FAQ Page 1 - RBI - Reserve Bank of India
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Foreign Investment in India
These FAQs attempt to put in place the common queries that users have on the subject in an easy to understand language. However, for conducting a transaction, the Foreign Exchange Management Act, 1999 (FEMA) and the Regulations made or directions issued thereunder may be referred to. The relevant principal regulations are the Foreign Exchange Management (Transfer or Issue of Security by a Person Resident Outside India) Regulations, 2017 dated November 7, 2017 as amended from time to time (hereinafter referred to as FEMA 20 (R)). The modalities as to how the foreign exchange business has to be conducted by the Authorised Persons with their customers/ constituents with a view to implementing the regulations framed is laid down in Master Direction on Foreign investment in India.
Answer: The routes under which foreign investment can be made is as under:
- Automatic Route: Foreign Investment is allowed under the automatic route without prior approval of the Government or the Reserve Bank of India, in all activities/ sectors as specified in the Regulation 16 of FEMA 20 (R).
- Government Route: Foreign investment in activities not covered under the automatic route requires prior approval of the Government. Procedure for applying for Government approval is given at http://fifp.gov.in/Forms/SOP.pdf
Answer: ‘Capital Instruments’ means equity shares, debentures, preference shares and share warrants issued by the Indian company.Equity shares: Equity shares are those issued in accordance with the provisions of the Companies Act, 2013 and will include partly paid equity shares issued on or after July 8, 2014.Share warrants: Share warrants issued on or after July 8, 2014 will be considered as capital instruments.Debentures: ‘Debentures’ means fully, compulsorily and mandatorily convertible debentures.Preference shares: ‘Preference’ shares means fully, compulsorily and mandatorily convertible preference shares.Non-convertible/ optionally convertible/ partially convertible preference shares issued as on and up to April 30, 2007 and optionally convertible/ partially convertible debentures issued up to June 7, 2007 till their original maturity are reckoned to be FDI compliant capital instruments. Non-convertible/ optionally convertible/ partially convertible preference shares issued after April 30, 2007 and optionally convertible/ partially convertible debentures issued after June 7, 2007 shall be treated as debt and shall require conforming to External Commercial Borrowings guidelines regulated under Foreign Exchange Management (Borrowing and Lending in Foreign Exchange Regulations), 2000, as amended from time to time.
Answer: Tenor of convertible instruments will be guided by the instructions framed under the Companies Act, 2013 and the rules framed thereunder. However, the investee company should ensure that the price/ conversion formula of convertible capital instruments is determined upfront at the time of issue of the instruments. The price at the time of conversion should not in any case be lower than the fair value worked out, at the time of issuance of such instruments, in accordance with the extant FEMA regulations.
Answer: A convertible note is an instrument issued by a start-up company evidencing receipt of money initially as debt, which is repayable at the option of the holder, or which is convertible into such number of equity shares of such startup company, within a period not exceeding five years from the date of issue of the convertible note, upon occurrence of specified events as per the other terms and conditions agreed to and indicated in the instrument.
Answer: A person resident outside India (other than an individual who is a citizen of Pakistan or Bangladesh or an entity which is registered/ incorporated in Pakistan or Bangladesh), may purchase convertible notes issued by an Indian start-up company for an amount of twenty five lakh rupees or more in a single tranche. A start-up company engaged in a sector where foreign investment requires Government approval may issue convertible notes to a non-resident only with the approval of the Government. The amount of consideration should be received by inward remittance through banking channels or by debit to the NRE/ FCNR (B)/ Escrow account maintained by the person concerned.
Answer: Foreign Investment means any investment made by a person resident outside India on a repatriable basis in capital instruments of an Indian company or to the capital of an LLP.Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) is the investment through capital instruments by a person resident outside India (a) in an unlisted Indian company; or (b) in 10 percent or more of the post issue paid-up equity capital on a fully diluted basis of a listed Indian company.Foreign Portfolio Investment is any investment made by a person resident outside India in capital instruments where such investment is (a) less than 10 percent of the post issue paid-up equity capital on a fully diluted basis of a listed Indian company or (b) less than 10 percent of the paid up value of each series of capital instruments of a listed Indian company.
Answer: Fully diluted basis means the total number of shares that would be outstanding if all possible sources of conversion are exercised.
Answer: No, FDI and FPI are agnostic from the point of view of the schedule under which investment has been made. It is the percentage which defines whether it is direct or portfolio investment.
Answer: Once an FDI always an FDI.
Answer: As long as the foreign shareholding in the entity remains the same and there is no corporate action pursuant to the sector being brought under approval route, approval is not required.
Answer: Please refer to the ‘Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) for Processing FDI Proposals’ issued by Department of Industrial Policy & Promotion, Government of India → http://fifp.gov.in/Forms/SOP.pdf
Answer: Indian company includes all those entities covered under section 1(4) of the Companies Act, 2013.
Answer: Foreign investment percentage has to be calculated on a fully diluted basis i.e. at the time of issuance of Employee Stock Options.
Answer: Financial Markets Regulation Department, RBI.
Answer: No, refer to Para 7.13 of Master Direction-Foreign Investment in India.
Answer: All foreign investments are repatriable (net of applicable taxes) except in cases where the investment is made or held on non-repatriation basis.
Answer: Investment on repatriation basis means an investment, the sale/ maturity proceeds of which are, net of taxes, eligible to be repatriated out of India. The expression investment on non-repatriation basis may be construed accordingly.
Answer: Please refer to regulation 11 of FEMA 20(R).
| Particulars | Listed Company | Un-Listed Company |
| Issue by an Indian company or transferred from a resident to non-resident - Price should not be less than | The price worked out in accordance with the relevant SEBI guidelines | The fair value worked out as per any internationally accepted pricing methodology for valuation on an arm’s length basis, duly certified by a Chartered Accountant or a SEBI registered Merchant Banker or a practicing Cost Accountant. |
| Transfer from a non-resident to resident - Price should not be more than | The price worked out in accordance with the relevant SEBI guidelines | The fair value as per any internationally accepted pricing methodology for valuation on an arm’s length basis, duly certified by a Chartered Accountant or a SEBI registered Merchant Banker. |
The pricing guidelines shall not be applicable for investment by a person resident outside India on non-repatriation basis.
Answer: FDI linked performance conditions are the sector specific conditions stipulated in regulation 16 of FEMA 20(R) for companies receiving foreign investment
Answer: Only NRIs/ OCIs are allowed to invest in partnership/ proprietorship concerns in India on non-repatriation basis.
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Page Last Updated on: December 10, 2022
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