Indian companies signed as many as 393 private equity deals totalling $9.67 billion in the January-November period of this year, registering an increase of 36.38 per cent over the corresponding period a year ago, says a report.
According to global assurance, tax and advisory firm Grant Thornton, in the January-November period of last year, corporate India had signed 380 private equity deals amounting to $7.09 billion.
Meanwhile, November saw 32 deals amounting to $708 million, which was almost double in value terms over last year when there were 35 transactions worth $388 million.
"The year-to-date deal value in 2013 increased by 36 per cent as compared to year-to-date November 2012 values," the report said, adding that "PE activity in November 2013 were largely driven by the pharmaceutical sector."
KKR's investment of $200 million in Gland Pharma Ltd was termed as the deal of the month.
Other major private equity deals of November include Baring Private Equity's $131.61 million investment in Hexaware Technologies; International Finance Corporation's $125 million investment in Yes Bank and Sequoia Capital and Info Edge's $37 million investment in Zomato Media.
According to the report, the top five PE deals accounted for 73 per cent of the total PE deal values.
A sector-wise analysis shows that IT&ITeS attracted deals worth $243 million that amounted to 34 per cent of the total deal pie, followed by Pharma ($201 million, 28 per cent); Banking and financial ($154 million, 22 per cent); Power & energy ($44 million, 6 per cent) and real estate ($40 million, 6 per cent).