FII Investment Limit in Govt Securities Enhanced by $5mn

[RBI Circular No. 13 dated 23^rd July 2014]

Sub: Foreign investment in India by SEBI registered Long term investors in Government dated Securities

Attention of Authorized Dealer Category-I (AD Category-I) banks is invited to Schedule 5 to the Foreign Exchange Management (Transfer or Issue of Security by a Person Resident outside India) Regulations, 2000 notified vide Notification No. FEMA.20/2000-RB dated May 3, 2000, as amended from time to time, in terms of which SEBI registered Foreign Institutional Investors (FIIs), SEBI registered Qualified Foreign Investors (QFIs) and long term investors registered with SEBI may purchase, on repatriation basis Government securities and non-convertible debentures (NCDs) / bonds issued by an Indian company subject to such terms and conditions as mentioned therein and limits as prescribed for the same by RBI and SEBI from time to time.

2. Attention of AD Category-I banks is also invited to A.P. (DIR Series) Circular No.99 dated January 29, 2014 in terms of which the present limit for investments by FIIs, QFIs and long term investors in Government securities stands at USD 30 billion, out of which a sub-limit of USD 10 billion is available for investment by long term investors in Government dated securities.

3. On a review, it has been decided to enhance the investment limit in government securities available to FIIs/QFIs/FPIs by USD 5 billion by correspondingly reducing the amount available to long term investor from USD 10 billion to USD 5 billion within the overall limit of USD 30 billion. The incremental investment limit of USD 5 billion shall be required to be invested in government bonds with a minimum residual maturity of three years. Further, all future investment against the limit vacated when the current investment by an FII/QFI/FPI runs off either through sale or redemption shall also be required to be made in government bonds with a minimum residual maturity of three years. It is, however, clarified that there will be no lock-in period and FIIs/QFIs/FPIs shall be free to sell the securities (including that are presently held with less than three years of residual maturity) to the domestic investors.

4. The operational guidelines in this regard will be issued by SEBI.

5. All other existing conditions for investment in Government securities remain unchanged.

6. AD Category – I banks may bring the contents of this circular to the notice of their constituents and customers concerned.

7. The directions contained in this circular have been issued under sections 10(4) and 11(1) of the Foreign Exchange Management Act, 1999 (42 of 1999) and are without prejudice to permissions / approvals, if any, required under any other law.