The India Fund, Inc. (NYSE: IFN; the “Fund”), a closed-end management
investment company that seeks long-term capital appreciation by
investing primarily in equity securities of Indian companies, today
announced unaudited results for the three months ended March 31, 2009.
For the three months ended March 31, 2009, the Fund’s net realized
losses were $50,944,538 and the net change in unrealized gains was
$20,178,660, equal to $1.32 and $0.52 per share, respectively. Net
investment loss for the three months ended March 31, 2009 was
$1,212,792, equal to $0.03 per share. For the same three month period
ended March 31, 2008, the Fund's net realized gains and net change in
unrealized losses were $194,883,863 and $939,009,703, respectively,
equal to $4.59 and $22.10 per share, respectively. Net investment loss
was $4,531,597, equal to $0.11 per share.
On March 31, 2009, total net assets of the Fund were $636,925,822, and
the net asset value (“NAV”) per share was $16.55 based on 38,478,622
shares outstanding. The Fund's common stock closed on the New York Stock
Exchange on March 31, 2009 at $16.93 per share, representing a premium
of 2.30% to the Fund’s March 31, 2009 NAV. On March 31, 2008, total net
assets of the Fund were $1,911,883,334, and the NAV per share was $47.33
based on 40,390,932 shares outstanding. The Fund's common stock closed
on the New York Stock Exchange on March 31, 2008, at $45.47 per share,
representing a discount of 3.93% to the Fund’s March 31, 2008 NAV.
In April 2003, stockholders of the fund voted to adopt an interval fund
structure, pursuant to which the Fund conducts semi-annual repurchase
offers for between 5% and 25% of the Fund’s outstanding common stock.
During the three months ended March 31, 2008 the Fund conducted one
repurchase offer. The repurchase offer commenced on February 20, 2009
and expired on March 13, 2009. In connection with the repurchase offer,
the Fund purchased 160,011 shares of capital stock at a total cost of
approximately $2,658,430, net of a 2% repurchase fee of $49,315.
On March 31, 2009, investments in equity securities of Indian companies
totaled $616,288,548 (or 96.76% of the Fund's net assets), investments
in U.S. securities totaled $3,569,643 (or 0.56% of the Fund’s net
assets), investments in Exchange Traded Notes totaled $782,772 (or 0.12%
of the Fund’s net assets), and investments in cash and cash equivalents
including foreign currencies totaled $14,625,877 (or 2.30% of the Fund's
net assets). Assets in excess of liabilities totaled $1,658,982 (or
0.26% of the Fund's net assets), accounting for the remaining net assets.
|
|
|
|
|
As of March 31, 2009, the Fund’s top ten holdings and sector
allocations were:
|
|
|
|
|
|
Top Ten Equity Holdings
|
|
% of Net Assets
|
|
Reliance Industries, Ltd.
|
|
13.3 %
|
|
Infosys Technologies, Ltd.
|
|
9.5 %
|
|
Bharti Airtel, Ltd.
|
|
6.1 %
|
|
Hindustan Unilever, Ltd.
|
|
4.7 %
|
|
ITC, Ltd.
|
|
4.1 %
|
|
Housing Development Finance Corp., Ltd.
|
|
3.7 %
|
|
Oil and Natural Gas Corp., Ltd.
|
|
3.7 %
|
|
Bharat Heavy Electricals, Inc.
|
|
3.5 %
|
|
HDFC Bank, Ltd.
|
|
3.0 %
|
|
State Bank of India
|
|
2.7 %
|
|
|
|
Top Ten Sector Allocations
|
|
% of Net Assets
|
|
Petroleum Related
|
|
19.6 %
|
|
Finance
|
|
18.7 %
|
|
Industrial
|
|
12.3 %
|
|
Computer Software & Programming
|
|
11.5 %
|
|
Electronics & Electrical Equipment
|
|
9.0 %
|
|
Telecommunications
|
|
7.6 %
|
|
Vehicles & Transportation
|
|
5.6 %
|
|
Consumer Non-Durables
|
|
4.7 %
|
|
Pharmaceuticals
|
|
3.9 %
|
|
Engineering
|
|
1.6 %
|
The India Fund, Inc. is a closed-end management investment company that
seeks long-term capital appreciation by investing primarily in Indian
equity securities. The Fund conducts semi-annual repurchase offers and
is traded on the New York Stock Exchange under the trading symbol “IFN”.
Blackstone Asia Advisors L.L.C. serves as the Investment Manager to the
Fund. The Investment Manager is an affiliate of The Blackstone Group L.P.
Information on the Fund can be obtained on the Blackstone website (www.blackstone.com)
or by calling the Fund’s toll-free phone number at 1-866-800-8933.
This press release may contain statements regarding plans and
expectations for the future that constitute forward-looking statements
within the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. All
statements other than statements of historical fact are forward-looking
and can be identified by the use of words such as “may,” “will,”
“expect,” “anticipate,” “estimate,” “believe,” “continue,” or other
similar words. Such forward-looking statements are based on the
Fund’s current plans and expectations, and are subject to risks and
uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from
those described in the forward-looking statements. Additional
information concerning such risks and uncertainties are contained in the
Fund’s filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

Blackstone Asia Advisors L.L.C.
1-866-800-8933