Aparna has a strong reputation for responsiveness, solution-orientedness, and an innate understanding of how the regulator thinks. She is well regarded for her strong command over nuances of the Competition Commission of India (CCI) merger process and practical, well-considered advice. Aparna has also played an important role in the finalisation of the Indian merger control regime in April-May 2011, working closely with the Government of India and the CCI in relation to the draft Combination Regulations and associated exemption measures. She is also involved in the revision of the merger review process in light of the new insolvency law. Aparna has also been leading in the organization of advocacy roadshows across India on various topics in Mumbai, Delhi and Ahmedabad. Aparna also assisted the Indian Private Equity and Venture Capital Association Regulatory Affairs Committee in making representations to the CCI in relation to proposed amendments to the Combination Regulations, which could impact the private equity industry.

In 2021, Aparna has received the Legal Era – Legal Media Group “40 Under 40 Rising Star Awards 2021”. Aparna has also received the BW Legal World “Top 40 Under 40” Lawyers and Legal Influencers Awards 2021. Aparna has also been featured in the coveted list of Asian Legal Business’ “Rising Stars 2021” in India and the “Forbes India Legal Powerlist” as one of India’s Top 100 Lawyers.

Aparna has been recognised for her professional achievements by Who’s Who of Competition Lawyers and Economists based on international peer review, as a “Global Leader” in 2022 & 2021 (Who’s Who Legal – 2022 & 2021 Global Guides, Asia Pacific) and as “Most Highly Regarded Partner” from 2018 to 2020 (Who’s Who Legal Future Leaders, Asia Pacific). According to interviewees, who praise her work on merger control cases, Aparna is regarded as “a well-established merger control specialist who is regularly sought after for her experience in high-profile cases.” She has also been recognized as a leading practitioner by the Expert Guides list for Competition and Antitrust, 2018-2021.

She is also ranked in Competition & Antitrust by Chambers & Partners, Global and Asia-Pacific for 2023, 2022 and 2021. She is regarded as a key member of the competition team in Delhi and is well versed in advising on merger control during high-value transactions. She is praised as a partner who “has great analytical and drafting skills and is always available, helping to guide alternative approaches to collating information sought by the CCI” and is hailed as “excellent at regulatory issues, very efficient and very proactive” by clients.

According to Chambers & Partners 2019, Aparna has been praised as a partner who is “able to sift through a lot of information without having to ask for instructions on every piece” and who can maintain “great transparency in an area with lot of confidentiality, making the business teams very comfortable”.

Aparna has been recognised in Legal 500 Asia Pacific 2018 for her “industry knowledge and solution-oriented approach”. Legal 500 in 2021 mentions Aparna as “a very experienced competition lawyer, who has very good contacts to the authorities and strongly argues for the client’s position”.

Aparna has co-authored several competition law publications, including the India chapter of the Private Equity Antitrust Handbook published by the American Bar Association. She has also co-authored Navigating through Indian Merger Control, Trends and Challenges published in USIBC Legal and the India chapter of the Antitrust Chronicle – Antitrust Developments in Asia Pacific which is published by the Competition Policy International.  She has also co-authored the Merger Control – India Chapter, Chambers from 2018 – 2022 and the GCR Guide to Merger Remedies.  She also assists in teaching a diploma course in competition law at ILS Law College, Pune and teaches merger control at O.P. Jindal Global University, Sonipat.

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