As rate domestic cost of borrowing begins to rise amidst continued monetary tightening by the central bank, India Inc is increasingly looking to overseas sources of funds. In the month of January, Indian companies raised over $2.7 billion through External Commercial Borrowings (ECBs) and Foreign Currency Convertible Bonds, showed the data compiled by the Reserve Bank of India (RBI).
Out of the total amount, around $1.93 billion were raised through the automatic route, which does not require the approval of either the central bank of government. A total of 35 companies availed foreign borrowings under automatic route. The remaining sum of around $773 million was raised by four companies under the approval route.
The biggest funding was availed by the government controlled Hindustan Petroleum Corporation (HPCL) that raised $400 million through the ECBs for modernizing its plants in India. Another major borrowing came from the construction and Infrastructure company SP Jammu Udhampur Highway that brought in $ 350 million via ECBs for various road projects being undertaken by it.
Indian companies are allowed to raise up to $500 million from overseas sources in a financial year under the automatic route for specified purposes. In case the objective for raising loans is not covered explicitly under the automatic route, the central bank takes a decision under the approval route. Often when the domestic rate cycle is on the uphill journey, as is the case presently, the foreign borrowings of India Inc increase as foreign funds become cheaper in many cases.
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