core sector communique

Steps to Attract FIIs

The net investments made by Foreign Institutional Investors (FIIs) under the Portfolio Investment Scheme (PIS) during the last three financial years have been positive.  The details of FIIs investments (Equity +Debt) during the last three financial years are as under:- (Amount in INR Crores) Financial Year Gross Purchases Gross Sales Net Investment 2009-10 8,46,438 7,03,780 1,42,658 2010-11 9,92,599 8,46,161 1,46,438 2011-12 9,21,285 8,27,562 93,725 2012-13 (Ist April -31st July 2012) 2,41,219 2,28,049 13,170              Six major international credit rating agencies usually rate India’s sovereign debt.  These are : Standard and Poor’s (S&P), Moody’s Investor Services, Fitch Ratings, Dominion Bond Rating Service (DBRS), Japanese Credit Rating Agency (JCRA) and Rating and Investment Information Inc., Tokyo (R&I).  All the six agencies have rated India’s long-term foreign currency denominated sovereign debt as investment grade.  None of these agencies have downgraded the rating on India’s sovereign debt below investment grade.                         As regards India’s GDP growth rate, there has been a slowdown in GDP growth from 8.4 per cent in 2010-11 to 6.5 per cent during 2011-12. Government has been making concerted efforts to attract foreign investors to India.  Some of the key steps taken recently are: ·         In the Budget 2011-12, the Qualified Foreign Investor (QFI) scheme was introduced allowing foreign investors to invest in Mutual Funds, subject to certain conditions.  On 1st January 2012, the Government expanded this scheme to allow QFIs to directly invest in Indian Equity Market.  As announced in Budget 2012-13, QFI can now also invest in corporate bonds. ·         The limit for FII investment in long-term corporate bonds issued by the companies in the infrastructure sector was raised from USD 5 billion to USD 25billion in March 2011. ·         In November 2011, the limit for FII investment in Government Securities and Corporate bonds was raised by USD 5 billion each, thus raising the cap for FII Investment to USD 15 billion in Government Securities and to USD 20 billion in Corporate Bonds ·         On June 25, 2012, the FII limit for investment in Government Securities was further enhanced by USD 5 billion raising the cap to USD 20 billion. This was stated by the Minister of State for Finance, Shri   Namo Narain   Meena in written reply to a question in the Rajya  Sabha today.