Newsmakers
Dilip Oommen, CEO, ArcelorMittal Nippon Steel India (AM/NS India), heads the company which is set to establish one of the largest greenfield steel projects in India in recent times - an integrated steel plan of 17.8 million tonnes per annum (MTPA) capacity with a proposed aggregate investment of Rs.1.4 trillion in the Anakapalli district of Andhra Pradesh. The project was agreed upon in a virtual meeting between Nara Lokesh, Andhra Pradesh Minister, IT, and Aditya Mittal, CEO, ArcelorMittal. Also the site meets the company’s need for a captive jetty to help source raw material globally and at internationally competitive prices, which is an important part of the company’s strategy to expand. Expected to break ground in January 2025, the project is part of the company’s goal to reach 40 MTPA steel production by 2035.
State of Exponential Growth
Mukesh Ambani, Chairman and Managing Director, Reliance Industries (RIL), heads the
company which will invest Rs.650 billion (bn) in Andhra Pradesh to set up 500 compressed
biogas (CBG) plants over the next five years, which will be the company’s biggest
investment outside Gujarat under its clean energy initiative. The plants, each involving an
investment of Rs.1.3 bn, will generate employment for 250,000 people. The plan was
finalised in Mumbai between RIL and Andhra Pradesh IT minister Nara Lokesh, who also
leads the state panel on job creation. He hailed the creation of 250,000 jobs as a ‘gamechanger’
for the state's youth. The CBGs imply revenue for the state of around Rs.576.5 bn for 500 plants and will make the state a frontrunner in clean energy.
Portfolio Proliferation
Gautam Adani, Founder and Chairman, Adani Group, heads the company, which is
building an in-house construction and engineering ecosystem by acquiring ITD Cementation
and PSP Projects. The group in October had acquired a 46.64 per cent stake in engineering
and construction firm ITD Cementation India for `32.04 billion (bn). The company has also
acquired a 30.07 percent stake in construction firm PSP Projects for Rs.6.85 bn, adding PSP
Projects’ robust $800 million (mn) order book to its growing portfolio. These transactions
are a win-win deal for both parties. Officials from PSP Projects said with Adani’s acquisition,
they expect their order book to grow as Adani portfolio companies are undertaking several
projects in defence, airports and infrastructure. The company is also in the news for the
indictment served by US Courts and the group cancelling its $600 mn bond sale.
New Kid on the Blox
Aditya Jhaveri, Founder and CEO, Blox, heads India’s leading digital real estate platform
which has acquired a 11 per cent stake in Guardians for $12 million (mn) with plans to
increase its ownership to 50 per cent over the next three years. This acquisition solidifies
Blox and Guardians as India’s largest real estate seller, managing annual sales of about
25,000 homes with a consolidated gross transaction value (GTV) of $2 billion (bn). Looking
ahead, Blox is set to grow its GTV fivefold to $10 bn over the next 3-5 years. As India’s first
platform to combine Direct-to-Consumer (D2C) and Business-to-Business-to-Consumer
(B2B2C) models, the dual-pathway model is a game-changer for India’s real estate sector,
offering developers unprecedented reach and flexibility. Blox intends to redefine the digital
real estate market even as it approaches a public listing.