India: Commodities/Derivatives/Stock Exchanges

If your company is required to spend on Corporate Social Responsibility (“CSR”) under the Companies Act, 2013 (“Act”), a new and structured route is now available, effective from May 27, 2026. The Ministry of Corporate Affairs (“MCA”) has amended the Companies (Corporate Social Responsibility Policy) Rules, 2014 (“CSR Rules”) to permit companies to direct a portion of their CSR budget through the Social Stock Exchange (“SSE”) via Zero Coupon Zero Principal (“ZCZP”) instruments. This update is of direct relevance to compliance teams, CSR committees, company secretaries, and in-house counsel.

The Securities and Exchange Board of India has introduced significant changes to the regulatory framework governing buy-backs of securities. Through the SEBI (Buy-Back of Securities) (Amendment) Regulations, 2026, notified on 6 July 2026, SEBI has revised the framework for buy-backs, including the re-introduction of the open-market buy-back route through stock exchanges.

India's securities regulator has taken interim action against two entities for allegedly manipulating the closing price of the BSE SENSEX through strategic order placement and cancellation during the newly introduced Closing Auction Session. The investigation reveals how large buy and sell orders were used to influence the Indicative Equilibrium Price in coordination with expiry-day derivatives positions, raising questions about market manipulation tactics under the reformed price discovery mechanism.

SEBI's intensified scrutiny of "General Corporate Purposes" in IPO offer documents reflects a fundamental shift in how regulators view the deployment of public capital. What began as a modest catch-all for operational flexibility has evolved into allocations reaching 25-35% of issue proceeds, prompting questions about transparency, investor protection, and the true intentions behind these vague funding categories.

The Securities and Exchange Board of India (“SEBI”), at its board meeting held on June 19, 2026, approved amendments to the SEBI (Buy-back of Securities) Regulations, 2018 (“Buy-back Regulations”) to re-introduce open market buy-backs through the stock exchange route with effect from August 1, 2026.

The Securities and Exchange Board of India (“SEBI”) has issued an updated Master Circular consolidating various circulars and regulatory instructions relating to securities market surveillance.

The Reserve Bank of India (“RBI”) by way of notification dated 27.03.2026 notified the Master Directions – RBI (Unique Identifiers in Financial Markets) ...

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The Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI), at its 213th board meeting held on 23 March 2026, approved amendments to the "fit and proper person" criteria prescribed under Schedule II of The Securities and Exchange Board of India (Intermediaries) Regulations, 2008 (Intermediaries Regulations).