India to ease norms for foreign investors buying only government bonds from February 2026

Foreign buying of Indian shares and bonds is subject to limits, and investors have to disclose their investor group details to enable monitoring of the limits.

India: India's markets regulator said on Wednesday that its newer rules easing regulatory requirements for foreign investors who invest exclusively in the country's government bonds will come into effect from February 8, 2026.

The Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) first announced the new rules at its board meeting in June, along with a slew of other regulatory changes.

Foreign investors buying only government bonds need not disclose their investor group details as these securities carry low risk, the SEBI had said.

Foreign investors have flocked to Indian government bonds after their inclusion in global indices such as JPMorgan Global Emerging Market Bond Index and FTSE Russell Emerging Markets Government Bond Index.