Banking & finance

Majmudar & Co and UK firm TLT have acted as legal counsel to the lender Punjab National Bank (International) Limited [PNBIL] in two cross-border loans to finance the acquisition and operation of US-based and Indonesian mining groups.

Majmudar & Co and Herbert Smith have assisted port infrastructure company Essar Shipping Ports & Logistics Limited in launching their foreign currency convertible bonds (FCCBs) issuance of $280m last month.

Khaitan & Co's recent White & Case lateral hire has advised Reliance Industries and Infotel Broadband Services on a $500m loan to finance its broadband wireless access (BWA) auction win. Linklaters and Juris Corp advised the lead lender RBS.

Bristol-headquartered TLT has bagged the advice for a syndicate of Indian banks on a $110m dollar loan to Indus Gas alongside Amarchand Mangaldas, with the regional UK firm benefiting from its niche banking pitch.

J Sagar Associates (JSA) and Trilegal have completed mobile phone operator Aircel's Rs 2,000 crore ($449m) commercial paper fundraising to part-finance the telecom operator's upcoming 3G licence auction.

Phoenix Legal has acted on a Rs 308m ($6.5m) microfinance securitisation of 42,000 micro-loans for IFMR Capital.

India's largest mortgage lender Housing Development and Finance Corporation (HDFC) has issued India's first ever dual warrants and bonds instrument, which was structured by AZB & Partners, Amarchand Mangaldas and Linklaters Singapore to raise Rs 4000 crore ($822m) for the company.

Clifford Chance has cemented its ties to Air India, acting on the $1bn (Rs 4,900 crore) asset finance loan from JPMorgan Chase, which was advised by Milbank Tweed Hadley McCloy.