OPI means investment in foreign securities other than ODI.
OPI does not include investment in any unlisted debt instruments or any security issued by a person resident in India who is not in an IFSC.
Provided that OPI by a person resident in India in the equity capital of a listed entity, even after its delisting shall continue to be treated as OPI until any further investment is made in the entity.
4.3 Financial Commitment
Financial Commitment shall include the aggregate amount of investment made by a person resident in India in:
Overseas Direct Investment,
Debt other than Overseas Portfolio Investment in a foreign entity or entities in which the Overseas Direct Investment is made; and
Non-fund-based facilities extended by such person to or on behalf of such foreign entity or entities.
4.4 Overseas Investment (OI)
OI means financial commitment and Overseas Portfolio Investment by a person resident in India
* Foreign Entity means an entity formed or registered or incorporated outside India, including International Financial Services Centre (IFSC) that has limited liability.
4.5 Analysis
To put things simply, Investments made in equity shares of a foreign entity are considered ODI. In the case of listed foreign entities, equity holding should be 10% or more of paid-up share capital or a person resident in India should have control over a foreign entity where shareholding is less than 10%.
Investments made in foreign security not covered under ODI are OPI. Therefore, the following investments shall be considered as OPI:
Investment in Debt Security (other than unlisted debt instruments)
Investment in equity shares of listed entities where shareholding is less than 10% of paid-up share capital and a person resident in India does not have any control over foreign entities.
5. Manner of Making ODI/OPI/OI
5.1 General Provisions related to Overseas Investment
As per Rule 8 of new overseas Investment rules, no person resident in India shall make or transfer any investment or financial commitment outside India.
Further, as per Rule 9 of the new rules, a person resident in India shall make an investment in a foreign entity subject to the following conditions:
Foreign Entity is engaged in bona fide business activity,
Investment is made directly or through a step-down subsidiary or the special-purpose vehicle,
Investment is made subject to the limits and the conditions laid down in rules and regulations.
Note: “bonafide business activity” shall mean any business activity permissible under any law in force in India and the host country or host jurisdiction.
5.2 Rules and regulations related to investment
Under new overseas rules, the manner of making investments is provided based on the nature of the entity, i.e., Indian Entity, Resident Individual, etc.
5.2.1 Overseas Direct Investment by Indian Entity (Rule 11 read with Schedule I)
Manners of making overseas Direct investments by Indian Entities are given under Rule 11 of new overseas investment rules read with Schedule.
Indian Entity means
Companies registered under the Companies Act, 2013.
Body corporate incorporated by any law.
Limited Liability Partnership Firm (LLP).
Partnership firm registered under the Indian Partnership Act, of 1932.
An Indian entity may make Overseas Direct Investment in equity capital for the purpose of undertaking a bonafide business activity.
Indian entity may hold ODI by way of:
subscription as part of a memorandum of association or purchase of equity capital, listed or unlisted;
acquisition through bidding or tender procedure;
acquisition of equity capital by way of rights issue or allotment of bonus shares;
Capitalization of any amount due towards the Indian entity from the foreign entity provided that such amount is permitted under the Act or does not require prior permission of the Central Government or the Reserve Bank of India.
the swap of securities;
Merger, demerger, amalgamation, or any scheme of arrangement as per the applicable laws in India or the host country.
Limit of Financial Commitment
Total financial commitment made by an Indian entity in all the foreign entities taken together at the time of undertaking such commitment shall not exceed 400% of its net worth as on the date of the last audited balance sheet or as directed by the Reserve Bank, in consultation with the Central Government from time to time.
Total financial commitment shall not include capitalization of retained earnings. However, it shall include:
Utilization of the amount raised by the issue of American Depository Receipts or Global Depositary Receipts and stock-swap of such receipts; and
utilization of the proceeds from External Commercial Borrowings to the extent the corresponding pledge or creation of charge on assets to raise such borrowings has not already been reckoned towards the above limit.
5.2.2 Overseas Portfolio Investment by an Indian entity (Rule 12 read with Schedule II)