Tatas, 2 others invest 8k cr in GMR's airports biz

Hyderabad: GMR Infrastructure on Wednesday said Tata Group along with an affiliate of Singapore's sovereign wealth fund GIC and SSG Capital Management will invest Rs 8,000 crore in the company's airports business.

Following the transaction, GMR Infrastructure and its subsidiaries will hold around 54 per cent stake in GMR Airport, while employee welfare trust will hold about 2 per cent, Tata Group around 20 per cent, GIC about 15 per cent and SSG around 10 per cent.

Commenting on the occasion, Grandhi Kiran Kumar, MD & CEO, GIL, said: "We are very pleased to welcome Tata, GIC & SSG as long-term investors in GAL. The proposed investment endorses the strength of the unparalleled Airport platform created by GMR Group and will reduce our debt substantially, strengthening our balance sheet.

This proposed investment by marquee investors like Tata, GIC and SSG reaffirms the significant and long-term investment opportunity in the fast-growing Airport Infrastructure space with a large pool of capital that can be tapped to grow GMR Airport infrastructure business."

As part of this transaction, GMR Infrastructure also intends to provide exit to existing private equity investors who hold 5.8 per cent equity stake in GMR Airport Ltd. GMR Infrastructure has signed a binding term sheet with the investors (Tata Group, GIC and SSG Capital Management) pursuant to which the investors have agreed to invest Rs 8,000 crore in GMR Airports Ltd, GMR Infra said in a regulatory filing.

The investment amount of Rs 8,000 crore will consist of Rs 1,000 crore equity infusion in GMR Airports and Rs 7,000 crore towards purchase of GMR Airports Ltd.'s equity shares from GMR Infrastructure and its subsidiaries. The proposed investment is subject to definitive documentation, customary regulatory approvals, lender consents and other approvals, the company added.

Following the investment, GMR Infrastructure proposes to demerge its energy, highways, urban infrastructure and transportation businesses, leading to separation of its airport business, subject to customary consents, regulatory and corporate approvals.