Antitrust and competition in India

At Khaitan & Co LLP, the antitrust group continues to have an active practice, handling prominent merger control and leniency applications for large corporates, with practice head Manas Kumar Chaudhuri recently representing Schaeffler India before the CCI. In addition, the team frequently advises domestic and foreign clients on regulatory issues and compliance. In Mumbai, Rahul Singh and Anisha Chand are key names for abuse of dominance matters and transactional mandates, with sector strength across the pharmaceuticals, telecoms, and automotive industries. The department also has a focus on dispute resolution; principal associate Swati Bala is recommended for litigation challenging merger deals. Pranjal Prateek , who was promoted to the partnership in April 2021, is another a core member of the team, as is Sagardeep Rathi.

At L&L Partners Law Offices, the competition practice handles cartel investigations and abuse of dominance matters, acting for key clients across regulated industries including aviation and energy. The group is also instructed on merger control and leniency applications, and has experience appearing before the CCI. Key contacts include GR Bhatia, Abdullah Hussain, Kanika Chaudhary Nayar and Rudresh Singh. In addition, in May 2021 the team was joined by Kunal Mehra from Dua Associates.

The leading competition group at Shardul Amarchand Mangaldas & Co continues to be engaged in ‘cutting-edge work’, housing a team of experts with an impressive client roster including Facebook and Fiat Chrysler Automobiles. John Handoll oversees the team, which handles merger control work, investigations and cartel proceedings before the CCI and the National Company Law Appellate Tribunal (NCLAT). Senior partner Shweta Shroff Chopra is the key contact for merger control and cartel cases, whilst enforcement matters are dealt with by Naval Chopra and Manika Brar. Harman Singh Sandhu, who has been engaged in various international transactions, advises on obtaining clearance for multi-jurisdictional mergers. Managing partner and dispute resolution head Pallavi Shroff remains a key practitioner in the team, as does Yamam Verma.

The competition practice at Trilegal has strength in advising national and multinational clients on obtaining clearance from the CCI in high-value merger control matters. Spanning across Mumbai, New Delhi, and Bengaluru, the team handles the competition aspect of commercial transactions, abuse of dominance cases, and audits. Practice head Nisha Kaur Uberoi in Mumbai is noted for her leniency applications. On the contentious side, new partner Gautam Chawla regularly represents clients before all levels of the judiciary. Associate Simran Kathuria is also recommended.

Mumbai-based Cyril Amarchand Mangaldas handles large merger control matters for clients operating in the aviation, pharmaceuticals, and telecoms sectors, including cross-border matters across Southeast Asia. In addition, the team has seen an increase in instructions relating to investigations and advisory work on mitigating risk. Overseen by Avaantika Kakkar, the group frequently advises global corporates on competition issues in relation to market entry and has extensive experience appearing before the CCI; Anshuman Sakle is a key contact here.

The competition practice at Economic Laws Practice is jointly overseen by managing partner Suhail Nathani and Ravisekhar Nair, and has a focus on contentious work for both domestic and multinational clients. The group leverages its litigation experience in abuse of dominance and cartel enforcement cases before the CCI, as well as handling matters concerning anti-competitive agreements. Other core team members include Abhay Joshi, who advises clients in the technology, media, and sports sectors on merger control applications. Google and Ericsson form part of the impressive client roster.

At Lakshmikumaran & Sridharan, the antitrust practice group has experience acting for domestic and international enterprises on a wide range of matters, but is particularly well known for abuse of dominance cases. Led by Charanya Lakshmikumaran, the team has sector strength across the manufacturing, automotive, and packaging industries, advising clients on matters relating to anti-competitive agreements and representing them in proceedings before the CCI. Neelambera Sandeepan has appeared before the CCI, NCLAT and various High Courts in high-profile cartel cases.

AnantLaw’s practice has been bolstered by several new arrivals, including seasoned competition lawyers Rahul Goel and Anu Monga, who joined from IndusLaw in January 2021. The team has handled a number of high-stakes cases before the Supreme Court, NCLAT and CCI, including constitutional challenges to the Competition Act, 2002, as well as cases relating to anti-competitive agreements. Counsels Neha Mishra and Nitish Sharma, both of whom joined the team from Gaggar & Partners in early 2021, are also of note, handling regulatory issues and litigation.

Dua Associates‘ competition team is led by Robin David following the departure of former practice head Kunal Mehra for L&L Partners Law Offices in May 2021. The group advises clients on merger filings and abuse of dominance litigation.

At IndusLaw, the practice was strengthened with the arrival of new partner Unnati Agrawal, who joined the firm from J Sagar Associates in January 2021 and jointly leads the team with Avimukt Darr. The group handles antitrust litigation before the CCI and merger control matters, with recent highlights including advising energy company Adani Power on an acquisition. The team is also active in cartel investigations and leniency applications.

The competition team at Link Legal has particular strength in the aviation sector and counts private airline SpiceJet as a key client. Headed by managing partner Atul Sharma, the group handles merger control matters and investigations before the CCI. Core members of the team include Anand Srivastava, who is dual qualified in India and New York, commercial disputes expert Abhishek Sharma and associate Ashly Cherian.

Majmudar & Partners‘ competition team is led by Rukshad Davar and advises international manufacturing and healthcare sector clients on merger control. The practice assists clients with obtaining approval from the CCI and ensuring domestic operations are compliant.

At Samvad Partners, the competition group is led by Arjun Krishnan in New Delhi and is active across the pharmaceuticals, telecoms, and real estate sectors. The team advises on merger control matters and regularly undertakes contentious work, representing clients before the CCI, the NCLAT and the Supreme Court, and acting for the CCI itself. Harish Narasappa is the key contact in Bengaluru. Savani Gupte joined the firm’s Mumbai office from Khaitan & Co LLP in March 2021, and has enhanced the group’s competition litigation offering.

The competition group at Talwar Thakore & Associates has strength across the pharmaceuticals, petrochemicals, and media sectors, advising domestic and multinational clients on merger control and compliance issues. Rahat Dhawan is the key contact following the departure of Ram Kumar Poornachandran in November 2021.

At Veritas Legal, the competition practice is active in merger filings before the CCI. The team is frequently engaged by multinationals operating across the real estate and pharmaceutical sectors, among others, to advise on the competition aspects of corporate acquisitions and large-scale mergers. Associate Zenia Cassinath is also a key team member, and advises on competition law for domestic and international clients. Former practice head Nandish Vyas departed in February 2022.