Blackstone to buy Care Hosp to enter India healthcare mkt

BLACKSTONE WILL COMMIT $1 BILLION IN CARE HOSPITALS IN INDIA AND HOLD OVER 75% IN THE HOSPITAL CHAIN

BENGALURU: Blackstone said on Monday it will buy a majority stake in India’s Care Hospitals from a fund belonging to asset management firm TPG, marking the US-based private equity firm’s entry into the country’s healthcare services sector.

Blackstone will commit $1 billion in the hospital chain in India and hold over 75% in Care Hospitals, a people with direct knowledge of the matter said. They did not want to be named as the deal details are private.

The deal comes as a postpandemic boom in demand for private healthcare in India has made the sector attractive, with global investors seeking an entry into healthcare chains in the country.

“Life sciences is a key investment theme for Blackstone and we plan to bring in our global scale and operating expertise,” said Ganesh Mani, managing director at Blackstone Private Equity.

In a separate deal, Care Hospitals will buy a majority stake in Kimshealth, which operates under Kims Healthcare Management, to form one of India’s largest hospital platforms with 23 facilities and more than 4,000 beds across 11 Indian cities.

The value of both the deals is between $1.3 billion and $1.5 billion, the people cited earlier added. The companies did not disclose financial terms of the deal. TPG, which has a stake in Care Hospitals through its Evercare Health Fund, will retain a significant minority stake in the combined platform, the statement said.

Blackstone and Care did not immediately respond to Reuters’ queries seeking financial details.

Hong Kong-based investment firm BPEA EQT, Baring Private Equity Asia, will acquire a 60% stake in Indian fertility services provider Indira IVF for ₹5400 crore ($648.63 million), Reuters had reported in July, citing a person aware about the development.