Sumitomo Mitsui Financial Group plans to buy a 4.5 percent stake in Indian lender Kotak Mahindra Bank for nearly $340 million. SMFG and other Japanese top banks are seeking partnerships with local banks in Asian countries as growth prospects at home are weak, hoping this will expand their overseas customer base beyond Japanese clients working abroad.
SMFG has tie-ups with local banks in Hong Kong, South Korea, Indonesia and other Asian markets, including a 15 percent stake in Vietnam Export Import Bank. It will likely purchase Kotak Mahindra shares in August or September, becoming its No. 3 stockholder after the founding family and a US investment company.
SMFG plans to use the tie-up to strengthen its stock and bond underwriting for Japanese companies raising funds in India, and expand its line-up of Indian investments sold in Japan. Last week, Dutch financial services group ING sold its entire 3.1 percent stake in Kotak Mahindra Bank. crackcrack