CCI Merger Approval: When You Need It and How Long It Takes
Not every acquisition needs Competition Commission of India approval, asset and turnover thresholds decide it, but when it applies, budget 6 to 10 weeks minimum before closing.
CCI approval is triggered by asset and turnover thresholds (revised periodically, currently assessed at both the combined-entity and group level, with separate India-specific and worldwide thresholds), not by deal value or headline size alone, a modest-value acquisition can still trigger a filing requirement if the parties' combined India assets or turnover cross the threshold.
A standard Form I filing (the shorter form, used where the deal is unlikely to raise competition concerns) typically clears in 6 to 10 weeks from filing. Where CCI has substantive concerns and requires the longer Form II or moves to a Phase II review, the timeline extends to several months and can include negotiated modifications to deal terms.
The practical implication for deal timelines: CCI notifiability should be assessed during structuring, not after signing, the combined-entity closing cannot happen until approval is received, and building that into the definitive agreement's conditions precedent from the start avoids renegotiating a closing date under pressure.