India’s IPO momentum seen growing on prospects of political stability

MUMBAI: Hopes of policy stability in India after victories for Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s ruling party in key state polls this month should extend a boom in initial public offerings (IPO) into 2024 as companies rush to tap investor demand, bankers say.

The $6.8 billion raised by Indian IPOs so far this year is 16% less than in all of 2022, Dealogic data shows, but outperforms a plunge of 36%, to about $5 billion, in Hong Kong listings, which are set for their weakest year in two decades.

The victory of Modi’s Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in three of four major Indian states gives it a boost ahead of general elections due by May, and expectations of stability will spur more fundraising in 2024, bankers said.

“The state election outcome was more positive than expected, and has given investors more conviction leading up to the final elections, boosting confidence,” said Subhrajit Roy, India head of global capital markets for Bank of America.

At least five companies plan to raise $500 million each, or more, in India listings next year, including three backed by SoftBank - Ola Electric, retailer FirstCry, and food delivery firm Swiggy.

More than a dozen others, from lenders to drugmakers and technology firms, have hastened preparation work on IPOs after the state poll results, bankers say, without identifying them.