EU pitches for “level playing field” for foreign banks in India

17 May 2011 Evaluate

The European Union (EU), an economic and political union of 27 member states, has indicated that European banks are keen to expand their operations in India and participate in its economy in a greater manner. Nadia Calvino, a Deputy Director General in the Directorate General for Internal Market and Financial of the European Commission (EC), ahead of the discussions with the Union Finance ministry, has urged India to offer European banks a “level playing field” as opening of the Indian banking sector to foreign banks would help them to further increase their presence in India.

The European banks’ intention to participate in the world's second-fastest growing major economy in a greater manner came at a time when the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) is already busy in the process of putting together comprehensive guidelines on the mode for foreign banks to have a presence in India. Currently, around 34 foreign banks, including the likes of UK-based Standard Chartered and HSBC, have operations in India. 

India has of late remained vocal over its concerns on huge capital inflows to emerging market economies and has even pointed that the loose monetary policies of developed countries are one of the prime reasons of mounting rate of price rise. However, the visiting officials were of the belief that capital flows should not be blamed for inflation in developing countries and said the governments should not differentiate between domestic and foreign investments.

Thus the meeting which is scheduled to be held on May 17, between Indian officials from the Finance Ministry, RBI and SEBI and the EU delegation comprising Nadia Calvino, Peter Bekx, a Director in the EC's Directorate General for Economic and Financial Affairs, and other officials to discuss financial services in the India-EU macro-economic and financial services dialogue is likely to assume high significance.

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