiprakash Associates Limited


Yahoo India Private Limited


TR Capital


Work highlights


  • Defended Automotive Tyre Manufacturers Association and its office-bearer before the NCLAT.
  • Defended Gujarat Paper Mills Association and 30 kraft paper manufacturers before the CCI.
  • Represented Global Infrastructure Partners before the CCI in a gun-jumping case.

S&R Associates

S&R Associates‘ New Delhi-based practice handles merger control, abuse of dominance claims and cartel investigations for its roster of domestic and international clients. The group is sought after by companies in the telecoms, financial services, manufacturing, pharmaceuticals and travel sectors, among other areas. Simran Dhir heads up the department and regularly advises on the competition law aspects of domestic and cross-border transactions, often engaging with the CCI. Counsel Akshat Kulshrestha is very experienced in handling leniency proceedings.

Practice head(s):

Simran Dhir


Other key lawyers:

Akshat Kulshrestha


Testimonials

‘The team has shown resilience, patience and never takes their eye off the ball in complicated merger discussions with the authorities. They will support you 100%.’

‘Knowledgeable, prompt, detailed, comprehensive.’

‘The team provides detailed and comprehensive advice.’

Key clients

Aéroports de Paris S.A.


ArcelorMittal S.A.


Embassy Property Developments Private Limited / Embassy Office Parks REIT


Firmenich International SA


Vodafone Group


Work highlights


  • Represented Aéroports de Paris S.A. in obtaining the CCI’s approval for the merger of GMR Airports Infrastructure Limited with GMR Airports Limited.
  • Advised Firmenich, Koninklijke DSM and Danube AG on obtaining approval for the merger between DSM and Firmenich to form DSM-Firmenich AG.

Samvad Partners

New Delhi-based Arjun Krishnan heads up the practice at Samvad Partners, and leverages his extensive expertise in competition law and litigation to act for clients before the CCI, the NCLAT, the High Courts and the Supreme Court. Key sector strengths for the team include manufacturing, tech, aviation, automobile and construction. In Mumbai, Vineetha MG is sought after by domestic and multinational entities regarding merger control regulations and advising on abuse of dominance cases.

Practice head(s):

Arjun Krishnan


Other key lawyers:

Vineetha MG; Kavita Jitani; Ankur Singh


Key clients

Competition Commission of India


Work highlights


  • Handled a number of appeals before the NCLAT to uphold liability on a cartel of cylinder manufacturers.
  • Advised a prominent contract manufacturing company on obtaining competition law approvals for an investment of $75m by a global investment fund.
  • Represented the CCI before the Bombay High Court concerning a challenge to its investigation into allegations of anti-competitive conduct by debenture trustees.

Saraf and Partners

With established strength in handling merger control matters before the CCI, Saraf and Partners‘ broad competition law expertise also includes matters involving cartels, abuse of dominance allegations, leniency applications and compliance work. The team's client base includes manufacturing, financial services, automotive, retail, telecoma, e-commerce, aviation and healthcare companies. Firm founder Mohit Saraf and Akshayy Nanda co-head the practice from New Delhi, drawing on decades of combined experience in the field to assist with a range of competition law matters. Neha Mishra, who joined from Gaggar & Partners in June 2022, often represents clients before the CCI, the High Courts and the Supreme Court.

Practice head(s):

Mohit Saraf; Akshayy Nanda


Other key lawyers:

Neha Mishra


Key clients

Viatris


Bank of Baroda


AGI Greenpac Limited


Competition Commission of India


Batra Hospital and Medical Research Centre


Play Games 24×7


Info Edge India Limited


Work highlights


  • Advised Viatris on obtaining approval from the CCI regarding the sale of its global biosimilars business to Biocon Biologics Limited for $3.3bn.
  • Represented AGI Greenpac Limited before the CCI in relation to the acquisition of a 100% stake in Hindusthan National Glass & Industries Limited.
  • Represented the Bank of Baroda before the CCI in relation to the acquisition of a 21% stake in India First Life Insurance Company Limited.