Why Anil Agarwal-owned Vedanta group companies face high debt risk

Borrowings to pay record dividends to shareholders, including to the London-based holding company, have touched new highs

Vedanta group chairman, Anil Agarwal, 69, is well known for his business journey from a scrap dealer from Bihar to a London-based globe-girdling metal and oil and gas conglomerate with revenues of $19 billion. Now his abilities to keep his group from over-leveraging itself will be put to the test.

Over the years, Agarwal, now based in London, set up the conglomerate via acquiring iron ore producer Sesa Goa, Cairn's oil producing assets in India, and Electrosteel Steel. The group is now planning a $20 billion foray into semiconductor manufacturing in Gujarat with Taiwanese firm Foxconn. The group was also