Top 5 Recent Mergers and Acquisitions in India

• The recent mergers and acquisitions in India reflect the shifting landscape of various industries and foster innovation and growth.
• Benefiting from the combined synergies of mergers and acquisitions, companies can improve their profitability, competitive edge and value for their stakeholders.
• The recent mergers and acquisitions are likely to foster growth and innovation across sectors, ultimately creating new investment opportunities.

Mergers and acquisitions reflect the changes in industry dynamics and encourage innovation and growth. They help companies expand their footprints, acquire new technology, and get a competitive edge.From an investor perspective, knowing about recent mergers and acquisitions in India can help you make an informed investment decision.In this blog, we talk about the top five popular and recent mergers and acquisitions. Let’s begin!

From aviation to media to food and beverages, several sectors have witnessed some noteworthy mergers and acquisitions. Let’s discuss the top five recent mergers and acquisitions that caught the attention of many over the past few years. Also Read: Types of Shares: Common & Preferred Classes of Stock

Air India and Vistara

We cannot start the list of top recent mergers and acquisitions in India without the Tata Group and Air India.The merger of full-service airlines Air India and Vistara of the Tata Group was completed in November last year. This followed the merger of low-cost airlines Air India Express and AIX Connect (formerly Air Asia India) in the previous month.As a result of the merger, The Air India Group now covers 55 domestic and 48 international destinations, with 312 routes and 8,300 flights per week. It operates a combined fleet of 300 aircraft with a collective staff strength of over 30,000.

Adani Group and NDTV

Headquartered in Ahmedabad, the Adani Group is a diversified Indian organisation with 10 publicly traded companies. NDTV is a leading media house operating three national news channels, namely, NDTV 24x7, NDTV India, and NDTV Profit.Through a series of transactions, the Group acquired a controlling stake of over 60% in the media company. The promoters of the media house sold most of their stake and stepped down from the board, requesting NDTV to reclassify them from promoters to public category shareholders.Following the change in ownership, Adani’s AMG Media Network appointed four directors to NDTV’s board.

Zomato and Blinkit

In 2022, Zomato completed the acquisition of Blinkit (formerly Grofers).
Zomato is a food ordering and delivery platform that allows you to order food from local restaurants quickly and reliably. Whereas, Blinkit is a quick commerce platform enabling you to order and receive everyday needs within minutes.Blinkit is run by Blink Commerce Pvt Limited (BCPL). By acquiring the 100% shareholding of BCPL, Zomato became the parent of Blinkit and BCPL became the wholly owned subsidiary of Zomato.

IDFC FIRST Bank and IDFC Limited

The merger of IDFC Limited with IDFC FIRST Bank was completed in 2024 and is one of the recent mergers and acquisitions in India. The merger was finalised at 155 equity shares of the bank for every 100 equity shares of IDFC Limited held by the shareholders in IDFC Limited.The Bank is likely to benefit from the merger through a simplified corporate and shareholding structure, streamlined regulatory compliances, and stronger capabilities to grow with the vast opportunities India offers.

HDFC Bank and HDFC Limited

HDFC Limited merged into HDFC Bank in 2023. This came after the announcement of the decision to merge in 2022. The share exchange ratio finalised under the merger was 42 new equity shares (face value of ₹1) of the bank for every 25 equity shares (face value of ₹2 each fully paid-up) held in HDFC Limited.Post-merger, the key HDFC Bank subsidiaries include:

• HDFC Securities Limited
• HDB Financial Services Limited
• HDFC Asset Management Co. Limited
• HDFC ERGO General Insurance Co. Limited
• HDFC Capital Advisors Limited
• HDFC Life Insurance Co. Limited

The merger is expected to drive synergies across revenue opportunities, operating efficiencies, and underwriting efficiencies.

The recent mergers and acquisitions hint at the rising importance of strategic partnerships. Companies can use combined capabilities to achieve increased market share and gain a stronger competitive advantage. Such strategic partnerships not only improve a company’s operational efficiency but also deliver value to all its stakeholders.The recent mergers and acquisitions are likely to foster growth and innovation across sectors, ultimately creating new investment opportunities. You can tap these opportunities and participate in the growth prospects arising from such mergers and acquisitions by investing in the shares of related companies/sectors.Wondering how can you do that? Open a Demat account and start your investment journey today! Also Read: What is a Demat Account?