GIFT ( Gujarat International Finance Tec-City )
Gift cityRecognizing the potential of the State as a Centre for the Financial services industry, the Government of Gujarat formulated a mega project to realize this vision. Thus, land between the commercial capital of the State, Ahmedabad, and the Administrative Capital of the State, Gandhinagar, was identified for the development of a Central Business District (CBD).
Board of Directors Gujarat International Finance Tec City Co. Ltd.
Multi Services SEZ area bifurcation and activities
Water Sources:
Power supplyDual power supply at Power Station with building level Back-up power facility.
Vision
Information-Communication-Technology
Automated Waste Collection System (AWCS)
District cooling system
System Highlights:
Salient Advantages:
Utility Tunnel in GIFT City
C-4(City Command & Control Centre)
TIER IV Data Centre
Samrudhi Sarovar & Waterfront Development
Basic Principles
Fulfillment of Human Needs
Safe and clean environment,
Maintenance of Ecological Integrity Through
SEZ
The GIFT SEZ Advantage
Infrastructure
IFSC Business
Areas of business
Pursuant to the Reserve Bank of India Notification No. FEMA.339/2015-RB dated March 02, 2015 under FEMA 1999 on Foreign Exchange Management (International Financial Services Centre) Regulations, 2015 setting out RBI regulations relating to financial institutions set up in International Financial Services Centres (IFSC), RBI has formulated a scheme for the setting up of IFSC Banking Units (IBUs) by Indian banks and foreign banks already having presence in India.
The IFSC banking units will be able to provide foreign currency financing requirements of the Indian corporates as well for overseas entities. The Branch will operate as an offshore branch.
Eligible banks interested in setting up IBUs will be required to obtain prior permission of the Reserve Bank for opening an IBU under Section 23 (1)(a) of the Banking Regulation Act, 1949 (BR Act). For most regulatory purposes, an IBU will be treated on par with a foreign branch of an Indian bank.
Foreign Banks
The Reserve Bank has issued a notification under FEMA vide Notification No. FEMA.339/2015-RB dated March 02, 2015 setting out RBI regulations relating to financial institutions set up in International Financial Services Centres (IFSC) under which RBI has formulated scheme for the setting up of IFSC Banking Units (IBUs) by Foreign banks in IFSCs.
Foreign banks would be able to carry out following Business thru IBU at GIFT IFSC
Foreign currency loans to non-residents {Foreign Corporates & Wholly Owned Subsidiaries (WOS)/Joint Ventures (JV) of Indian Corporate}
Provide ECBs to Indian entities seeking foreign currency funds as permitted under FEMA
Project Finance for Foreign Corporates & WOS/JVs of Indian Corporates
Provide corporate banking facilities to various units in SEZ & IFSC
Factoring & forfaiting services as part of the trade finance requirements to WOS/JVs of Indian corporates abroad and foreign corporates & Letter of Credit and Bank Guarantee for oversees transactions (Inward & Outward)
FOREX Transactions (Buying & Selling of various currency)
Bulk deposits from Foreign Corporates / WOS of Indian Corporates
Market borrowings such as inter-bank borrowings, debt issuance etc.
Derivatives and structured products – swaps, futures, etc.
Providing trade loans to correspondent banks
Application process:
Step 1: Identify the office space in GIFT IFSC
Step 2: Application to SEZ Development commissioner for SEZ approval
Step 3: Application to Reserve Bank of India for setting up IFSC Banking UNIT
Kindly note RBI has not provided any specific format for the application to be made for IBU.
Mr. R. K Patil, Department of Banking Regulation Central Office Mumbai can be contacted for IFSC matters. You may get in touch at rkpatil@rbi.org.in for your application.
Indian Banks
SBI bank
LIC
Indian Banks would be able to carry out following Business thru IBU at GIFT IFSC
The Reserve Bank has issued a notification under FEMA vide Notification No. FEMA.339/2015-RB dated March 02, 2015 setting out RBI regulations relating to financial institutions set up in International Financial Services Centres (IFSC) under which RBI has formulated scheme for the setting up of IFSC Banking Units (IBUs) by Indian banks in IFSCs.
Foreign currency loans to non-residents {Foreign Corporates & Wholly Owned Subsidiaries (WOS)/Joint Ventures (JV) of Indian Corporate}
Provide ECBs to Indian entities seeking foreign currency funds as permitted under FEMA
Project Finance for Foreign Corporates & WOS/JVs of Indian Corporates
Provide corporate banking facilities to various units in SEZ & IFSC
Factoring & forfaiting services as part of the trade finance requirements to WOS/JVs of Indian corporates abroad and foreign corporates & Letter of Credit and Bank Guarantee for oversees transactions (Inward & Outward)
FOREX Transactions (Buying & Selling of various currency)
Bulk deposits from Foreign Corporates / WOS of Indian Corporates
Market borrowings such as inter-bank borrowings, debt issuance etc.
Derivatives and structured products – swaps, futures, etc.
