Sebi recommends easing rules for foreign investors

Sebi committee recommends merging foreign investment in India's stock markets into a single investor class as well easing registration norms for foreign buyers.

June 13, 2013 / 09:59 IST

KM Chandrashekhar Committee set up by the Securities and Exchange Board of India (Sebi) has recommended merging foreign investment in India's stock markets into a single investor class as well easing registration norms for foreign buyers, in a move aimed at appeasing foreign investors.

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A panel set up by the Sebi has recommended that the regulator simplify the Know Your Client (KYC) norms according to the risk profile of the investor. Sebi board will consider the report on June 25th.

The Sebi committee also recommended merging the existing categories of Foreign Institutional Investors (FIIs), their sub accounts and Qualified Foreign Investors into the Foreign Portfolio Investor (FPI) class. FPIs will be allowed to invest upto 24 percent or upto sectoral market cap. Further all portfolio investment in unlisted companies will be classified as foreign direct investment (FDI).

"With the simplification of procedures in KYC/Account opening and onboarding, the Committee believes it will make the experience for FPI of entering into India more pleasuresome and smooth, resulting in increasing inflows into India," Sebi said in a statement.