Banks block Indian promoters' foreign NBFC plans
Indian promoters to form investment companies abroad.
The banks fear such offshore entities are intended to sidestep the curbs on foreign currency remittance and undertake activities which are against the spirit of overseas investment regulations.
At least two leading private sector banks have stalled overseas direct investment (ODI) proposals by Indian entities to set up overseas non-banking finance companies (NBFCs), two persons familiar with the discussions with the banks told ET.
According to the overseas investment rules, that were framed by the government and are administered by the Reserve Bank of India (RBI), Indian companies can carry out ODI for some bona fide business activity, provided they do not deploy the funds transferred from India for personal use, real estate trading, and financial products linked to rupee.
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While trading, manufacturing, and other non-financial services companies having a track record can directly initiate the ODI, such overseas investment by local NBFCs need clearance from RBI. Often a domestic NBFC gives the ODI application to its authorised dealer (AD) bank refers the matter to central bank.
Closely-held investment entities and holding companies, controlled by promoter families, are often categorised as NBFCs. In quite a few cases, banks are reluctant to move ODI applications from NBFCs to RBI. Some of the non-finance promoter-driven investment entities have been told to obtain the regulator's approval for the ODI — a formality they are otherwise not required