India's recent launch of a Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle rocket carrying five foreign satellites was heralded as a major step towards the modernisation and digitalisation of India's science and technology sector. The Prime Minister showered accolades on the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) and the Department of Space (DoS), declaring his vision of a Digital India in the years to come. In reality, its implementation is constricted by many factors, including in particular, the archaic Satellite Communication Policy 1997 and the norms framed under the Policy in 2000.
Ecommerce in India is growing exponentially in several areas, including online travel services, retail, and other services such as taxis, education, hospitality, food and drink and even secretarial support. According to industry surveys, ecommerce could represent up to four percent of India's economy by 2020, compared to less than one percent now.
Our Asian frontier markets coverage analyses legal developments and risks as well as innovative deal structures. Here's an extensive collection of the key jurisdictions
Niloy Pyne Barnik Ghosh Private Equity (PE) firms entering the Indian market have adopted two types of indigenous models for investment, since the model of leveraged buy-out followed in many western markets is not permitted in India. These models are: (i) the growth model, where PE funds acquire a minority stake in a company with some affirmative rights and a board seat primarily for oversight, but no involvement in the day-to-day management; and (ii) the buy-out model, where PE firm buys an ownership stake either on its own or with other PE firms in the expectation of exit through public listing. PE firms need an approval from the Foreign Investment Promotion Board (FIPB) for foreign investments into funds which have been registered as trusts under the Alternative Investment Funds (AIF) Regulations 2012. Indian asset managers sponsoring PE funds set up offshore vehicles, which need to first be registered with the Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI), which takes about a month or so. The application is then sent to the Reserve Bank of India, which generally takes an additional six months for clearing the application. Simultaneously, an application needs to be filed with the FIPB for foreign direct investment clearance in case of foreign investments.
