Current · Source: Reserve Bank of India · RBI/2026-27/114 · issued 15 Jun 2026 · ~2 min read
Quick answerRBI liberalises foreign portfolio investment rules, allowing all individual persons resident outside India to invest in Indian equities with enhanced limits, as per amendments to FEMA (Non-debt Instruments) Rules, 2019.
The rule, in the simplest words
Now any person living outside India (not just NRIs/OCIs) can buy shares of Indian companies on the stock market.
Banks (called AD Category-I banks) must open a special Indian rupee account for these investors so they can send money back home when they sell shares.
The bank must check that the investor follows all the rules of RBI and SEBI (India's market regulator).
How it plays out — a real example
A forex & trade-finance officer in Indore receives a request from a foreign client living in Dubai who wants to invest in Indian shares. The officer opens a repatriable INR account for the client, explains that the money can be sent back to Dubai when shares are sold, and verifies the client's documents to ensure compliance with RBI and SEBI rules.
What changed
RBI has amended the Foreign Exchange Management (Non-debt Instruments) Rules, 2019 through the Third Amendment Rules, 2026 to enable investment in equity instruments of listed Indian companies on a recognised stock exchange by all individual persons resident outside India (previously only NRIs/OCIs).
Enhanced investment limits have been introduced for foreign portfolio investment in Indian equities (specific limits not detailed in source).
AD Category-I banks are required to open repatriable INR accounts for individual persons resident outside India to facilitate investment under Schedule III of the Rules.
What it means for you
This liberalisation aims to attract more foreign investment in Indian equities (not explicitly stated in source but implied).
AD Category-I banks will need to adapt to the new rules and regulations, ensuring compliance with RBI guidelines and SEBI regulations.
The enhanced investment limits will provide more opportunities for foreign investors to invest in Indian equities (specific limits not provided).
What you must do
AD Category-I banks must open repatriable INR accounts for individual persons resident outside India to facilitate investment under Schedule III of the Rules.
AD Category-I banks must ensure compliance with the provisions of the Rules, Regulations and applicable SEBI regulations.
AD Category-I banks must put in place appropriate systems and procedures and may obtain required documents/disclosures from the investor to ensure compliance with applicable regulatory requirements.
Who it affects
AD Category-I banks, Individual persons resident outside India
❓ Common questions
What are the new rules for foreign portfolio investment in Indian equities?
All individual persons resident outside India are now allowed to invest in equity instruments of listed Indian companies on a recognised stock exchange with enhanced limits, subject to RBI guidelines and applicable SEBI regulations.
What are the enhanced investment limits for foreign portfolio investment in Indian equities?
The enhanced investment limits have been introduced (specific limits not detailed in the source circular).
What are the reporting requirements for transactions under Schedule III of the Rules?
The reporting of such transactions and monitoring of investment limits shall be undertaken in the same manner as is presently followed for investments by NRIs/OCIs.
📜 Read the original circular — full text as issued by RBI
RBI/2026-27/114
A.P. (DIR Series) Circular No. 14
June 15, 2026
To
All Category – I Authorised Dealer Banks
Madam / Sir
Liberalisation of Foreign Portfolio Investment under Schedule III of the Foreign Exchange Management (Non-debt Instruments) Rules, 2019
Attention of Authorised Dealer (AD) Category - I banks is invited to the Foreign Exchange Management (Non-debt Instruments) Rules, 2019 (hereinafter referred to as ‘Rules’), notified by the Central Government on October 17, 2019, which have been amended through the Foreign Exchange Management (Non-debt Instruments) (Third Amendment) Rules, 2026 vide S.O. 3030(E), dated June 12, 2026, enabling investment in equity instruments of a listed Indian company on a recognised stock exchange in India by all individual person(s) resident outside India [which was hitherto permitted only to Non-Resident Indians (NRIs) and Overseas Citizens of India (OCIs)] with enhanced investment limits,. Further, necessary amendments under the Foreign Exchange Management (Mode of payment and Reporting of Non-Debt Instruments) Regulations, 2019 (hereinafter referred to as ‘Regulations’) have been notified vide notification no FEMA 395(4)/2026-RB dated June 13, 2026 .
