The Securities and Exchange Board of India (Sebi) has outlined comprehensive priorities for FY27, focusing on regulatory simplification, faster approvals, technology-driven supervision and deeper capital markets, as announced by Chairman Tuhin Kanta Pandey in the Securities and Exchange Board of India's annual report for FY26. According to Business Standard, Sebi will continue to focus on identifying and removing regulatory redundancies, simplifying procedural requirements and leveraging technology to ease the compliance burden. The regulator plans to launch the Sebi Setu portal to streamline its interface with market intermediaries and revamp the Securities Lending and Borrowing Scheme (SLBS) to improve price discovery and strengthen the link between cash and derivatives markets. As reported by Business Standard, Chairman Pandey emphasized that during 2025-26, SEBI introduced a series of reforms, yet our vision for the future is even more ambitious, with the regulator committed to fostering a proactive, technology-driven regulatory landscape centered on ease of doing business, market deepening and preserving market integrity.
The Securities and Exchange Board of India (Sebi) will introduce a fast-track mechanism for launching Alternative Investment Fund schemes and develop a single-window clearance system for intermediaries associated with multiple market infrastructure institutions, according to Chairman Tuhin Kanta Pandey. As reported by Business Standard, this initiative aims to significantly reduce compliance burden and make capital raising easier. The move is part of Sebi's wider push to improve ease of doing business in the securities market, with market infrastructure institutions including stock exchanges, clearing corporations and depositories. The regulator has recently launched an initiative to reduce AIF launch timeline to 10 days, demonstrating its commitment to accelerating the approval process. Additionally, Sebi plans to introduce a fast-track mechanism for processing private placement memorandums filed by AIFs, leveraging the sophistication of investors and merchant bankers' due diligence to streamline the approval process.
Sebi will undertake a comprehensive review of key regulations governing listed companies, depositories and portfolio managers to streamline provisions, remove ambiguities and simplify regulatory language. According to Business Standard, the regulator plans to review the Listing Obligations and Disclosure Requirements (LODR) Regulations, the Depositories and Participants Regulations and the Portfolio Managers Regulations. This comprehensive approach aims to modernize regulatory frameworks and reduce compliance burden on market participants. The regulator also plans to strengthen India's commodity markets – both agri and non-agri and continue its focus on deepening the cash equities market to spur capital formation.
Sebi will undertake a comprehensive revamp of the Securities Lending and Borrowing (SLB) framework to improve price discovery and facilitate interlinkage between cash and derivatives segments, as announced by Chairman Tuhin Kanta Pandey. According to Business Standard, this initiative represents a significant step in modernizing India's securities lending infrastructure. The regulator plans to develop a single-window clearance system for intermediaries associated with multiple market infrastructure institutions (MIIs) to reduce compliance burden. This single-window approach will streamline processes for intermediaries dealing with multiple market infrastructure institutions, including stock exchanges, clearing corporations and depositories, making operations more efficient and reducing regulatory friction.
Sebi will undertake a pilot project for tokenisation of corporate bonds using distributed ledger technology, as announced by Chairman Pandey. According to Business Standard, this initiative represents Sebi's commitment to exploring blockchain technology applications in traditional financial markets. The pilot will test whether such a system can improve settlement speed, operational efficiency and smart contract-based features in the bond market, with tokenisation helping convert securities into digital tokens on a shared technology platform. Additionally, Sebi plans to launch Project Jagrook to strengthen investor awareness and market efficiency, as reported by The Economic Times. This comprehensive initiative aims to enhance market education and investor protection while improving overall market efficiency.
The regulator is investing heavily in technology to modernise its internal operations and strengthen market surveillance capabilities. As reported by Business Standard, Sebi has introduced the Single Universal Platform for Communications (SUPCOMS) to speed up interactions with external entities and launched an e-adjudication portal to digitise quasi-judicial proceedings. The regulator is also deploying artificial intelligence (AI) and advanced analytics to improve the detection of market manipulation and fraud. Sebi plans to expand its regional presence by opening more local offices to improve investor outreach, strengthen monitoring of unregulated activities and gather market intelligence from across the country.
