­Incorporated in 2016, Inditrade Microfinance Limited (IML, erstwhile Tree Microfinance Limited) is an NBFC-MFI engaged in extending microfinance loans to woman borrowers arranged in joint liability groups since 2017. The company has its head office in Mumbai and primarily operates, as of June 2022, through a network of 170 branches across 8 states and 1 Union territory namely Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Bihar, Gujrat, Maharashtra, Odisha, Madhya Pradesh and Puducherry. The company offers funding primarily for income generation activities and education loans for the borrower’s children. The company is led by Mr. R. Vignesh (CEO) who has over a decade of experience in financial services. IML's total Assets Under Management (AUM) stood at Rs. 245.72 Cr. as on September 30, 2022.

­Inditrade Group operates through its flagship company Inditrade Capital Limited (ICL; formerly known as JRG Associates). The company was taken over by its promoter Mr. Sudip Bandyopadhyay in 2015 by acquiring 73.4 percent stake from Barings Private Equity Partners. The group is engaged in commodity financing and derivatives & commodity trading since 2016 and in microfinance lending since 2017. The group has commenced Micro Small and Medium Enterprises (MSME) Lending in 2018 and rural marketing and DSA business. ICL operates through 7 subsidiaries namely Inditrade Fincorp Limited (erstwhile JRG Fincorp Limited), Inditrade Microfinance Limited, Inditrade Business Consultants Limited, Inditrade scalerator limited (erstwhile Inditrade commodities Trading Limited), Inditrade Rural Marketing Limited (erstwhile Inditrade Derivatives and Commodities Limited), Inditrade Insurance & Broking Private Limited and Inditrade Technologies Limited (erstwhile Inditrade Housing Finance Limited). The group’s consolidated lending AUM stood at Rs. 537.67 Cr.as on March 31, 2022.

­Acuité has been requesting for data, information and undertakings from the rated entity for conducting surveillance & review of the rating. However, the issuer / borrower failed to submit such information before the due date. Acuité believes that information risk is a critical component in such ratings, and noncooperation by the issuer along with an unwillingness to provide information could be a sign of potential deterioration in its overall credit quality. This rating is therefore being flagged as “Issuer not-cooperating”, in line with prevailing SEBI regulations and Acuité’s policies.

­The rating is based on information available from sources other than the issuer / borrower (in the absence of information provided by the issuer / borrower). Acuité endeavored to gather information about the entity / industry from the public domain. Therefore, Acuité cautions lenders and investors regarding the use of such information, on which the indicative credit rating is based.

Acuité is yet to receive the latest No Default Statement (NDS) from the rated entity which was due on Dec 01, 2023.

Supplementary disclosures for Provisional Ratings

A. Risks associated with the provisional nature of the credit rating

In case there are material changes in the terms of the transaction after the initial assignment of the provisional rating and post the completion of the issuance (corresponding to the part that has been issued) Acuite will withdraw the existing provisional rating and concurrently, assign a fresh final rating in the same press release, basis the revised terms of the transaction.

 B. Rating that would have been assigned in absence of the pending steps/ documentation The rating would be equated to the standalone rating of the entity: ACUITE C

 C. Timeline for conversion to Final Rating for a debt instrument proposed to be issued The provisional rating shall be converted into a final rating within 90 days from the date of issuance of the proposed debt instrument. Under no circumstance shall the provisional rating continue upon the expiry of 180 days from the date of issuance of the proposed debt instrument.

­In order to inform the investors about complexity of instruments, Acuité has categorized such instruments in three levels: Simple, Complex and Highly Complex. Acuite’ s categorisation of the instruments across the three categories is based on factors like variability of the returns to the investors, uncertainty in cash flow patterns, number of counterparties and general understanding of the instrument by the market. It has to be understood that complexity is different from credit risk and even an instrument categorized as 'Simple' can carry high levels of risk. For more details, please refer Rating Criteria “Complexity Level Of Financial Instruments” on www.acuite.in