New ODI regulations: Govt allows investment in financial services abroad

Holding less than 10% in an overseas entity not considered 'control'

Indian companies not in financial services can now directly invest in financial-services firms abroad, such as brokerages, asset management funds, and credit cards under the automatic route. Banks and insurance firms have been kept out of this.Earlier, such investment was prohibited.

This is according to the new overseas direct investment (ODI) regulations notified by the finance ministry on Monday. They are aimed at easing rules for domestic firms that want to invest abroad. The move could open the door for many companies that want to do so.

A company can now invest four times its profit if it