The deal is expected to trigger an open offer to public shareholders of Adani Gas, and Total may end up having a roughly equal stake in the company as billionaire promoter Gautam Adani, the report said.

Adani Gas, an arm of Adani Group, operates a distribution pipeline network of over 6,000 km and caters to nearly 350,000 retail customers, the report said.

Total and Adani Gas were not immediately available for comment.

(Reporting by Ankit Ajmera in Bengaluru; editing by Richard Pullin)