Mumbai, 2nd April 2014: Export Development Canada (EDC), Canada’s leading financier and insurer of Canadian exporting companies, today announced USD 500 M in financing for Reliance Industries Limited (RIL). The transaction is among the largest financing packages that EDC has ever extended in Asia.
“We have been partnering with a wide section of Canadian suppliers for materials, equipment and services across our hydrocarbon businesses over the last 4-5 years and we are also engaging with them for our telecom business rollout,” said Srikanth Venkatachari, Reliance’s Joint Chief Financial Officer. “We have more than a decade-long relationship with EDC, and this landmark deal will provide further impetus to foster trade between RIL and Canadian companies over the coming years.”
EDC provided the financing in response to the increasing business that RIL has been undertaking with Canadian companies since 2004, when EDC first became one of their financiers. The new financing package helps diversify RIL’s funding sources and extends the maturity profile of its long- term debt in a cost effective manner.
“RIL is a global leader in many sectors that match up well with Canadian industrial expertise, creating a natural partnership that benefits both of our priority interests,” said Rajesh Sharma, EDC’s Senior Vice-President and Global Group Head, Business Development.
“A strong relationship with EDC helps the RIL Group benefit from a global source of mature and dependable financing in a capital-constrained global economy,” added Mr. Sharma. “In turn, EDC introduces Canadian companies to RIL that not only meet their specific supply chain needs, but that can help them grow their global business. Everybody wins in this deal.”
Since 2010, RIL has been regularly doing business with approximately 50 Canadian companies. Of these companies, 33% were small- to medium-sized companies. EDC has been actively engaged with RIL for making introductions to Canadian capabilities.
India is a strategic market for Canada, as outlined in the Government’s Global Market Action Plan, and is also a market of corporate priority for EDC. EDC is looking to grow the amount of financing that it offers to Indian companies for their capital expenditures, whether the financing be for general corporate purposes or project finance purposes.
Canadian and Indian companies used EDC’s financial services to undertake CAD 1.8 billion of business in 2013 alone.
Canadian and Indian companies can contact EDC in Mumbai and New Delhi.
About EDC
EDC is Canada’s export credit agency, providing financing and insurance solutions locally and around the world to help Canadian companies of any size respond to international business opportunities. As a profitable Crown corporation that operates on commercial principles, EDC works together with private- and public-sector financial institutions to create greater capacity for Canadian companies to engage in trade and investment. For more information about how EDC can help your company, visit www.edc.ca
About RIL
Reliance Industries Limited (RIL) is India’s largest private sector company on all major financial parameters with a turnover of INR 371,119 crore (US $ 68.4 billion), cash profit of INR 30,505 crore (US$ 5.6 billion) and net profit of INR 21,003 crore (US$ 3.9 billion) as of March 31, 2013.
RIL is the first private sector company from India to feature in Fortune’s Global 500 list of ‘World’s Largest Corporations’ and currently ranks 107th in terms of revenues and 128th in terms of profits in 2013. RIL ranks 68th in the Financial Times’ FT Global 500 list of the world’s largest companies. RIL is ranked amongst the ’50 Most Innovative Companies – 2010′ in the World in a survey conducted by the US financial publication – Business Week in collaboration with the Boston Consulting Group (BCG). In 2010, BCG also ranked RIL as the second highest ‘Sustainable Value Creators’ for creating the most shareholder value over the decade in the world.
Key Contacts:
Tushar Pania
Reliance Industries Ltd.
Email: tushar.pania@ril.com
Phone: + 91 9820088536
Phil Taylor
Export Development Canada
E-mail: ptaylor@edc.ca
Phone: 613-598-2904