2. The AD Category-I banks may open a repatriable INR account of an individual person resident outside India in accordance with Foreign Exchange Management (Deposit) Regulations, 2016 to facilitate investment under Schedule III to the Rules. The reporting of such transactions and monitoring of investment limits prescribed under the Rules shall be undertaken in the same manner as is presently followed for investments by NRIs/OCIs. Any reclassification of investments made under Schedule III of the Rules by an individual person resident outside India from Foreign Portfolio Investment to Foreign Direct Investment (FDI), upon breach of the prescribed investment limits or otherwise, shall be undertaken in accordance with the framework prescribed by the Reserve Bank for Foreign Portfolio Investors (FPIs) in terms of A.P. (DIR Series) Circular No. 19 dated November 11, 2024 .
3. While facilitating such investments, AD Category-I banks shall ensure compliance with the provisions of the Rules, Regulations and applicable SEBI regulations. For this purpose, banks shall put in place appropriate systems and procedures and may obtain required documents/disclosures from the investor concerned as may be necessary to ensure compliance with the applicable regulatory requirements.
4. These directions shall come into force with immediate effect. AD Category-I banks may bring the contents of this circular to the notice of their customers / constituents concerned.
5. The directions contained in this circular have been issued under sections 10(4) and 11(1) of the Foreign Exchange Management Act, 1999 (42 of 1999) and are without prejudice to permissions / approvals, if any, required under any other law.
Yours faithfully
(Dr. Aditya Gaiha)
Chief General Manager-In-Charge
Reproduced for reference with acknowledgment — Source: Reserve Bank of India · RBI/2026-27/114 · issued 15 Jun 2026. The plain-English explanation above is BankPulse’s own independent summary.
AD Category-I banks must put in place appropriate systems and procedures and may obtain required documents/disclosures from the investor to ensure compliance with applicable regulatory requirements.
📜 Compliance
AD Category-I banks must open repatriable INR accounts for individual persons resident outside India to facilitate investment under Schedule III of the Rules.
AD Category-I banks must ensure compliance with the provisions of the Rules, Regulations and applicable SEBI regulations.
Grouped from the action items above — a single circular may involve more than one team.
Worked example & action-note template
Example: if you are a Compliance officer at a bank this circular applies to (AD Category-I banks, Individual persons resident outside India), your first concrete step on “Liberalisation of Foreign Portfolio Investment” is: “AD Category-I banks must open repatriable INR accounts for individual persons resident outside India to facilitate investment under Schedule III of the Rules.” (RBI issued this 15 Jun 2026).
Circular: RBI/2026-27/114 -- Liberalisation of Foreign Portfolio Investment
Issued: 15 Jun 2026
Action required: AD Category-I banks must open repatriable INR accounts for individual persons resident outside India to facilitate investment under Schedule III of the Rules.
Action required: AD Category-I banks must ensure compliance with the provisions of the Rules, Regulations and applicable SEBI regulations.
Action required: AD Category-I banks must put in place appropriate systems and procedures and may obtain required documents/disclosures from the investor to ensure compliance with applicable regulatory requirements.
Owner: ____________ Target date: ____________
Board/committee approval needed? Y / N
Evidence filed in compliance register on: ____________
Built only from this circular’s own published fields — not legal advice; always confirm against the official RBI source.
💬 Banker Discussion
Discuss this circular with fellow bankers — reply, upvote what helps, report what doesn’t belong. Be professional; no client data. Views are the commenter’s own, not BankPulse’s.
BankPulse Compliance Evidence Pack — generated 02 Aug 2026 · status cross-checked against RBI’s official withdrawal register (refreshed weekly). Official RBI source: https://www.rbi.org.in/Scripts/NotificationUser.aspx?Id=13483&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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