Non-banking financial companies (NBFCs) constitute a heterogeneous lot of privately-owned, small-sized financial intermediaries which provide a variety of services including equipment leasing, hire purchase, loans, investments and chit fund activities. These companies play an important role in providing credit to the unorganised sector and to the small borrowers at the local level. Hire purchase finance is by far the largest activity of NBFCs. NBFCs have been the subject of focussed attention since the early 1990s. The rapid growth of NBFCs has led to a gradual blurring of dividing lines between banks and NBFCs, with the exception of the exclusive privilege that commercial banks exercise in the issuance of cheques. NBFCs are widely dispersed across the country and their management exhibits varied degrees of professionalism. Furthermore, the depositors have varied degrees of perceptions regarding safety of their deposits while making an investment decision. This book provides an exhaustive account of the functioning of and recent reforms pertaining to NBFCs in India. It also includes an all-India list (as on January 15, 2010) of 314 NBFCs which have been issued certificates of registration by the Reserve Bank of India to hold/accept deposits from public.

This book examines the trend and growth of non-banking financial companies (NBFCs), both from balance sheet and regulations view-points. It further investigates the role of NBFCs in furthering financial inclusion, last-mile delivery of credit and their contribution to financial sector. Since the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) formally recognised the NBFCs in India in 1964, they have increased significantly in terms of size, form and types of products and instruments. They have also managed their asset quality better than banks. Traditionally they were dependent on banks for funds, but after the global financial crisis they began to tap the capital market. Concomitantly, the RBI regulations have closed the fault lines and tightened rules. The book assesses whether NBFCs in India should be treated as shadow banks, discusses how to achieve the right amount of regulation and safeguards without unduly stifling the NBFC sector, and studies the funding opportunities and challenges of NBFCs in India. As such, it serves as a basic reference for students in finance, and a valuable tool for professionals such as policymakers and investment analysts and other stakeholders in the finance area.

This paper traces the story of Indian financial sector over the period 1950–2015. In identifying the trends and turns of Indian financial sector, the paper adopts a three period classification viz., (a) the 1950s and 1960s, which exhibited some elements of instability associated with laissez faire but underdeveloped banking; (b) the 1970s and 1980s that experienced the process of financial development across the country under government auspices, accompanied by a degree of financial repression; and (c) the period since the 1990s till date, that has been characterized by gradual and calibrated financial deepening and liberalization. Focusing more the third period, the paper argues that as a consequence of successive reforms over the past 25 years, there has been significant progress in making interest and exchange rates largely market determined, though the exchange rate regime remains one of managed float, and some interest rates remain administered. Considerable competition has been introduced in the banking sector through new private sector banks, but public sector banks continue have a dominant share in the market. Contractual savings systems have been improved, but pension funds in India are still in their infancy. Similarly, despite the introduction of new private sector insurance companies coverage of insurance can expand much further, which would also provide greater depth to the financial markets. The extent of development along all the segments of the financial market has not been uniform. While the equity market is quite developed, activities in the private debt market are predominantly confined to private placement form and continue to be limited to the bluechip companies. Going forward, the future areas for development in the Indian financial sector would include further reduction of public ownership in banks and insurance companies, expansion of the contractual savings system through more rapid expansion of the insurance and pension systems, greater spread of mutual funds, and development of institutional investors. It is only then that both the equity and debt markets will display greater breadth as well as depth, along with greater domestic liquidity. At the same time, while reforming the financial sector, the Indian authorities had to constantly keep the issues of equity and efficiency in mind.

This book provides perspectives on the latest developments and pertinent issues in the Indian financial sector in current times. The reforms initiated in the nineties in the financial sector have transformed the way financial markets and institutions function today. However, certain sectors like banking, and markets like the capital market have undergone sea changes. The research contributions in this book focus on the issues pertaining to such sectors like banking, NBFCs and the stock market. The opening up of financial markets and emergence of institutional investors have been a significant phenomenon in the Indian context. At this backdrop of increasing financial integration, the impact of financial liberalisation on the overall development of the sector, and how the global policies and events influence the Indian financial sector, are analysed in the book. The emergence of new regulations in the capital markets to instill more discipline and transparency, have also changed the way corporates take financing decisions. For example, regulatory authorities are continuously reviewing norms pertaining to issues like promoters’ shareholding owing to risks arising from excessive leverage and the linkages between financial intermediaries. Corporate governance, environmental aspects are some important additions in corporate financing norms in the recent past. The book incorporates a discussion on this, too. Apart from these, the book also has incorporated several aspects on an emerging concept called financial inclusion, its measurement and constraints to achieve the same. And finally, at the backdrop of the disruption created by the COVID-19 pandemic, the impact on the Indian capital market is also discussed. Contributions are based on rigorous empirical research and incorporate the perspectives of renowned academicians in the field of finance and financial economics across the country. Apart from the research community, this book will also be helpful for financial analysts working in the financial sector to have some idea about the current issues, the direction of research on those issues and different perspectives on them.

India needs to spend close to Rs43 trillion (about $646 billion) on infrastructure through to 2022. Such a staggering requirement cannot be met though traditional sources such as public sector bank loans. India must immediately explore and quickly ramp up financing from alternative investment sources. This report provides an overview of infrastructure financing in India, sheds light on the challenges faced by the country's banking sector, suggests an optimal mechanism for securitizing the infrastructure assets of public sector banks, and outlines a range of scenarios and factors that must be in place for this mechanism to be successfully realized.

Comprehensive guide for NBFCs regulated by various regulatory authorities. Covers upto-date legislation for NBFCs regulated by: - Reserve Bank of India (RBI). - Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI). - Ministry of Corporate Affairs (MCA). - Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority of India (IRDAI). - State Governments. Covers all RBI Master Directions/Notifications and RBI Guidelines for NBFCs upto October 2020.

To assess the resilience of India’s corporate sector against COVID-19-related shocks, we conducted a series of stress tests using firm-level corporate balance sheet data. The results reveal a differential impact across sectors, with the most severe impact on contact-intensive services, construction, and manufacturing sectors, and micro, small, and medium enterprises. On policy impact, the results highlight that temporary policy measures have been particularly effective in supporting firm liquidity, but the impact on solvency is less pronounced. On financial sector balance sheets, we found that public sector banks are more vulnerable to stress in the corporate sector, partly due to their weaker starting capital positions. When considering forward-looking multiperiod growth scenarios, we find that the overall corporate performance will depend on the speed of recovery. A slower pace of recovery could lead to persistently high levels of debt at risk, especially in some services and industrial sectors.

INDIAN BANKING FOR STUDENTS OF B.COM/B.A & MANAGEMENT COURSES

This book aims to create an awareness of the potential of non-bank financial institutions (NBFIs) for developing countries, and to assist policy makers in the creation of coherent policy structures and effective regulatory systems for the development of these institutions. It considers the essential functions and characteristics of non-bank financial institutions and includes chapters on insurance companies, mutual funds and pension schemes, securities markets, and leasing and real estate companies.