Fema / RBI : The 2026 FEMA amendment removes uncertainty surrounding INR borrowings by resident individuals from NRIs and OCI relatives. The RB...
Fema / RBI : Explains how ECBs allow Indian entities to borrow abroad while ensuring compliance with RBI rules. Key takeaway: growth is enabled...
Fema / RBI : Expanding overseas is easier under new rules, but compliance risks remain. Missing filings or structuring errors can trigger penal...
Fema / RBI : The issue concerns alternative settlement mechanisms for international trade. The framework allows INR-based transactions with fle...
Goods and Services Tax : ECGC payouts in INR do not qualify as export proceeds under GST and FEMA laws. Exporters must secure AD bank write-offs to avoid r...
Corporate Law : Authorities found Dubai property acquisitions by Indian residents routed through hawala, leading to action for violations of FEMA ...
Fema / RBI : BCAS submits comments on RBI’s draft External Commercial Borrowings (ECB) regulations, seeking clarity on eligibility, KYC norms...
Fema / RBI : BCAS provides feedback on draft FEMA trade regulations, flags concerns over AD bank powers, seeks clarity and consistency....
Fema / RBI : New FEMA rules allow settlement of foreign exchange violations with penalties up to ₹5 crore. Pending cases will follow earlier ...
Fema / RBI : The Government amended FEMA regulations, enabling resolution of violations up to ₹5 crore by paying fines. Ongoing cases follow ...
Corporate Law : The Appellate Tribunal under SAFEMA held that routing demonetized cash through another person’s bank account constituted a benam...
Fema / RBI : The issue was whether properties purchased using company funds could escape benami classification. The Tribunal held that unexplai...
Fema / RBI : The Tribunal ruled that transactions predating the alleged crime cannot be treated as proceeds of crime without a clear link. It s...
Fema / RBI : The issue was whether properties unconnected to crime could be attached under PMLA. The Tribunal held that equivalent value assets...
Fema / RBI : The Tribunal ruled that taxation of income does not negate its use in benami transactions. Even disclosed or assessed income can f...
Fema / RBI : RBI has withdrawn the requirement for prior approval of tie-ups between AD banks and non-bank remittance platforms. The new framew...
Fema / RBI : RBI has notified Foreign Exchange Management (Authorised Persons) Regulations, 2026 to streamline authorisation norms under FEMA. ...
Fema / RBI : RBI notified the Foreign Exchange Management (Authorised Persons) Regulations, 2026 introducing revised eligibility, compliance, a...
Fema / RBI : The issue involved foreign investment limits in the insurance sector under FEMA regulations. The amendment allows up to 100% FDI u...
Fema / RBI : The issue involved foreign investment from countries sharing land borders with India. The amendment mandates Government approval f...
As per the extant guidelines, developers of Special Economic Zones (SEZ) are allowed to avail of External Commercial Borrowings (ECBs) under the approval route for providing infrastructure facilities, as defined under the extant ECB policy within the SEZ. Keeping in view the infrastructural needs of the proposed National Manufacturing Investment Zones (NMIZs), it has now been decided to allow developers of NMIZ also to avail of ECB under the “approval route” for providing infrastructure facilities, as defined under the extant ECB policy within the NMIZ. The details are given vide the A.P. (DIR Series) Circular No. 85 dated February 29, 2012.
The Reserve Bank of India had issued guidelines to all AD Category-I banks for compilation of R-Returns and reporting under the Foreign Exchange Transactions – Electronic Reporting System (FETERS). On further review, the Reserve Bank has advised the AD Category-I banks about the following changes in reporting of R-Returns under FETERS from the next financial year (i.e., transactions taking place from April 1, 2012) :
The maximum tenor of gold loan was notified as 240 days consisting of 60 days for manufacture and exports +180 days for fixing the price and repayment of gold loan as per the Foreign Trade Policy 2004-2009 of the Government of India and that the tenor of the Standby Letter of Credit (SBLC), for import of gold on loan basis, where ever required, should be in line with the aforesaid tenor of gold loan. Now for further facilitation of exports in the sector, the stipulation under para 4A 23.2 and para 4A 23.3 of the Hand Book of Procedures (HBP) Vol. I of the Foreign Trade Policy (FTP) 2009-14 has been revised and the maximum tenor of gold loan has now become 270 days as at present (i.e. 90 days for manufacture and export + 180 days for fixing the price and repayment).
