Investors may join Brookfield's investment trust for East West Pipeline buy: report

A set of Indian investors are keen to join the infrastructure investment trust (InvIT) led by Brookfield Asset Management Inc to buy East West Pipeline Ltd (EWPL) for an enterprise value of 130 billion rupees ($1.83 billion), the Economic Times reported on Monday, quoting people aware of the development.

EWPL, earlier known as Reliance Gas Transportation Infrastructure Ltd, is a unit of Reliance Utilities Private Limited. It transports gas from Kakinada in south-eastern India to Bharuch in the west.

Investors such as ICICI Prudential Asset Management Company, the family office of the Poonawallas of Serum Institute and individuals like Uday Kotak - managing director and chief executive of Kotak Mahindra Bank Ltd - are expected to join the consortium, the report added.

Other banks, including ICICI Bank Ltd and state-run Bank of Baroda Ltd are also part of the talks to monetise the private pipeline, according to the report.

The pipeline is being transferred to an entity called Pipeline Infrastructure Pvt Ltd, a unit of Reliance Industries Holding Pvt. Ltd, the report said. Reliance Industries Holdings is a holding arm of the promoters of Reliance Industries Ltd.

Reliance Industries, Brookfield, ICICI Bank, Bank of Baroda, Kotak Mahindra Bank and the Serum Institute office did not immediately respond to Reuters’ request seeking comment.