Former India Law Services (ILS) associate and Symbiosis Law School graduate Aakash Phadnis project finance and intellectual property (IP) start-up in Pune has recently started a tie-up in Delhi and hopes to open in Mumbai soon.

J Sagar Associates’ (JSA) regulatory and policy practice argues that one of the lessons to take away from last year’s Commonwealth Games in Delhi, is that Private Public Partnerships (PPP) are the future of Indian sports.

FoxMandal Delhi acted as the lender’s sole legal counsel for state power sector unit Rural Electrification Corporation (REC) and others in the development of a 1,320MW thermal power project in Andhra Pradesh.

Project finance law firms R&A Legal and India Law Services have advised on the Rs 970 crore ($210m) term loan and bank guarantee between Navayuga Engineering Company Limited and Bank of Baroda led bank consortium for the financing and development of India’s largest private sector port at Krishnapatnam in Andhra Pradesh.

Luthra & Luthra has acted for an IDBI-led consortium of banks and financial institutions in the financing of $50m coal mine project of GVK Coal (Tokisud) Company in Jharkhand.

One third of top infrastructure boutique India Law Services has joined ALMT Legal in Mumbai, with partner Ishtiaq Ali set to start up ALMT’s projects and infrastructure practice.

Luthra & Luthra has closed the Rs 2400 crores ($521m) GVK Power (Goindwalsahib) project finance fundraising acting for IDBI Bank and a consortium of 12 others as lender’s counsel.

Luthra & Luthra’s projects team was led by Mumbai partner Vijaya Rao (pictured), assisted by managing associate Bikash Jhawar, and associates Pulkit Sharma and Sneha Jha.

SN Gupta & Co has hired Planning Commission consultant Rashi Anand Suri as a partner to start up the firm’s infrastructure and projects practice.

Luthra & Luthra, India Law Services and Amarchand Mangaldas have leapfrogged to the top of global project finance deal rankings over the last six months, benefiting from Indian project finance deals rising by 158 per cent against the same period last year to almost $32bn (Rs 154,000 crore).

India’s new government could be the springboard for the country’s legal system to scale new heights.

The recent Indian elections saw a decisive win for the Congress Party, the stock markets rally, the various economic growth forecasts adjusted and the ­rating agencies ditching their gloomy ­outlook for the country (see ‘Elections’ box).

The optimism within the business ­community here is so heartfelt and the belief in the new government so strong, it is ­reminiscent of the first month or so after Barack Obama’s election victory in the US.

Nevertheless, the data for the start of the year makes for depressing reading. India, much like the rest of the world, has suffered in every major sector (see ‘Figures’ box). The country, as ever, faces incredible challenges.

But amid those challenges, even though they come with a long wish list of demands from their old but newly emboldened government, Indian lawyers are also seeing great opportunities. In India, it is business time.

Clifford Chance is seconding the head partner of its India practice group to its best friend AZB & Partners.

Clifford Chance project finance partner Chris Wyman (pictured) will relocate to AZB’s Mumbai office this month and will spend at least several months there to improve the integration between the firms.

Wyman said that he would stay “as long as it takes” and added: “It is all about maximising the opportunities – if you just say nice words and do nothing else, you will soon cease to be useful.”

Luthra & Luthra advised a consortium of banks on their Rs 14,550 crore ($3.1bn) project financing of the Sasan Ultra Mega Power Project for Reliance Power.

Reliance handled the transaction entirely with its in-house legal team of seven, led by its head of legal Umesh Mooteri.

Luthra & Luthra Delhi project finance head Sameen Vyas and Mumbai banking head Vijaya Rao (pictured) co-led the team for State Bank of India and a consortium of 11 other lenders.