A New India
Chapter 181 - 181: The Auction - II

After a long moment, Goldman Sachs conceded. Barclays had won the second round.

"Sold, for $1.2 billion USD to Barclays," the auctioneer announced.

After 2 consecutive rounds of heavy auction, there was break which was given to these companies so that they can talk to their higher ups and be prepared for the last 2 rounds.

And after some time the third auction began

The price had already skyrocketed, and everyone was recalculating how much they were willing to pay for a piece of LIC.

"Starting at $700 million USD," the auctioneer announced.

This time, Dai-Ichi Life Insurance came in strong, opening with a bold $750 million.

The Japanese had been biding their time, and now they were ready to strike.

The other teams knew that Dai-Ichi was a serious contender and adjusted their strategies accordingly.

BNP Paribas quickly countered with $800 million.

The auctioneer's voice kept the momentum going as the bids climbed higher and higher. Each number seemed more surreal than the last.

"$850 million."

"$900 million."

Finally, Dai-Ichi Life Insurance raised their hand again. "$1.25 billion."

The room was full of surprises.

Dai-Ichi had thrown down the gauntlet, and it was clear that they were ready to pay top dollar for this 5% stake.

The other bidders hesitated.

The numbers were getting too high, even for the most aggressive institutions.

In the end, Dai-Ichi secured the third 5% with their massive bid.

"Sold, for $1.25 billion USD to Dai-Ichi Life Insurance," the auctioneer declared.

And after a small break, the final round began.

The first three rounds had been intense, but this last 5% was where the true battle would take place.

"Starting at $800 million USD," the auctioneer called out, his voice steady despite the excitement in the room.

Deutsche Bank, which had been quiet throughout the first three rounds, finally made their move. "$850 million."

But Goldman Sachs, unwilling to leave empty-handed, countered quickly. "$900 million."

The bidding war escalated rapidly, with offers flying back and forth.

Deutsche Bank wasn't ready to back down. They raised the stakes with a firm, "$950 million."

Goldman Sachs, determined not to let this final round slip away, responded with, "$1 billion."

The representatives from each institution had been battling it out for some time now, and this was the last chance to secure a significant slice of LIC.

Rohan watched carefully from his position at the back of the room.

$1 billion for the final 5%it was already higher than he had anticipated, and the auction wasn't over yet.

"$1.05 billion," Deutsche Bank countered swiftly, their lead negotiator barely flinching as he raised his hand.

Everyone knew the auction had reached its critical point.

Goldman Sachs hesitated for the first time. Their lead negotiator leaned in to confer with his team.

After a few moments of deliberation, he raised his hand again, signaling the next bid.

"$1.1 billion."

The auctioneer's hammer hovered above the table, waiting for the next move.

The representatives from Deutsche Bank exchanged glances, weighing their options. Finally, they nodded.

"$1.15 billion," they called out.

Goldman Sachs had been relentless, but now, the question hung in the air, would they push for one last bid?

There was a pause, and for a moment, it seemed like they might back down.

Then, with a steady hand, the Goldman representative raised his paddle one final time.

"$1.2 billion."

The auctioneer nodded. "$1.2 billion going once… going twice…"

Deutsche Bank had reached their limit. The hammer came down.

"Sold, to Goldman Sachs for $1.2 billion."

As the room began to clear out, the final numbers were tallied.

20% of IIH had been sold across the four auctions, raising a staggering $5 billion USD.

Rohan had hoped for $2 billion, but the fierce competition between the world's top financial institutions had far exceeded expectations.

In the end, BNP Paribas, Barclays, Dai-Ichi Life Insurance, and Goldman Sachs had each secured their share of IIH, but at a far higher price than anyone had anticipated.

Rohan stood beside Harish as the financial experts and representatives began to leave the room.

"Well, that went better than expected," Harish said with a smile, clearly relieved.

Rohan chuckled softly. "It did. But this is just the beginning. Now we have the funds we need for DRDO, HAL, and the Bombay Stock Exchange. We can start building the infrastructure and defense projects we've been planning."

Harish nodded "The world knows now, Prime Minister. They know we're serious."

"They do," Rohan agreed. "But more importantly, we've shown ourselves what we're capable of. This auction wasn't just about money, it was about setting the stage for India's future."

As the representatives from Goldman Sachs shook hands with the other participants, exchanging polite smiles and business cards,

Rohan turned his attention to the greater goal ahead.

He knew that this auction was a crucial step, but it was only the first of many.

With the $5 billion USD secured, the road to strengthening India's defense capabilities and modernizing its infrastructure had become far more achievable.

The hard work was only beginning.

Later that evening, as the dust settled from the auction, Rohan and Harish were sitting in the Prime Minister's office

Harish leaned back in his chair, letting out a deep breath. "I can't believe we raised $5 billion. I didn't think the bidding would go that high."

Rohan smiled. "It just shows the value of LIC. We knew it was an incredible asset, but now the world knows too. And this is just a fraction of what we can achieve."

Harish took a sip of his tea, still marveling at the outcome. "What's next?"

Rohan gazed out the window, the city of Delhi spread out before him. "Next, we make sure every dollar we raised goes into building India's future. The Bombay Stock Exchange needs an overhaul, our defense industry is just starting to take off, and HAL and DRDO are just beginning to realize their full potential. This auction was the first step. Now, we build."

As Harish nodded,

"Finally we can start working without worrying about funds"