Fema / RBI : The article explains that the FLA Return is a position-based FEMA compliance triggered by outstanding foreign investments, not by ...
Fema / RBI : RBI has updated the FLA Return FAQs, clarifying who must file, the 15 July deadline, revision procedures, and reporting requiremen...
Fema / RBI : The 2026 FEMA amendment expands portfolio investment eligibility beyond NRIs and OCIs to all individuals resident outside India. I...
Fema / RBI : The article examines how recent FEMA reforms have simplified downstream investments while highlighting unresolved issues involving...
Fema / RBI : India has expanded portfolio investment access by allowing any individual resident outside India to invest in listed Indian compan...
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 ...
Fema / RBI : The Karnataka High Court upheld the Appellate Tribunal's finding that the respondents satisfied the definition of person resident ...
Fema / RBI : The key issue was whether cash falls within the definition of property under the PBPT Act. The Tribunal ruled that cash is a tangi...
Fema / RBI : The case examined whether Indian assets could remain seized after foreign asset value was repatriated. The Tribunal ruled that onc...
Fema / RBI : The appellant claimed the disputed funds were received unknowingly and had attempted to return them. The Tribunal granted relief b...
Fema / RBI : The Tribunal held that bank accounts cannot remain frozen merely because the account holder is related to a suspect or under inves...
Fema / RBI : The RBI has withdrawn non-operative FEMA circulars after reviewing directives issued since June 2000. The ruling helps Authorised ...
Fema / RBI : RBI has rationalised FEMA reporting by introducing revised return formats, discontinuing several reports, and easing compliance re...
Fema / RBI : RBI has allowed Authorised Dealer Category-I banks to exclude hedged positions arising from FCNR(B) deposits, ECBs, and OFCBs whil...
Fema / RBI : The RBI has directed all AD Category-I banks to submit daily data on FCNR(B) deposits, ECBs, and OFCBs mobilized under its swap fa...
Fema / RBI : RBI's Sixth Amendment to the FEMA Deposit Regulations broadens the scope of SNRR accounts by permitting IFSC branches to maintain ...
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.
Directorate of Enforcement Vs. Subhash Muljimal Gandhi ( Delhi HC)- that interest at the rate of 6% per annum under Rule 8 could have been awarded to the respondent on the seized Indian currency only. The learned Single Judge has however applying the said Rule also awarded interest on the seized foreign currency and which cannot be sustained. The Division Bench of this Court in Neeraj Kumar (supra) has held that a writ remedy cannot be availed to circumvent the non grant of interest by the authority, Commissioner, Central Excise in that case. It was also observed that in any event a writ petition for award of interest simplicitor was not maintainable in view of the availability of alternate remedy by way of appeal or by way of a suit. . Else the position is squarely covered by Suganmal and M/s Orient Enterprise (supra) and this writ petition in the nature of enforcement of a civil liability that is claim for interest in the nature of compensation for wrongful retention of money is not maintainable. It is not as if payment of interest under Rule 8 (ii) was mandatory (as under Rule 8(i)) and which could be enforced by way of a writ petition. The impugned judgment awarding interest under Rule 8(i) qua Indian currency also can thus not be sustained.
As per the extant ECB procedures, requests for reduction in the amount of ECB, changes in the drawdown schedule where the original average maturity period is not maintained and reduction in the all-in-cost of the ECB after obtaining the Loan Registration Number (LRN) is required to be referred by the AD Category-I bank to the Foreign Exchange Department, Central Office, Reserve Bank of India for necessary approval.
AD Category-I banks are advised that a further revision has taken place on January 17, 2012 and accordingly, the Rupee value of the Special Currency Basket has been fixed at Rs.71.456679 with effect from January 20, 2012. AD Category-I banks may bring the contents of this Circular to the notice of their constituents concerned.
With a view to give more operational leeway to the AD Category-I banks, it has been decided to dispense with the requirement of prior approval of the Reserve Bank for opening and maintaining each Rupee Vostro account in India of non-resident Exchange Houses in connection with the Rupee Drawing Arrangements (RDAs) that banks enter into with them. Accordingly, AD Category-I banks may take approval of the Reserve Bank the first time they enter into the above arrangement with non-resident Exchange Houses from Gulf countries, Hong Kong, Singapore and Malaysia. Subsequently, they may enter into RDAs, subject to the prescribed guidelines and inform the Reserve Bank immediately.
In view of the recent measures adopted to provide more flexibility to the Authorised Persons in selecting the location for their branches, it has now been decided to remove the criteria relating to increase in outreach and locational advantage while considering the applications for issuance of fresh licenses for Full Fledged Money Changers (FFMC).
Attention of Authorized Dealer Category-I (AD Category-I) banks is invited to the Foreign Exchange Management (Borrowing or Lending in Foreign Exchange) Regulations, 2000, notified vide Notification No. FEMA 3/2000-RB dated May 3, 2000 and the A.P. (DIR Series) Circular No. 5 dated August 1, 2005 relating to the External Commercial Borrowings (ECB), as amended from time to time.
