Business Law and Corporate Law

Environmental, Social and Governance (“ESG”) considerations have moved far beyond corporate sustainability reports and boardroom policy discussions. Today, ESG has become deeply embedded in infrastructure financing, project valuation, regulatory approvals, investment due diligence, and long-term asset bankability across India.

As discussed in our previous article, the Consultation Paper addressed a structural gap in the existing aircraft leasing ecosystem in GIFT City. While aircraft leasing entities could already be established in the IFSC, aircraft ownership, primary financing, transaction structuring and related professional services could continue to remain outside the IFSC.

The Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority of India (“IRDAI”), through its Circular dated 25 May 2026, has amended the Master Circular on Corporate Governance for Insurers, 2024 to revise the performance assessment and remuneration framework applicable to Key Management Personnel (“KMPs”) of insurers. While the amendments formally relate to executive remuneration, they reflect a broader regulatory shift towards policyholder-centric governance, enhanced management accountability and greater transparency within the insurance sector.

The long-term stability of India’s power sector depends not only on generation capacity and infrastructure growth, but also on the legal and regulatory certainty governing fuel supply arrangements. Power Purchase Agreements (“PPAs”), particularly those executed through competitive bidding under the Electricity Act, 2003, are structured on commercial assumptions relating to the long-term availability, pricing, and sourcing of coal.

The Delhi High Court has ruled that an acknowledgement letter containing an arbitration clause, signed by only one party and lacking evidence of mutual consent, cannot constitute a valid arbitration agreement under Section 7 of the Arbitration and Conciliation Act, 1996.

Contracts of guarantee play a critical role in modern banking and commercial lending transactions. Financial institutions routinely rely on personal guarantees and corporate guarantees to secure repayment obligations where borrowers lack sufficient collateral security.

The Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (“DPIIT”), through its revised Standard Operating Procedure (“SOP”) dated 4 May 2026 for processing Foreign Direct Investment (“FDI”) proposals, has introduced what appears at first glance to be a procedural reform.

Securities and Exchange Board of India (“SEBI”), vide its circular dated April 8, 2026, has operationalised the mechanism for lock-in of pledged shares under the SEBI (Issue of Capital and Disclosure Requirements) Regulations, 2018 (“ICDR Regulations”), as part of its ease of doing business initiatives.

A down round is a funding event where a company raises fresh capital by issuing new shares at a price and a valuation that is lower than what investors paid in the preceding rounds.

A company approaching an initial public offering, or even a serious pre-IPO fundraise, enters a different legal and governance environment. Growth, brand visibility and investor appetite are no longer sufficient. The company must demonstrate that its financial reporting, statutory compliance, internal controls, risk governance, related-party discipline, employment practices, licensing architecture and disclosure culture can withstand institutional, regulatory and market scrutiny.

The Shareholder Agreement imposes GAAP-compliant monthly reporting on the company. The finance team discovers its inability to comply forty-five days post-close. No party examined the information rights clause...

The Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Amendment Bill, 2026 introduces sweeping changes to India's foreign funding regime, including the creation of a Designated Authority with powers to seize and permanently vest foreign contributions and assets. How will these amendments reshape compliance obligations for NGOs, trusts, and other organizations receiving foreign funds, and what risks do key functionaries now face under the expanded liability framework?