- SEBI is not currently considering allowing self-trading in exchange shares, said Chairman Pandey
- SEBI and RBI are finalizing draft guidelines on bond indices and derivatives, with no timeline given
- Efforts are underway to make FPI registration and onboarding faster and more digital at SEBI and RBI
Market regulator Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) is not considering any proposal to allow self-trading in the bourses' shares at present, Chairman Tuhin Kanta Pandey said on Wednesday.
"There is no such thing going on. It will be, if it happens or when it happens, you will come to know. So, there is no such thing at the moment," Pandey said on the sidelines of the Association of Portfolio Managers in India's annual conference 2026.
The SEBI chairman was replying to a specific question on the subject, following reports of the market regulator mulling setting up a panel to examine whether exchanges like the BSE and NSE could eventually be allowed to trade in their own shares.
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On bond indices and derivatives, Pandey said Sebi and the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) are pursuing the finalisation of draft guidelines.
"Yes, I believe they have prepared some draft guidelines and asked for comments, and I think we are pursuing with RBI to finalise," he said. Pandey, however, said he could not give any timeline for finalisation of the guidelines, saying it needed to be checked with RBI.
On attracting foreign portfolio investors (FPIs), Pandey said SEBI and RBI were working to make the registration and onboarding process faster, seamless and digital.
He said Sebi has revamped the NSDL portal and introduced the India Market Access portal for FPIs, besides a common application portal that allows applicants to track their applications.
SEBI is also encouraging digital onboarding, including digital signatures. "The KYC process is also getting more streamlined," Pandey said.
On continuous listing requirements, Pandey said exchanges should properly pursue compliance as investors need confidence that listed companies are genuine listed entities.
"It's a process, but we have said that it should be properly pursued because, after all, the investors are there and the investors must have some confidence that these listed companies are really the listed companies," he said.
The SEBI chief, while addressing the event, also said that the Independent Fund Managers can create space for investment professionals and entrepreneurial talent to operate in association with an established Portfolio Manager. "At the same time, accountability must remain clear."
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He added that the registered portfolio managers will continue to bear responsibility for the activities of the Independent Fund Manager.
The SEBI chief also said technology can augment investment judgment but cannot outsource accountability, stressing that investment professionals must understand the assumptions behind algorithms used in decision-making.
He added that data quality, model governance, cyber resilience and protection of client information are important, while accountability for the portfolio must ultimately remain human and identifiable.
(This story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
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