British private equity giant Actis is reportedly exiting its road projects joint venture (JV) with Tata Group by selling its 35 per cent stake to the Indian salt-to-software conglomerate's private equity arm.

An official privy to the ongoing discussions said that Actis was realigning its infrastructure interests with special focus on energy assets as road development projects in the country were facing long delays in land acquisition and getting required clearances.

Speaking on the condition of anonymity, the official however added that the British private equity firm's exit would be amenable.

Speaking on the topic, the official said, "Its focus has moved away from roads into power generation and distribution and it will continue to focus on these sectors through its infrastructure funds. This will be an amenable exit."

Actis, one of the earliest private equity investors in India, was expected to invest nearly $2 billion in highway projects in India.

The financial details of the stake sale by the British private equity firm could not be ascertained, as the discussions are still private.

Malaysia's Khazanah Nasional, which has a JV with IDFC to make investments in highway projects, and SBI Macquarie Infrastructure Fund, are meanwhile said to be exploring opportunities to purchase select road assets from struggling developers.

Emerging reports also suggest that L&T Finance is preparing to raise a debt fund to invest in the country's stressed road sector.