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Enforcement actions by IFSCA: Upholding of regulatory standards in IFSC, GIFT City

The International Financial Services Centres Authority (“IFSCA”) is the unified regulator of India’s maiden International Financial Services Centre (“IFSC”) at Gujarat International Finance Tec-City (“GIFT City”). Uniquely positioned both as a developer the regulator for the IFSC jurisdiction, the IFSCA is tasked with fostering a robust financial ecosystem, regulating financial products, financial services, and financial institutions while promoting ease of doing business. A critical aspect of its objective is enforcing compliance requirements and ensuring that IFSC, GIFT City, maintains its status as a jurisdiction of “substance”, with its regulatory standards on par with other global centres.Continue Reading Enforcement actions by IFSCA: Upholding of regulatory standards in IFSC, GIFT City

FIG Paper (No. 32) - Outsourcing of Financial Services: Harmonising the Law and Looking Ahead

Background

The Reserve Bank of India (“RBI”) issued the draft Master Direction – Reserve Bank of India (Managing Risks and Code of Conduct in Outsourcing of Financial Services) Directions, 2023 (“Draft MD”), on October 26, 2023. With the COVID-19 pandemic and the digitisation of financial services globally, financial institutions started becoming increasingly dependent on their service partners and agents to reduce costs and avail expertise not available internally.Continue Reading FIG Paper (No. 32 – Series 1): Outsourcing of Financial Services: Harmonising the Law and Looking Ahead

FIG Paper (No. 24 – Series 1): New Data Law – Financial Services Implications

(Indian) Digital Personal Data Protection Act, 2023 (“DPDP Act”) received Presidential assent on August 11, 2023, and is awaiting notification by the Indian Government, which is expected soon. This FIG Paper examines: (i) the existing data protection/ privacy framework for the Indian financial services space; (ii) overlays DPDP Act considerations; and (iii) preferred approach to “gap” analysis, basis global learnings.Continue Reading FIG Paper (No. 24 – Series 1): New Data Law – Financial Services Implications

Ship Leasing in IFSC

India has a vast coastline and easy access to shipping routes, yet India contributes only 1% in global trade.[1] Many major shipowners and operators have chosen key international maritime centres such as Singapore, Hong Kong, and Dubai as their base for operations.

To create a stimulating ecosystem that can help Indian entities compete with global marine hubs by accelerating and boosting their presence internationally, IFSCA has constituted a Committee on Development of Avenues for Ship Acquisition, Financing and Leasing Activities (“SAFAL Committee”) to obtain a complete overview and assessment of the existing legal and regulatory regime in IFSC in India for ship acquisition, financing and leasing.Continue Reading Ship Leasing in IFSC – A New Regime

It’s a Yes – for Banks!

The RBI has amended the Master Directions on Financial Services provided by Banks. This is a significant move permitting Banks to invest in Category II Alternative Investment Funds.

As of June 30, 2017, Alternative Investment Funds (AIFs) had raised the cumulative figure of Rs. 48, 129 crores, against aggregate capital commitments of Rs 96,000 crores. The AIF industry is thus growing at an exponential rate, raising monies from domestic and offshore investors.

Unfortunately, however, the Indian AIF industry, lags behind its western counterparts in terms of participation by domestic pools of capital. In western countries, long term or patient capital, such as pension funds, contributes nearly 40% of the capital raised by AIFs. In the Indian context, restrictions prescribed by sector regulators have inhibited fund managers from raising capital from the domestic financial services sector.

Hence, it was no surprise that one of the key themes in the 2016 reports of the Alternative Investment Policy Advisory Committee (AIPAC), chaired by Mr Narayan Murthy, was “unlocking domestic pools of capital”. The committee’s recommendation was premised on the argument that the domestic capital pools – pensions, insurance, domestic financial institutions, banks, and charitable institutions – need access to appropriate investment opportunities to earn risk-adjusted returns.Continue Reading It’s a Yes – for Banks!