IDBI Bank has secured a USD 239 million judgment in the commercial division of the High Court of London against a Cypriot subsidiary of India-based Essar Shipping Group, believed to be one of the largest debt judgments obtained by an Indian bank in the English courts.
Mumbai-headquartered IDBI had entered into loans totalling USD 148 million with two Singapore registered companies -- Varada Drilling One Pte Ltd and Varada Drilling Two Pte Ltd -- for the construction of two jack up drilling rigs in March 2013.
IDH International Drilling Holdco Ltd (IDH), the Cypriot-registered parent company of the borrowers, gave a corporate guarantee in respect of the loan. The loan and guarantee were governed by English laws and were therefore subject to the jurisdiction of the English courts.