HomeCirculars › RBI/2010-11/220

IPCs for Capital Market: New Risk Norms from Nov 2010

No longer current — withdrawn, no replacement on file yet
Source: Reserve Bank of India · RBI/2010-11/220 · issued 30 Sep 2010 · ~2 min read
Quick answerFrom 1 Nov 2010, custodian banks issuing IPCs must have a client agreement giving inalienable right over securities. Maximum risk is capped at 50% of settlement amount, assuming 20% price drops on T+1 and T+2 plus 10% extra margin. Early pay-in eliminates exposure; cash or securities margin reduces it.

What changed

RBI replaced the earlier transition period (extended to 30 Sep 2010) with a permanent risk mitigation framework for IPCs. Custodian banks now need explicit contractual rights over securities and must calculate capital market exposure (CME) at 50% of settlement amount, with specific rules for margin payments. The arrangement is valid until 31 Oct 2011, after which it will be reviewed.

What it means for you

Banks issuing IPCs face tighter risk controls, reducing their exposure to equity price swings and defaults by FIIs/mutual funds. The 50% risk assumption and margin treatment increase capital requirements, as IPCs are treated as financial guarantees under the Master Circular on Exposure Norms. This may raise operational costs for custodian banks but protects them from adverse market movements.

Historical instruction — do not use for current compliance. This is what was required at the time; it no longer reflects current RBI requirements. If no replacement rule is linked above, that only means none is recorded on our register yet — it does not prove no later applicable rule exists. Confirm on the official RBI source below.

What banks were required to do at the time

Who it affects

Custodian banks issuing IPCs to FIIs and mutual funds, All scheduled commercial banks (excluding RRBs) with capital market exposure

❓ Common questions

Regulatory timeline

Built from our lineage records — each fact carries its provenance; missing history simply is not shown (never guessed).

What is the maximum risk a custodian bank can take on an IPC?

The maximum risk is capped at 50% of the settlement amount, based on an assumed 20% price drop on each of T+1 and T+2, plus an additional 10% margin for further downward movement.

How does early pay-in affect IPC exposure?

If there is early pay-in on T+1, the exposure is eliminated entirely. If margin is paid in cash, CME is 50% minus the margin paid; if paid in securities, CME is 50% minus margin plus haircut prescribed by the exchange.

Are IPCs treated as financial guarantees for capital purposes?

Yes, IPCs are treated as financial guarantees, and capital must be maintained against them as per para 2.3 of the Master Circular on Exposure Norms dated July 1, 2010.

📜 This document’s life story (3 recorded events, each backed by RBI’s own words)
Clarified by IPC Clause Deadline Extended for Custodian Banks
RBI’s words: “Please refer to our circular No. DBOD.Dir.BC.46/13.03.00/2010-11 dated September 30, 2010”
Extended by IPCs for Capital Market: Guidelines Extended Till Dec 31, 2011
RBI’s words: “the above mentioned guidelines will continue to be in force for a further period of two months”
Repealed by RBI/2025-26/100 — Consolidation of Regulations — Withdrawal of circulars (28 Nov 2025)
RBI’s words: “Official withdrawal register entry #1607: DBOD.Dir.BC.46/13.03.00/2010-11 — "Banks' Exposure to Capital Market - Issue of Irrevocable Payment Commitments (IPCs)" dated September 30, 2010”
📜 Read the original circular — full text as issued by RBI
RBI/2010-11/220 DBOD.Dir.BC.46  /13.03.00/2010-11 September 30, 2010 All Scheduled Commercial Banks (excluding RRBs) Dear Sir / Madam Banks' Exposure to Capital Market - Issue of Irrevocable Payment Commitments (IPCs) Please refer to our circular No. DBOD.Dir.BC.32/13.03.00/2010-11 dated July 30, 2010 in terms of which the transition period allowed to banks to comply with the requirements contained in our circular No. DBOD.Dir.BC.57/13.03.00/2007-08 dated December 14, 2007 , was extended up to September 30, 2010. 2. On a review, it has been decided to put in place adequate risk mitigation mechanism to protect the banks from the adverse movements in the equity prices and the possibility of default by domestic mutual funds/FIIs, while ensuring that there is no undue disruption in the functioning of the capital market in the country. 3. Accordingly, it has been decided as under: (i) Beginning from 1st November 2010 (a) only those custodian banks would be permitted to issue IPCs who have a clause in the Agreement with their clients which gives them an inalienable right over the securities to be received as payout in any settlement; and (b) the maximum risk to the custodian banks issuing IPCs would be reckoned at 50% on the assumption of downward price movement of the equities bought by FIIs/ Mutual Funds on the two successive days from the trade date (T) i.e., on T+1 and T+2, of 20% each with an additional margin of 10% for further downward movement. (ii) Accordingly the potential risk on T+1 would be reckoned at 50% of the settlement amount and this amount would be reckoned as CME at the end of T+1 if margin payment / early pay in does not come in. (iii)  In case there is early pay in on T+1, there will be no exposure. (iv) In case margin is paid in cash on T+1, the CME would be reckoned at 50% of settlement price minus the margin paid. (v) In case margin is paid on T+1 by way of permitted securities to FIIs / Mutual Funds, the CME would be reckoned at 50% of settlement price minus the margin paid plus haircut prescribed by the Exchange on the securities tendered towards margin payment. 4. The IPC will be treated as a financial guarantee and capital will have to be maintained against it as per para 2.3 of our Master Circular on Exposure Norms DBOD.No. Dir.BC.14/13.03.00/2010-11 dated July 1, 2010. 5. The above mentioned arrangements will continue till October 31, 2011 and would be reviewed with a view to modify it further for reducing the risk to the custodian banks issuing IPCs. Yours faithfully, (B. Mahapatra) Chief General Manager- in-Charge
Reproduced for reference with acknowledgment — Source: Reserve Bank of India · RBI/2010-11/220 · issued 30 Sep 2010. The plain-English explanation above is BankPulse’s own independent summary.
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Official RBI source: https://www.rbi.org.in/Scripts/NotificationUser.aspx?Id=6020&Mode=0 — Plain-English summary by BankPulse (bankpulse.ai), reviewed by our expert reviewer, CA Amit Jain. Independent platform, not affiliated with the Reserve Bank of India; is our own plain-English paraphrase, not RBI’s original wording.
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