RBI permits Foreign investors and non-residents Indians to buy shares or debentures of publicly-listed Indian companies

Reserve Bank of India on 6th June 2014 has permitted Foreign investors and non-residents Indians to buy non-convertible and redeemable preference shares or debentures of publicly-listed Indian companies. This investment, however, will have to be within the overall limit of $51 billion earmarked for corporate debt.

The investment will be repatriable, meaning buyers will have to take the invested money back in foreign currency. However, NRIs may invest both on repatriation and non-repatriation basis.

Foreign investors include - Foreign Institutional Investors (FIIs), Qualified Foreign Investors (QFIs) deemed as registered Foreign Portfolio investors, registered Foreign Portfolio Investors (FPIs), long term investors registered with SEBI – Sovereign Wealth Funds (SWFs), Multilateral Agencies, Pension/ Insurance/ Endowment Funds, foreign Central Banks.