NIIF, India's first state-backed fund, faces questions from government

Critics inside and outside the government complain that NIIF - which handles about $4.3 billion in assets - lacks vision, decisiveness and the ability to win over investors

When India launched its first state-backed investment fund in 2015, the project was met with great enthusiasm. Officials hoped to raise billions of dollars to improve the nation’s infrastructure and attract foreign manufacturers, angling for the success of funds started in places like Singapore.
 

But India’s lofty expectations for the National Investment & Infrastructure Fund are now in question. A chilly relationship has developed between NIIF’s team and the government over investment choices, according to interviews with officials and fund managers. Critics inside and outside the government complain that NIIF — which handles about $4.3 billion in assets — lacks