India’s mid-market ecosystem is poised to benefit from the overall growth, says Sinha
A Singapore-Korean investment partnership is to co-invest US$20 million in the Indian private debt space, citing vibrancy of the Indian market which yielded US$30 billion in exists in 2023.
“From an investors’ perspective, India is a vibrant market with significant exit opportunities across various sectors such as financial service, consumer, B2B SaaS,” said Kijung Kwon, Managing Director and CIO of NH Absolute Return Partners which has signed an MoU with Singapore’s Lighthouse Canton to co-invest in Indian companies.
“In 2023, approximately US$30 billion is realized through about 250 exit transactions in PE and VC market, including IPOs and M&As,” said Kwon in an announcement of the MoU-based partnership.
India’s vibrant market with significant exit opportunities across various sectors such as financial service, consumer, B2B SaaS, said the release issued by Lighthousse Canton and NHARP, a Singapore-based asset management company Korea’s NH Investment & Securities.
Under the MoU terms, Lighthouse Canton and NHARP will also explore opportunities for “greater collaboration across the Indian private markets space”.
“Furthermore, we plan to set our focal points more closely on identifying investment opportunities and achieving exits in India’s promising companies,” he elaborated.
“India’s economy is at an inflection point, supported by favourable demographics, development-oriented policies, and infrastructural growth,” said Sanket Sinha, Director on the Board of Lighthouse Canton and head of its Asset Management business.
“India’s mid-market ecosystem is poised to benefit from the overall growth as the country marches towards becoming the third-largest economy over the next 3-4 years.
“We are excited to join hands with NH Group to support the growth of companies operating in small finance, fintech, B2B commerce, and agricultural finance, among others, in India and South-East Asia,” Sinha said in the 17 Jan release.
“NH’s experience in these areas will be an asset for the companies we collectively invest in,” he added.
“India is a key market where not only the venture ecosystem but also the entire capital market is developing dynamically due to high growth,” observed Hongwook Warren Kim, CEO of NH Investment & Securities’ Global Business Division.
“The signing of this MoU serves as an opportunity to better understand the Indian market for us. From now on, as one of Korea’s leading capital market players, we plan to create synergies in collaboration with Lighthouse Canton.”
For Lighthouse Canton, which has offices in Singapore, Dubai, New Delhi, Mumbai, Hyderabad and Bengaluru, India is a core investment market, and the firm manages India and South-East Asia focused funds on various private market strategies including commercial real estate, venture equity and venture debt.
NH has been actively investing in the region in sectors which are of strategic interest and hopes to leverage the resources of its parent company, NH Investment & Securities, and the infrastructure of the National Agricultural Cooperative Federation Financial Group to explore further opportunities across India and Southeast Asia, according to the release. Fiinews.com
