The Reserve Bank of India has approved Sahamati Foundation's candidature to become the account aggregator ecosystem's self-regulator organisation on Friday. According to the RBI statement, an application seeking recognition as an SRO-AA by the Reserve Bank was received from Sahamati Foundation, which was examined against the relevant requirements as prescribed under the 'Framework for recognising Self-Regulatory Organisations (SROs) for the Account Aggregator Ecosystem' dated March 12, 2025. Based on the examination, it has been decided to recognise Sahamati Foundation as an SRO for the Account Aggregator Ecosystem. Account Aggregators (AAs) act as digital platforms to share financial data between institutions like banks and other financial service providers, operating solely on explicit customer consent and not storing customer data. Currently, there are 17 AAs recognised by the RBI in India, with Sahamati now joining this regulatory framework. The AA ecosystem currently comprises 1,120 live regulated financial entities, 176 Financial Information Providers (FIPs), 1,020 Financial Information Users (FIUs), and 17 operational Account Aggregators. As per Business Standard, Sahamati claims that the AA framework has facilitated over 450 million fulfilled consent requests, enabled more than 294 million linked accounts, and now supports over 290 million monthly data shares across lending, insurance, wealth management and personal finance use cases. Sahamati, a not-for-profit industry alliance for the account aggregator ecosystem, was launched in 2019 and brought in former RBI deputy governor R. Gandhi as non-executive chairman in May 2026. The RBI had invited applications for SRO recognition for the AA ecosystem in March 2025, and Sahamati's application was approved on 5 June 2026.
The Reserve Bank of India has announced a comprehensive package of measures to attract foreign capital and support the rupee amid mounting global uncertainties. RBI Governor Sanjay Malhotra announced the measures after the monetary policy decision, stating that all these measures together should help attract foreign capital for government borrowing. The central bank has expanded the Fully Accessible Route (FAR) by including all new issuances of 15-year, 30-year and 40-year government securities, allowing foreign investors to invest in these bonds without being subject to investment caps. The RBI also removed certain restrictions related to short-term holdings and concentration limits in individual government securities, making the debt market more accessible to overseas investors. To encourage overseas borrowing, the RBI announced a concessional foreign-exchange swap facility until September 30 for external commercial borrowings raised by public sector companies, with a similar facility available for banks mobilising foreign currency non-resident deposits, where the RBI bears the full hedging cost.
The Reserve Bank of India has announced that the limits for investment by Non-Resident Indians (NRIs) and Overseas Citizens of India (OCIs) in equity instruments on the stock market without SEBI registration are being increased. According to reports from CNBC TV18, this registration-free facility is largely restricted to these specific groups, while other Persons Resident Outside India (PROIs) typically face a more rigorous regulatory path, often requiring them to register as FPIs to participate in the market. RBI Governor Sanjay Malhotra announced on Friday that the investment limits for NRIs and OCIs in equity instruments traded on stock exchanges without Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) registration will be increased. The RBI's decision also applies to all individual Persons Resident Outside India (PROIs), leveling the playing field for such investments and making the process simpler for Indians living abroad. The move builds on changes announced in Budget 2026, under which the individual investment ceiling for NRIs in a listed company was doubled to 10% from 5%. The central bank's role is to put the proposal into operation and lay down the regulatory framework needed for implementation, with the RBI expected to issue detailed guidelines separately.
As reported by CNBC TV18, the government proposes to raise the ceiling on how much NRIs and OCIs can invest in equity instruments through this simplified, registration-free route. Individual NRI investment ceilings have been doubled to up to 10% of a listed company from 5% earlier, with the aggregate NRI cap being raised to 24%. This essentially allows them to hold larger portfolios without triggering the need for a formal, more complex SEBI registration. Under the current framework, an individual NRI or OCI can invest up to 5% of the paid-up equity capital of a listed Indian company through the Portfolio Investment Scheme (PIS), while the aggregate investment by all such investors is capped at 10%. The RBI has now proposed increasing the individual limit to 10% and the aggregate limit to 24%. Under the new guidelines, individual NRIs and OCIs can be proposed to invest up to 10% of a listed Indian company's paid-up equity capital through the Portfolio Investment Scheme (PIS). The final guidelines on the revised investment limits and implementation framework will be released separately by the RBI.
The policy changes come at a time when overseas Indians are sending record amounts of money back home. According to RBI data, remittances reached a record $135.46 billion in FY25, highlighting the growing financial contribution of the Indian diaspora. By expanding investment limits and relaxing eligibility criteria, policymakers hope to channel a larger share of overseas savings into Indian capital markets. Another major change is that individual Persons Resident Outside India will now be allowed to invest in listed Indian companies through the RBI's Portfolio Investment Scheme, bringing them on par with NRIs and OCIs. This will allow eligible overseas individuals to buy shares on Indian stock exchanges directly, providing greater opportunities for overseas investors to participate in India's capital markets. The RBI has also restored the timeline for exporters to repatriate export proceeds to nine months from the temporary 15-month period that had been allowed earlier, as part of broader efforts to strengthen India's balance of payments position.
Financial experts have welcomed the RBI's decision as a significant positive for overseas investment in Indian markets. Adhil Shetty, CEO of Bankbazaar, noted that the move broadens investment flexibility for overseas Indians who want exposure to India's growth story but may not wish to register as foreign portfolio investors (FPIs). Tanuj Shori, Founder & CEO of Square Yards, stated that the measures announced to encourage greater participation by NRIs, OCIs, and foreign investors in Indian financial markets are a significant positive for the broader economy. Kinjal Shah, Vice President of Bombay Chartered Accountants' Society (BCAS), emphasized that the RBI's decision to increase investment limits for NRIs and OCIs in listed equity instruments without requiring SEBI registration is likely to broaden participation from overseas investors in Indian stock markets. Santosh Agarwal, CEO of Paisabazaar, highlighted that Non-Resident Indians (NRIs) and OCIs can now invest much more money in listed equity instruments without requiring SEBI registration, with the move aimed at facilitating greater overseas participation in Indian financial markets. Adhil Shetty from BankBazaar told Business Today that the announcement should be viewed as part of a wider capital mobilisation strategy, noting that the increase in investment limits for NRIs and OCIs should be viewed as part of a larger capital mobilisation strategy rather than a standalone market access measure.
