Now Reading: Foreign capital, corporate bond market key DEA priorities: Alok Tiwari
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Foreign capital, corporate bond market key DEA priorities: Alok Tiwari
The Department of Economic Affairs (DEA) is prioritising foreign capital inflows and deepening the corporate bond market, Joint Secretary Alok Tiwari said on Wednesday at the FICCI Capital Markets conference in Mumbai. Tiwari noted that while foreign capital has been slow recently, July saw a turnaround, though some hurdles remain. "Foreign capital has to be welcomed. Foreign capital has to be attracted," he said.
Tiwari said there is a "broad consensus" among the government, regulators and market participants on attracting foreign capital. To facilitate this, the government is recasting the Foreign Exchange Management and Foreign Investment rules, currently open for public consultation by the RBI. Tiwari said the aim is to make the rules more principle-based and easier to navigate.
On the corporate bond market, Tiwari said it lacks adequate depth, liquidity and secondary-market participation, making it a priority for the DEA. He also described the proposed Securities Markets Code as a forward-looking legislation aimed at decriminalising minor infractions while strengthening investor protection and regulatory accountability.
Indian Opinion Analysis
India's corporate bond market remains dominated by AAA-rated issuers and banks, with limited retail and foreign investor participation. Deepening it is essential to fund long-term infrastructure needs without overburdening banks. The proposed recasting of FEMA and FDI rules could signal a shift from a restrictive to a facilitative regime, similar to reforms in the 1990s that opened equity markets. The Securities Markets Code, if passed, would consolidate multiple securities laws, reducing compliance costs. The next milestone to watch is the final draft of the code and the closure of the RBI's public consultation on the foreign investment rules.
Source: thehindubusinessline.com
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