New Delhi, April 3 -- Companies pursuing mergers are securing timely clearances from India's competition watchdog, with the Competition Commission of India (CCI) adhering to its tighter 150-day approval timeline, government data shows, signalling lower risk and greater certainty for investors and lenders.

In reply to a question in the Lok Sabha on 30 March, finance and corporate affairs minister Nirmala Sitharaman said the CCI cleared 194 merger and acquisition (M&A) cases between 10 September 2024 and 24 March 2026, within the revised deadline.

In each case, the regulator formed its prima facie view within 30 days, indicating that the majority of these deals did not raise significant competition concerns and were cleared at the first s...