Legal and Policies
AIBI unveils nine game-changing initiatives
Mumbai: Association of Investment Bankers of India (AIBI), the investment bankers’ sole representative body to SEBI and various statutory authorities, has unveiled nine game changing initiatives at AIBI’s Annual Convention 2023-24. The Annual Convention was centered on the theme ‘Ease of Capital Formation’ in India. Securities and Exchange Board of India chairperson Madhabi Puri Buch launched a few of these initiatives.
Aimed at raising the investor awareness while promoting financial literacy, a total of four initiatives were unveiled namely:
- Investor Section on AIBI Website
- An Aggregated Live Database of Current ECM Issuances
- Videos of upcoming IPOs
- Animated Video for Investors on ‘Know IPO Investing’
Similarly, three initiatives such as standard practice manual for IPO offer documents; revamped AIBI due diligence manual; and compendium of AIBI advisories were unveiled, aiming towards building capacity, strengthening the institution of merchant banking, and achieving ease of doing business in capital formation.
Additionally, AIBI is also focusing on creating a robust investment culture in India, making it their brand tagline. AIBI Mascot called AIBI Chankakya – The Investment Banker was also unveiled to boost the visibility of AIBI.
“India is not only making headlines but also leading the global charge in capital formation, boasting the highest number of public offerings in CY 2023. About INR 1.5 lac crores of equity funds garnered through IPO & Post-IPO transactions. In another global showcase, Indian IPOs have performed well post-listing. More than 90 % of the new issuances in India during CY23 stand at a premium to the IPO price. In contrast, more than 60 % of new entrants are below IPO price in the USA. Interestingly, the average Indian IPO multiple in CY23 was 35 as against the related average Industry PE multiple of 63.” expressed AIBI chairman & Pantomath Capital Advisors MD Mahavir Lunawat.
Lunawat further added, “With a galloping economy, a sizable population, and a robust regulatory framework, India has become the most desirable location for investors looking to capitalize on the nation’s potential. The Indian capital market has consistently advanced as one of the most resilient marketplaces globally, providing impetus to the much-needed capital formation process. On the sidelines of these developments, the nine launches in capacity building of merchant bankers, promoting investor awareness, and achieving ease of doing business in capital formation are well-timed.”
Adding to it, Association of Investment Bankers of India advisor Prithvi Haldea said, “For the Indian capital market to grow into the next orbit. it is pivotal to review and improve the ecosystem to cater to the issuers and merchant bankers. The 9 initiatives are aimed at offering a transparent, information exchange platform powered by AIBI, enabling investors and merchant bankers to make informed decisions.”
Entrepreneurs, investors, fund managers, investment bankers, other experts, regulators, and academia participated in the convention. They deliberated on a variety of themes related to ease of capital formation, investing culture, and the ease of entry and exit of investors.
Legal and Policies
India’s new income tax law and higher F&O levies take effect from 1st April
A sweeping overhaul of the tax code, stiffer securities transaction taxes and relief for travellers and tech firms all land at once
NEW DELHI: India’s tax landscape shifts gears on Tuesday. The Income-tax Act, 2025, which replaces the Income-tax Act, 1961, comes into force from April 1, 2026, alongside a clutch of budgetary measures that will be felt by traders, tourists, technology firms and ordinary taxpayers alike.
The new Act is not a reinvention of tax policy so much as a tidying up of it. Gone is the unwieldy distinction between the assessment year and the previous year; in its place comes a single “tax year” framework designed to be more logical and reader-friendly. Taxpayers will also, for the first time, be able to claim tax deducted at source refunds even when income tax returns are filed after the deadline, without incurring penal charges.
For those who trade derivatives, however, the news is less comfortable. Securities transaction tax on futures contracts rises to 0.05 per cent from 0.02 per cent, while STT on options premiums and the exercise of options is hiked to 0.15 per cent from 0.1 per cent and 0.125 per cent respectively. The government has made no secret of its intent: the higher levy is aimed squarely at curbing speculative bets in the futures and options segment and shielding retail investors from ruinous losses. The numbers tell a grim story. The number of individual investors active in the F&O segment fell from 1.06 crore in FY25 to about 75.43 lakh by December 2025. A Sebi study found that individual investors had racked up net losses of more than Rs 1.05 lakh crore in FY25 alone.
Overseas travellers and those remitting money abroad for medical and education purposes get some relief. Tax collected at source on overseas tour packages has been slashed to 2 per cent from 20 per cent, while TCS on Liberalised Remittance Scheme transfers for medical and educational purposes drops to 2 per cent from 5 per cent.
The data centre industry, too, has reason to cheer. Any foreign company procuring data centre services in India will enjoy a 20-year tax holiday stretching to 2047, shielding its global income from Indian tax authorities. Whether a global firm sets up its own facility or simply buys services from an Indian data centre, the tax treatment will be identical, ensuring a level playing field. India’s effective corporate tax rate stands at 25.17 per cent.
Software companies get a further fillip: the safe harbour threshold for IT services has been raised sharply from Rs 300 crore to Rs 2,000 crore, a move designed to reduce litigation and give the sector greater certainty.
On the transition, the income tax department has confirmed that its e-filing portal will handle compliance under both the old and new Acts during the switchover period. Taxpayers filing returns for assessment year 2026-27, which covers the period governed by the old Act, will do so in July 2026 using the old forms. Advance tax payments for tax year 2026-27, commencing from June 2026, will follow the new Act.
One sweeping law, several sharp edges, and a deadline that waits for no one.
