Summary: NFRA is fast becoming the new benchmark of governance for audit quality, financial reporting and audit committee oversight. This blog examines how the Corporate Laws (Amendment) Bill, 2026 proposes to strengthen NFRA’s framework, why this matters for boards, audit committees, in-house counsel and auditors, and what companies should do to prepare.
Continue Reading NFRA Reimagined: What the 2026 Amendment Bill means for Boards, Audit Committees, and Auditors
Summary: There is an unmistakable change in India’s regulatory architecture. Traditional heavyweight institutional regulators are gradually introducing measures to move away from a rigid enforcement system to a more trust-based framework. Enforcement actions of two key regulators – the Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) and the Reserve bank of India (RBI) appear to be softening. The finance ministry’s move towards deregulation was also evident in Budget 2025, where the formation of a committee to overhaul non-financial sector regulations was announced. The intention behind this announcement was to shed regulatory load and nurture an environment where enterprises can thrive. Simultaneously, newer watchdogs and their enforcement instincts are emerging as powerful force. They are turning out to be more assertive, which thwarts the effort to balance systemic resilience with enterprise growth.
Continue Reading Changing Face of Regulators
In recent years, India has witnessed a slew of accounting frauds, especially in the booming start-up ecosystem. Even established players have not been able to escape the ‘fraud virus’, thereby tarnishing reputations built over centuries. Over the years, businesses in various key sectors of the Indian economy have been rife with corporate governance issues, as is evident from recent reports of alleged violations of accounting norms, overstatement of revenues and underreporting of expenses[1], delayed filing of documents for foreign direct investment received[2], as well as adoption of fraudulent practices for ever-greening of NPAs[3]. Despite the commendable work done by regulators in tightening various statutory provisions, corporate fraud seems to continue to plague India Inc.
Continue Reading NFRA Circular on Fraud Reporting and India Inc.’s Dilemma