(Dec 10): Billionaire Mukesh Ambani-owned Reliance Industries is in talks with banks for a borrowing of as much as US$3 billion (RM13.28 billion), in what could potentially be the largest offshore loan from India in over a year.

About half a dozen banks are in discussions with the Indian conglomerate for the loan, which would be syndicated to the wider market in the first quarter of 2025, the people said, who asked not to be named as discussions are private. Terms for the facility, which will refinance debt due next year, have not been finalised yet and could be subject to changes, the people added. 

Reliance Industries has approximately US$2.9 billion worth of debt due in 2025, including interest payments, according to data compiled by Bloomberg News. A spokesperson for the group didn’t immediately respond to a request seeking comment. 

If the borrowing goes through, it would mark Reliance Industries’ return to the offshore market since 2023, when the group raised over US$8 billion in loans, a record for an Indian borrower then. Those facilities, which were for the parent and subsidiary Reliance Jio Infocomm Ltd, drew about 55 lenders in total, as banks looked to join deals of top-tier credits, according to Bloomberg-compiled data. 

The new loan comes amid continued weakening of the Indian rupee, which hit a record low against the dollar last month, due to ongoing outflows from local equities.

Reliance Industries is currently rated one notch above India’s sovereign grade, a rare instance of when a company’s creditworthiness is higher than the country’s it is based in.

Moody’s Ratings reaffirmed Reliance Industries’ rating at Baa2 last week, as the company’s credit metrics are solidly positioned and are likely to remain so despite high ongoing capital spending, the house said in a note. 

Uploaded by Tham Yek Lee