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.  Since publication, Kanika Chaudhary Nayar and Abdullah Hussain have departed to join DSK Legal, and Rudresh Singh joined Trilegal in July 2022.

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. Since publication, Rudresh Singh joined the team from Luthra and Luthra Law Offices India in July 2022.

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 JSA Law, the team is headed by Farhad Sorabjee in Mumbai and handles a significant volume of merger control matters. The group also has a sizeable contentious offering and frequently represents clients before the High Courts and CCI in abuse of dominance cases; New Delhi-based Vaibhav Choukse is the key name here, with support from associate Ela Bali. Energy, pharmaceuticals, and chemical manufacturing remain core areas of activity for the group.

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 and Gautam Shahi. 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 JSA Law 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 and Ram Kumar Poornachandran departed the firm in November 2021 while Sonam Mathur remains a leading lawyer in the group.

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.