RBI lifts FII curbs on buying shares in Axis Bank

The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) on Friday lifted curbs imposed on purchase of Axis Bank shares by foreign institutional investors (FIIs), post government approval to increase foreign shareholding in the domestic lender.

“...consequent upon approval from the Government of India for increase in foreign investment from 49 per cent to 62 per cent of the paid up equity share capital of Axis Bank, the aggregate share holdings through FII/NRI/PIO/FDI in Axis Bank Ltd have gone below the prescribed threshold caution limit stipulated under the extant FDI Policy,” RBI said.

Hence, the restrictions placed on the purchase of shares of the above company are withdrawn with immediate effect, RBI added further.

The government a day earlier had approved increasing foreign shareholding in Axis Bank to 62 per cent that would bring in an inflow of about Rs 7,250 crore.

After the hike in stake by foreign investors the bank will become foreign-owned, thus all investment in the future in bank’s subsidiaries will be governed under foreign direct investment (FDI) policy.