Mergers and acquisitions deals involving domestic companies in terms of value touched $34.3 billion during the first half of 2017 (HI17), up 59% compared to the same period of 2016, with the number of deals increasing by 9.1%, according to data compiled by Thomson Reuters M&A review. The average M&A deal size for transactions with disclosed values climbed up to $95.9 million during the first half of 2017 compared to $73.3 million over the same period last year. The telecom sector accounted for majority of the acquisitions involving Indian companies with 41.5% market share worth $14.2 billion, more than an eight-times increase in deal value compared to the first half of 2016, making it the highest first half period for the sector since 2007 ($17.9 billion). Foreign firms acquiring Indian companies reached $22.4 billion in the first half of 2017, a 322.6% increase in deal value from the first half of 2016, led by the $11.6 billion mega deal between Idea Cellular and Vodafone Group.Indian acquisitions overseas stood at $1.7 billion in the first half of 2017, a 60.7% decline from the same period last year.