SEBI to issue consultation paper on easing FPI compliance norms, aligning them with global standards: SEBI Chief Pandey

“To facilitate foreign investor participation, we have streamlined access, eased digital onboarding and simplified procedures. We have also harmonised several compliance requirements with those in major global jurisdictions,” Pandey said. “At the same time, we recognise that some compliance requirements in India remain more onerous than those in other major jurisdictions. We are reviewing these requirements and will issue a consultation paper to seek views on aligning them with global standards, while preserving the safeguards needed for investor protection and market integrity,” he added.

In recent times, SEBI has introduced several measures to simplify market access and operations for foreign investors. These include the SWAGAT-FI framework, which simplifies access and compliance requirements, particularly for long-term institutional investors. The regulator has also introduced a framework for net settlement of funds for eligible FPI transactions in the cash market. The facility aims to improve fund management efficiency for eligible foreign investors by allowing eligible transactions to be settled on a net basis, subject to applicable conditions.

SEBI has also recently permitted FPIs to participate in non-cash-settled non-agricultural commodity derivative contracts and non-agricultural index derivative contracts, widening the range of market instruments available to foreign investors. Other market reforms have focused on improving post-trade processes and reducing operational friction. These include the common contract note framework and changes relating to the closing auction session (CAS), as part of the regulator’s broader efforts to improve market efficiency and strengthen the functioning of India’s securities markets.

The proposed consultation paper is expected to provide an opportunity to flag compliance requirements that could be simplified or brought closer to international practices without compromising investor protection, transparency or market integrity. Pandey said India would need both domestic and foreign capital to support its growth ambitions. While domestic savings provide an important foundation, international participation can widen the pool of capital and bring expertise.

The proposed review is part of SEBI’s broader effort to deepen Indian capital markets, expand institutional participation and make market access more efficient for issuers and investors. SEBI steps up monitoring of misleading social media posts SEBI is stepping up efforts to curb misleading and manipulative content on social media, having escalated more than 2.2 lakh pieces of such content to social media platforms for appropriate action as of October 27, 2026.

SEBI Chairman Tuhin Kanta Pandey said the regulator was actively monitoring platforms for misleading, manipulative and illegal content related to the securities market. Alongside enforcement, SEBI is expanding investor awareness through initiatives such as Project Jagrook, a nationwide campaign combining physical outreach and digital communication across multiple platforms and languages. Since its launch on October 5, more than 130 crore WhatsApp messages have been sent in 13 languages.

SEBI is also promoting validated UPI handles and SEBI Check to help investors verify payment details and guard against fraud. Its Mutual Fund Investment Tracing and Retrieval Assistant (MITRA) helps investors trace inactive and unclaimed mutual fund folios, strengthening investor protection and awareness.