Asia: Government, Public Sector

Meta's acquisition of Manus has sparked widespread attention in China, raising critical questions about foreign investment security review compliance. When a domestic AI company transfers core business assets overseas before selling to a foreign buyer, does this constitute a reviewable transaction under Chinese law? This analysis examines the regulatory framework and compliance implications for cross-border technology deals.

In April 2020, amid the economic disruption caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, the Indian government introduced Press Note 3 (“PN3”) through the Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (“DPIIT”). The policy was a considered response to a specific and legitimate concern: that investors from land-border countries, China in particular, might exploit the economic distress of the pandemic to acquire stakes in Indian companies at depressed valuations. India was not alone in this assessment. Australia, France, Canada introduced comparable investment screening measures around the same time.

The Maharashtra Land Revenue Code (Second Amendment) Act, 2026 (L. A. BILL No. XXVIII OF 2026) represents a significant reform in the regulation of government land transactions in Maharashtra. Introduced in the Maharashtra Legislative Assembly on 24th March 2026, it focuses primarily on amending Section 37A of the Maharashtra Land Revenue Code, 1966, a provision that governs the sale, transfer, redevelopment, use of additional Floor Space Index (“FSI”), transfer of Transferable Development Rights (“TDR”), and change in use of government land.