Inside India’s private capital boom | Shekhar Daga on Navigate with HSBC

In this insightful episode of Navigate with HSBC, Shekhar Daga, Head of Private Capital at ICICI Prudential AMC, provides an expert perspective on the evolution of India's private capital ecosystem and the renewed confidence global investors have in India's long-term growth prospects.

Shekhar highlights a significant $3.2 billion private credit deal in India, which attracted substantial interest from global investors. This demonstrates strong confidence in the resilience of Indian businesses and the enhanced credibility of its borrowing landscape, particularly following IBC reforms.

He discusses essential long-term macro trends for investors, stressing the importance of thorough due diligence in private credit, where there are no stop-losses. Key considerations include understanding sponsor behaviour across cycles, assessing the sustainability and maturity of the business, ensuring regular interest servicing, and evaluating the quality of collateral.

Additionally, Shekhar explains the advantages of Alternative Investment Funds (AIFs) for private credit, noting their flexibility, alignment with investor timelines, and freedom in deal structuring, which traditional vehicles often lack. This makes AIFs particularly suitable for India's evolving credit market.