Stephenson Harwood and Linklaters have advised alongside Indian firms on Piramal Healthcare's acquisition of a $640m (£389m) stake in Indian mobile operator Vodafone Essar.

The trio advised on English law aspects of the deal, which saw Indian pharmaceutical group Piramal take on a 5.5% stake in Vodafone Essar.

Stephenson Harwood advised Piramal, with London-based corporate partner Andrew Edge leading a team that also included City banking partners Nick Avery and David Lacey.

Edge, who joined from Ashurst in 2010, has acted for Piramal since 2006 and last year advised on the disposal of Piramal's Domestic Formulations division to US pharmaceuticals company Abbott for $3.7bn (£2.3bn).

Linklaters advised Vodafone on the latest deal, fielding a team led by London-based banking partner Toby Grimstone and associate Alexander Premont. Slaughters and May corporate and commercial partner Roland Turnill also advised Vodafone on the transaction.

Edge commented: "We advised Piramal on the sale to Abbott so we knew they had lots of capital at the moment and it's good to see them investing the money. I have worked with them for five years now and this is the first non-pharmaceutical deal I have advised them on."

A trio of Indian firms were also involved in the deal, with S&R Associates advising Essar and Amarchand & Mangaldas & Suresh A Shroff & Co and Crawford Bayley & Co advising Piramal in India.

Piramal's acquisition of the stake comes after Vodafone and Essar agreed the sale of Essar's 33% stake in Vodafone Essar on 1 July, ending a four-year partnership between Vodafone and Essar in India.