Sayed Muhammad Aadil Ameer Meea, Minister of Industry, SME and Cooperatives for the Government of the Republic of Mauritius, has revealed that family offices from GIFT City can route their investments through Mauritius to access African markets. Speaking to ANI at an event, Meea emphasized that India and Mauritius have significant scope for collaboration, with Mauritius offering access to key African markets through regional blocs such as the Southern African Development Community (SADC) and the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA). The Minister noted that a new industry bill would soon be introduced in Parliament to facilitate such investments, highlighting how Mauritius' membership of COMESA and SADC, along with its double taxation avoidance treaties with several African countries, makes it an attractive gateway for Indian companies seeking to invest in Africa, offering duty-free access to these markets.
According to NDTV Profit, K. Rajaraman, Chairperson of the International Financial Services Centres Authority (IFSCA), has outlined India's ambitious $5 trillion financial roadmap centered around GIFT City. Speaking at the HSBC-NDTV Global Connect event, Rajaraman emphasized that GIFT City is rapidly becoming the preferred jurisdiction for global funds, aircraft leasing companies, and fintech innovators by minimizing bureaucratic hurdles. The IFSCA Chairperson highlighted how GIFT City effectively bridges the gap between international capital and India's massive infrastructure and corporate needs, with the authority working to create a frictionless, globally competitive regulatory environment that matches established global financial hubs.
According to NDTV Profit, GIFT City can serve as a new route for Indian investors to access global investment opportunities, with resident Indians and non-resident Indians able to open accounts and invest in overseas products through the international financial hub. As reported by NDTV Profit, an investor sitting in India or an NRI living anywhere in the world can open an account in GIFT City with a bank of their choice, with the account being held in multiple currencies to access a range of overseas products. The platform offers fixed-income and equity funds across markets such as the US and emerging markets, including portfolios combining Indian and US assets. Private equity and venture investing are among the newer categories gaining traction, while insurance products in multiple currencies are also available.
According to NDTV Profit, for resident Indians, the Liberalised Remittance Scheme (LRS) continues to cap annual overseas remittances at $250,000. As reported by NDTV Profit, money transferred through LRS to GIFT City is fully investable, although it needs to be invested within six months. Until then, it can be held in a term deposit. NRIs can move money in and out of GIFT City without the LRS limit, as reported by NDTV Profit. The regulatory framework has been streamlined by IFSCA acting as a unified regulator, replacing the overlapping jurisdictions of multiple domestic bodies.
According to NDTV Profit, Sandeep Batra, MD & Head, International Wealth & Premier Banking, HSBC India emphasized that GIFT City can complement existing domestic investments rather than replace them. Looking ahead, IFSCA has outlined two critical growth vectors for GIFT City: Green Finance and Fintech. Rajaraman highlighted the sandbox frameworks that allow global fintech companies to test and launch products in a live, lightly regulated environment before scaling them up. The institutions are leveraging GIFT City not just to facilitate cross-border trade, but to manage global treasury operations and structure complex financial products. As India marches toward its $5 trillion economy target by 2027, the demand for sophisticated financial services, massive infrastructure funding, and seamless capital repatriation will only multiply.
