The bitter experience suffered in Sri Lanka last week has compelled the Indian healthcare giant Apollo Hospitals Group to revise its strategy on joint ventures not just overseas but within the country as well.

The Group is now planning to preferably go in for controlling stake in the joint ventures so as to a the embarrassments similar to the ones of Sri Lanka, where the company failed to stave-off a hostile bid from a local businessman in Lanka Hospitals Corporation.

Apollo had to divest its entire stake of 33.22 per cent in the Lankan joint venture in favour of Sri Lanka Insurance Corporation and pull out of the country.

According to the Apollo Hospitals Group Chairman, Dr Pratap C. Reddy, the group finds it difficult to operate effectively with a minority holding in the joint ventures, either overseas or in the domestic market.

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