Reload document 
Open in new tab 2022 in retrospect: Regulatory activity in the financial sector
– Vinod Kothari | finserv@vinodkothari.com
It has been a brisk year in terms of activity – a busy regulator kept all regulated entities busier. This year marked the initiation of a new SBR framework for NBFCs – hence there was a lot of buzz in terms of understanding the new regulatory framework. The names of 16 Upper layer entities were declared by the RBI – consisting of 5 HFCs, 10 NBFC-ICCs, one CIC[1]. As is the design, UL entities are treated at par with banks in terms of regulatory intensity –hence, there is a LEF (large exposure framework), differential provisioning norms in case of standard assets, CET-1 capital requirement, mandatory listing etc.
Read more →FAQs on Overseas Investment
– Team Corplaw | corplaw@vinodkothari.com
Loading…
Finance Companies / Units in International Financial Services Centre (IFSC)
– Anirudh Grover, Executive | finserv@vinodkothari.com
Table of Contents
Background
International Finance Service Centre (IFSC) is a designated zone physically situated in India but is not considered a part of India. As the name suggests, it is a designated centre set up for the purpose of enabling international financial services, the key word here being international. The purpose is not only to bring global funds into the country but also facilitate such transactions through this zone which otherwise would have been carried out by foreign branches of domestic entities. This purpose is intended to be achieved through establishment of various businesses such as banking units, fund management entities, finance companies etc. We have discussed in depth about the concept of IFSCs along with the applicability of the domestic regulatory framework in our write-up Financial entities in IFSC: A primer.
The objective of this paper is to picture a comprehensive image of all the aspects of finance entities starting from what is meant by finance companies to all the regulatory exposure it has to bear while undertaking any kind of activities.
Read more →Financial entities in IFSC: A primer
– Parth Ved, Executive | parth@vinodkothari.com
Table of contents
Background
Flow of funds, just like a river, not only enriches its destination but also benefits all the stops it passes through. Having a financial hub, a stopover which enables routing billions and billions of global funds on a daily basis can definitely prove resourceful. London, New York, Singapore are some of the globally recognised financial centres, and needless to say these locations are at the forefront of financial development. India too has tried to tap into this with the setting up of GIFT-IFSC in Gujarat, and has tried to position itself as the next big global hub for financial transactions.
Through this write-up, the author tries to explain the concept of International Financial Services Centre and the applicability of domestic regulatory framework on entities set up therein.
Read more →Practical aspects relating to amended ODI framework
Loading…
Our resources on amended regulatory framework of Overseas Investments can be accessed here –
Regulatory framework for Overseas Investments
Loading…
Our other relevant resources on the subject can be accessed here –
Discussion on the new regime on Overseas Investment
Our write up on the topic can be read here:
Lost in Layers: lower threshold for subsidiaries under ODI norms raises concern
Vinita Nair, Senior Partner | Vinod Kothari & Company | corplaw@vinodkothari.com
It is quite common for entities to have subsidiaries in India and outside India in order to undertake business activities. The norms for incorporating a subsidiary in India is mainly governed by provisions of Companies Act, 2013 (‘CA, 2013’) and also the FDI norms for investment in the non-debt instruments, where the investment is being made by a person resident outside India. Similarly, the norms for incorporating a subsidiary outside India is mainly governed by provisions of CA, 2013 and also ODI norms for investment in the non-debt instruments. Additionally, there is a concept of restriction on layers of subsidiaries, prescribed under CA, 2013 and also under the new regime, which has raised cause of concern as well as confusion among India Inc., which is intended to be addressed by the author in this article.
RBI, effective from August 22, 2022 notified norms on Overseas Investment (‘OI’) in the form of OI Rules, OI Regulations and OI Directions. Read our article on the overview of the OI norms here. Our presentation can be accessed here.
Read more →Revised ODI Norms: A step towards greater clarity & liberalization?
FCS Vinita Nair | Senior Partner, Vinod Kothari & Company | corplaw@vinodkothari.com
Investments by Indian entities outside India is a very common phenomenon and several companies have presence outside India by virtue of forming a Joint Venture (‘JV’) and Wholly Owned Subsidiaries (‘WOS’). While the intent is to permit investment overseas, however, with reasonable fetters to ensure that money is not siphoned outside India. Hence, the prescribed limits along with approval and reporting requirements.
With the enforcement of amendment proposed in Finance Act, 2015 in October, 2019[1] powers vested with Central Government (CG) and Reserve Bank of India (RBI) with respect to permissible Capital Account Transaction were revisited. Power to frame rules relating to Non-Debt instruments (‘NDI’) were vested with CG and to frame regulations relating to debt instruments were vested with RBI. The scope of NDI inter alia covers all investment in equity instruments in incorporated entities: public, private, listed and unlisted; acquisition, sale or dealing directly in immoveable property.
Read more →