Brookfield Infrastructure Partners, a private investment firm headquartered in Canada, will buy the telecom tower business of Reliance Communications Ltd (RCOM) for $1.6 billion in cash. This deal is the second biggest private equity deal ever in India.
RCOM’s telecom towers are part of Reliance Infratel Ltd and these will be de-merged into a separate company which will be wholly owned and independently managed by Brookfield Infrastructure, creating the second-largest independent and operator-neutral towers company in India. Private investors George Soros’ Quantum, private equity firm New Silk Route and other investors who had a share in Reliance Infratel were also paid out.
RCOM will receive Class B non-voting shares in the new tower company, providing 49% future economic upside in the firm, based on certain conditions, reports VCCircle. RCOM said it will use the cash payment to reduce 70% of its existing debt.