Providing trade loans to correspondent banks
Application process:
Step 1: Identify the office space in GIFT IFSC
Step 2: Application to SEZ Development commissioner for SEZ approval
Step 3: Application to Reserve Bank of India for setting up IFSC Banking UNIT
Kindly note RBI has not provided any specific format for the application to be made for IBU.Mr. R. K Patil, Department of Banking Regulation Central Office Mumbai can be contacted for IFSC matters.
Capital Markets
Securities and Exchange Board of India has issued the guidelines to facilitate and regulate financial services relating to securities market in an International Financial Services Centre set up under Section 18(1) of Special Economic Zones Act, 2005. This Guidelines may be called as Securities and Exchange Board of India (International Financial Services Centres) Guidelines, 2015
The IFSC provides an opportunity to Stock Brokers, Alternate investment funds, portfolio managers, advisors, mutual funds etc. to carry out international financial services.
India’s Two largest exchanges namely Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE) and NSE have set up international exchange and clearing corporations at GIFT IFSC. The exchanges provide more than 140 products for trading.
International Exchanges
Securities and Exchange Board of India (International Financial Services Centres) Guidelines, 2015 has permitted that, any Indian recognised stock exchange or any recognised stock exchange of a foreign jurisdiction may form a subsidiary to provide the services of stock exchange in IFSC.
Stock exchanges operating in the GIFT IFSC are permitted to offer trading in securities in any currency other than the Indian rupee. Subject to SEBI approval, Trading is permitted in equity shares of companies incorporated outside of India, depository receipts, debt securities of eligible issuers, currency, index, interest rate and non-agriculture commodity derivatives and all categories of exchange traded products that are available for trading in stock exchanges in FATF/ IOSCO complaint jurisdiction.
India International Exchange (India INX)
BSE, Asia's oldest stock exchange has established the country's first International Exchange “India International Exchange (India INX)”at the international financial services center (IFSC) GIFT city. BSE signed an agreement with GIFT SEZ Limited in January 2015 to set up International Exchange and International Clearing Corporation at the GIFT IFSC. India International Exchange IFSC Limited (India INX) and India International Clearing Corporation IFSC Limited (India ICC) are wholly owned subsidiary of the BSE Limited.
The International exchange received final approval from Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) on December 30, 2016. India INX is now India’s first International Exchange set up at GIFT City and was inaugurated by Honorable Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi, on 9th Jan, 2017. India INX offer a diversified portfolio of products and technology services at a cost which is far more competitive to Indian exchanges as well as other global exchanges like those in Hong Kong Singapore, Dubai, London and New York.
India INX is one of the world’s most advanced technology platforms with a turn-around time of 4 micro seconds. India INX operates for 22 hours a day to allow international investors and Non Residents Indians to trade from anywhere across the globe. In the first phase it proposes to commence trading in equity derivatives, currency derivatives, commodity derivatives including Index and Stocks. The technology offerings at India INX would facilitate co-location of members in its own Data Centre at GIFT IFSC as well as provide high frequency trading.
India INX commenced trading activities on January 16, 2017. The Daily Average Turnover of India INX crossed USD 1 Billion on June 06th 2018
NSE IFSC
NSE has set up NSE IFSC Limited as an international exchange. NSE IFSC Limited (NSE IFSC) is a fully owned subsidiary company of National Stock Exchange of India Limited (NSE) and has received approval from Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) to establish an international exchange in Gujarat International Finance Tech City - International Financial Service Centre.
This new exchange is intended to grow the financial market as well as expected to bring capital into India.
Following are the details of the products traded at both the exchanges. International Exchanges Operates 22 hours a day.
Brokerage Business
Chapter III of Securities and Exchange Board of India (International Financial Services Centres) Guidelines, 2015 permitted that any recognized entity of India or foreign jurisdiction can set up an entity for providing Broking services at GIFT IFSC.
Approval as per chapter III.
Any SEBI-registered intermediary (except trading member or clearing member) or its international associates in collaboration with such SEBI – registered intermediary may provide financial services relating to securities market, in IFSC, without forming a separate company, subject to the prior approval of the Board.
The parent company registered with SEBI or any foreign regulator through its subsidiary company can become trading and clearing member of IFSC exchanges.
The exchanges provide different types of membership as below.
Trading membership,
Trading cum self clearing membership
Trading cum clearing member and
Professional clearing member
The process to set up intermediary company is mentioned at Setting up page on the website.
Link to be provided for redirecting the user to setting up page.
Intermediaries
According to Chapter II of Securities and Exchange Board of India (International Financial Services Centres) Guidelines, 2015 following entities are permitted to set up operations in GIFT IFSC, "intermediary" means and includes,
a stock broker,
a merchant banker,
a banker to an issue,
a trustee of trust deed,
a registrar to an issue,
a share transfer agent,
an underwriter,
an investment adviser,
a portfolio manager,
a depositary participant,
a custodian of securities,
a credit rating agency, or any other intermediary or any person associated with the securities market, as may be specified by the Board from time to time.
Wealth and Asset Management
SEBI Vide circular dated May 23, 2017 has permitted Alternate Investment Funds, Mutual Funds, Portfolio Managers to invest in the following Securities.
Insurance
The IRDAI had issued the Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority of India (International Financial Service Centre) Guidelines, 2015 in April 2015 (“Old Guidelines”) to permit the following category of participants to set-up offices in the IFSC.
