Towards an orderly Indian market for corporate control

Abstract

As the Indian economy is being modernized through dismantling of rigid controls and greater reliance on the interplay market forces, the Indian industry is likely to witness major restructuring through a spate of mergers and acquisitions. This paper begins with a short overview of the benefits and drawbacks of what is referred to a market for corporate control in the light of the developed country experience. It than examines the historical impediments against corporate restructuring through mergers and takeovers in India. The paper is of the view that given the economic compulsions, India is also about to witness significant spurt in mergers and acquisitions in the coming years. In this emerging scenario, importance of regulatory reforms covering a wide area such as competition, investor protection, taxation, corporate governance etc. is underscored so that the Indian market for corporate control is developed along orderly lines.