Considering the spurt in volume of software exports from India in recent times, other complexities involved in execution of work contracts and time consumed in the certification of SOFTEX forms, a simplified procedure has since been finalised by the Reserve Bank. Under the revised procedure, a software exporter, whose annual turnover is at least Rs. 1000 crore or who file at least 600 SOFTEX forms annually, will be eligible to submit a statement in excel format, giving all particulars alongwith quadruplicate set of SOFTEX forms to the nearest STPI.
With a view to liberalizing the procedure, it has been decided to permit AD Category- I banks to allow exporters to receive advance payment for export of goods which would take more than one year to manufacture and ship and where the ‘export agreement’ provides for shipment of goods extending beyond the period of one year from the date of receipt of advance payment subject to the following conditions:-
Attention of all the Authorised Dealers (ADs) in foreign exchange is invited to the A.P.(DIR Series) Circular No. 106 dated June 19, 2003 in terms of which applications by persons, firms and companies for making payments, exceeding USD 500 or its equivalent towards imports into India must be made in Form A-1. Based on suggestions received from the various stake holders, the said limit has been reviewed and it has been decided as a measure of liberalization to raise the above limit for foreign exchange remittance towards imports without any documentation formalities, from USD 500 or its equivalent to USD 5000 or its equivalent, with immediate effect.
when a person resident outside India, who has established in India in accordance with the Foreign Exchange Management (Establishment in India of Branch or Office or other Place of Business) Regulations, 2000, a branch, office or other place of business, excluding a liaison office, acquires any immovable property in India in accordance with the provision of said regulation, the said person has to file with the Reserve Bank a declaration in the form IPI annexed to those regulations, not later than ninety days from the date of such acquisition. As the form is required to be submitted by such persons only, the form is suitably amended to reflect the position.
As per the revised procedure, a software exporter, whose annual turnover is at least Rs. 1000 crore or who files at least 600 SOFTEX forms annually, will be eligible to submit a statement in excel format as per Annexure A, giving all particulars alongwith quadruplicate set of SOFTEX form to the nearest STPI. STPI will then verify the details and decide on a percentage sample check of the documents in details. Software companies will submit all the documents on demand to STPI within 30 days of their advice or any reasonable/extended time at the discretion of the Director, STPI, at the request from the exporter.
As per the extant ECB procedures, requests for reduction in the amount of ECB, changes in the drawdown schedule and reduction in the all-in-cost of the ECB after obtaining the loan registration number (LRN) is required to be referred by the bank concerned to the RBI for necessary approval. Simplifying norms for overseas borrowers, the RBI today said they will no longer require its approval to raise an amount lesser than sanctioned ECB as the power to authorize the same has been delegated to banks.
Attention of the Authorised Dealer Category – I (AD Category – I) banks is invited to Regulation 4 of Notification No.FEMA 22 /2000-RB dated May 3, 2000, viz., Foreign Exchange Management (Establishment in India of Branch or Office or other Place of Business) Regulations, 2000, as amended from time to time, in terms of which, no person, being a citizen of Pakistan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Afghanistan, Iran or China, shall establish in India, a branch office or a liaison office or a project office or any other place of business by whatever name called, without the prior permission of the Reserve Bank. Attention of the AD Category -I banks is also invited to the A.P. (DIR Series) Circular No. 37 dated November 15, 2003 which provides the guidelines regarding general permission to a foreign entity for setting up a Project office in India, subject to certain conditions.