An Indian Insurer
An Indian Reinsurer
A Foreign Insurer
A Foreign Reinsurer
Insurance Broker
In order to provide more clarity on business and operating issues, IRDAI has issued the Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority of India [Registration and Operations of International Financial Services Centre Insurance Office (IIO)] Guidelines, 2017 (“New Guidelines”) the same can be downloaded from the LAWS & REGULATIONS – IFSC section of the website.
Eligibility Criterion:
Indian insurer/ reinsurer:
An Indian insurer/ reinsurer to be registered with IRDAI
An Insurer/ reinsurer to be in continuous operations for preceding five years
Foreign insurer/ reinsurer
(Incorporated) Foreign insurer/ reinsurer to be registered or licensed for transacting insurance or reinsurance business in country of incorporation
Due authorization by home country authority to set up an IIO in India
Continuous operation of foreign applicant for preceding five years
Compliance with applicable provisions on assigned capital, paid-up equity capital, solvency margin and net-owned funds
Satisfactory track record of compliance in the country of incorporation or other country in which it is functioning
Foreign applicant is to be registered or certified in a National Regulatory Environment with whom the government of India has signed a DTAA
Minimum credit rating having at least good financial security characteristics in the manner prescribed from internationally renowned credit rating agencies for the last three years
Business Opportunities: (Insurance / Reinsurance Companies & Brokers)
Registered IFSC Insurance Office (IIO) / IFSC Insurance Broking office (IIBO) are permitted to transact direct insurance / reinsurance business from:
Within the IFSC in GIFT SEZ;
All other Special Economic Zones in India;
Outside India (Foreign to Foreign, Foreign to India & India to Foreign – Inward & Outward Business)
It would also be allowed to undertake Domestic Insurance & Reinsurance business in line with the provisions of IRDA regulations.
Registered IIOs / IIBOs would carry out dollar denominated transactions from the IFSC. The branch open in the IFSC would be considered as a foreign branch (non-resident India – as per RBI guidelines)
Retrocession up to 90% of reinsurance business permissible
Insurers
General Insurer can do following business from GIFT IFSC:
Undertake business of Units in IFSC, Units in SEZs all over India
Insure properties of Indian WOS / JV abroad & properties of overseas entities
Provide cover to exporters & importers
Provide Overseas Travel & Health Insurance to NRIs, PIOs & Foreign residents
Can execute all Offshore Business
Place Reinsurance business from GIFT IFSC
Allowed to issue insurance policy in foreign currency
Maintain foreign currency account with IFSC Banking Units located at GIFT IFSC
Reinsurers
Reinsurer can do following business from GIFT IFSC:
Undertake reinsurance business of IIOs in IFSC
Undertake reinsurance business of all SEZs in India
Undertake reinsurance business of foreign and Indian reinsurer in India which is placed outside India
Undertake foreign reinsurance business from IIOs
Allowed to issue insurance policy in foreign currency
Maintain foreign currency account with IFSC Banking Units located at GIFT IFSC
Insurance Brokers
IFSC Insurance Broking office (IIBO) are permitted to transact direct insurance / reinsurance business from GIFT IFSC. In order to facilitate conduct of Insurance/Reinsurance business, Brokers registered with the Authority are permitted to open IFSC Insurance Broking Office (IIBO) in the GIFT IFSC.
Application for Brokers – FORM IRDAI/SEZ/ Application, under the Circular IRDA/NL/CIR/MISC/019/01/2016, dated 28 -01-2016. (Attached)
IT & ITes
The GOG Under the IT/ITes policy 2016-2021 provide various incentives to IT/ITes firms operating out of GIFT SEZ. The incentives would help entities to reduce the operating cost significantly.
The entities would require the approval of development commissioner of the SEZ zone. The process for the application is mentioned at setting up tab. (redirect the user to setting up in new tab.)
Opportunities for IT/ITeS Companies in GIFT SEZ Area
Setting up R&D facilities of various IT companies
Setting up units in the field of BPO, KPO
Setting up operations of E-Commerce companies
Setting up Vertical IT/ITeS Parks
Web / Digital Content Development / ERP / Software and Application Development
Other Services Business
The entities having export business of the following services can set up unit at GIFT SEZ.
Trading
Warehousing
Research and development services
Computer software services, including information enabled services such as back-office operations
Call centers
Content development or animation
Data processing
Engineering and design, graphic information system services
Human resources services, insurance claim processing
Legal data bases, medical transcription
Payroll, remote maintenance
Revenue accounting
Support centres and web-site services
Off-shore banking services
Professional services rental/leasing services without operators
Other business services, courier services
Audio-visual services, construction and related services
Distribution services (excluding retail services)
Educational services, environmental services, financial services, hospital services, other human health services
Tourism and travel related services, recreational, cultural and sporting services
Entertainment services
Transport services, services auxiliary to all modes of transport, pipelines transport
Explanation: The expression “trading”, for the purposes of the Second Schedule of the Act, shall mean import for the purposes of re- export.
Information by. Shubham savaliya
Comments
Post a Comment