RBI Circular on Investment in Credit Information Companies

Pursuant to the circular dated May 19, 2016 issued by RBI, all credit information companies (‘CIC’) have been directed to comply with the following:

i. Investments by any person (whether resident or otherwise), directly or indirectly, in a CIC, must not exceed 10% of the equity capital of the investee company. However, RBI may consider allowing higher FDI limits to entities with an established track record in running a credit information bureau in the following cases:

• up to 49%, if ownership is not well diversified (i.e., one or more shareholders each hold more than 10% of voting rights in the company);

• up to 100%, if ownership is well diversified, or if their ownership is not well diversified, but at least 50% of the directors of the investee CIC are Indian nationals/ NRIs/ persons of Indian origin (out of which at least one third of the directors must be Indian nationals resident in India); and

• The investor company should preferably be listed on a recognised stock exchange.

ii. A foreign institutional investor (‘FII’)/ foreign portfolio investor (‘FPI’) is permitted to invest in a CIC subject to certain prescribed conditions.

If the investor in a CIC is a wholly owned subsidiary (directly or indirectly) of an investment holding company, then the above conditions will be applicable to the operating group company that is engaged in the credit information business and has undertaken to provide technical know-how to the CIC in India.