DEG And Citigroup Cofinance $76 Mn For Shriram Finance

10 Mar 2026 CW Team

DEG, the German development finance institution, and Citigroup Inc. have cofinanced US$76 mn to Shriram Finance Limited to expand lending to micro, small and medium enterprises and to support electric vehicle financing. The funding is intended to bolster working capital and fleet lending across India while enabling Shriram Finance to scale products targeted at smaller enterprises. The transaction represents a collaboration between a development financier and a global bank to channel private capital into priority sectors.

DEG and Citi characterised the financing as aimed at broadening access to affordable credit for underserved businesses and at accelerating the adoption of electric mobility within the commercial and last mile segments. Shriram Finance, a non-bank financial company, will allocate proceeds to MSME clients and to commercial vehicle customers seeking to transition to electric vehicles. The arrangement is expected to complement existing lending while aligning with climate and financial inclusion objectives.

Industry observers noted that such structured financing can reduce financing costs for small operators and can facilitate longer tenors and tailored repayment schedules suited to cashflow patterns in the sector. By enabling fleet owners to invest in electric vehicles, the facility may contribute to lower operating costs and to reduced emissions over time. Stakeholders emphasised the role of blended finance in de-risking private investment in nascent segments.

The partnership underscores the growing role of multilateral and international banks in supporting India’s MSME ecosystem and transition to cleaner transport. Shriram Finance will integrate the capital into its lending operations and monitor outcomes related to credit reach and loan performance. The participants indicated that the deal reflects continued investor interest in resilient, impact?oriented lending opportunities.

Infrastructure Urban

11 Mar 2026

India Expands Semiconductor Training To 500 Institutions

Under the Chips to Startups programme of the India Semiconductor Mission, the Union minister responsible for Railways, Information and Broadcasting, and Electronics and IT reported notable progress in talent development. He indicated that over the past four years substantial steps have been taken towards a 10-year target of training 85,000 engineers in semiconductor design. World-class EDA tools have been deployed in 315 academic institutions across the country to provide students with practical exposure to chip design. These EDA tools are supported by leading global firms and are accessible t..

Delhi Institutions Support India Semiconductor Mission

The Government of India has prioritised talent development through training, upskilling and workforce development under the Chips to Startups initiative of the India Semiconductor Mission, with officials noting progress in four years towards a 10-year target of training 85,000 engineers in semiconductor design. Electronic design automation tools provided by Synopsys, Cadence, Siemens, Renesas, Ansys and AMD have been deployed in 315 academic institutions, enabling students to gain practical chip design experience. Chips have been fabricated and tested at the Semiconductor Laboratory, Mohali, a..

NHA Announces Winners Of NHCX Hackathon At IIT Hyderabad

The National Health Authority (NHA) has concluded the NHCX Hackathon under the Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission (ABDM) to stimulate innovation around the National Health Claims Exchange (NHCX). The winning teams presented their solutions at the NHCX Innovation Meet held at IIT Hyderabad during a two-day event in March 2026 that also served as the hackathon grand finale. The hackathon itself ran from 22 to 28 February 2026 and aimed to accelerate paperless, transparent claims processing across India. The event was organised with a range of ecosystem partners, including the Insurance Regulatory a..