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Source: The Hindu BusinessLine

The Hindu BusinessLine
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Banking Sector
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1 min
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03 Sept
Published
Banking Sector
1 min read· The Hindu BusinessLine

Banks pledge ₹24,000 crore for Birla's Shell renewables bid

Four Indian lenders have committed ₹24,000 crore towards Aditya Birla Group’s proposed purchase of Shell’s Indian renewables business. The commitments exceed the ₹14,000 crore borrowing requirement.

SBI and Axis Bank have each offered up to ₹7,000 crore, while Union Bank of India and PNB have indicated about ₹5,000 crore apiece. These are lending commitments, not funds already released. Disbursements will depend on the transaction’s final size.

The group is also discussing additional credit lines with HDFC Bank and Kotak Mahindra Bank. Aditya Birla Renewables Ltd plans to acquire full ownership of Solenergi Power Pvt, the owner of Sprng Energy. Sprng operates Shell’s Indian solar and wind assets, and the purchase would put a 5-gigawatt renewable portfolio under the Birla group’s control.

Expected borrowing rates are in the 7.6–7.7% range, with repayment schedules stretching from 12 to 20 years. The financing would be raised through special purpose vehicles, or entities established for a specific project. Final loan allocations among the lenders have not been stated.

The financing push follows an RBI rule change allowing domestic banks to finance corporate acquisitions from July 1. This gives Indian lenders more room to compete with overseas banks for large takeover mandates. The report also cites recent bank credit growth of 18.3%, outpacing deposit growth, although it does not specify the measurement period.

Source: The Hindu BusinessLine