The Capital witnessed the launch of the India State of the Market Report on Green Bonds today showing that India now ranks seventh internationally for total labeled green bond issuance and is a global leader in external certification of green bonds.
The report was also launched in Mumbai on Monday coinciding with the first meeting of the newly formed Indian Green Bonds Market Development Council.
The council is composed of a cross-section of senior representation from banking, finance, insurance, investment banks, stock exchanges and public and private sector companies.
A joint initiative of the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI) and the Climate Bonds Initiative the aim of the Council is to bring together a critical mass of senior representatives drawn from the public and private sector to propose solutions towards the development of a green bonds market in India.
The Council will draft a National Blueprint and provide ongoing guidance to government on green finance directions and green bond market development.
"A couple of years ago issuers weren't sure whether to label their bonds as green. Today, issuers see the potential of green bonds, and see certification as a 'must-have," said Head Capital Markets FIG, South Asia, Standard Chartered, Gaurav Bhagat.
"ExIm Bank of India's business model is significantly dollarized and we raise long duration USD funds from the market. Apart from the bond market, we are happy to engage in long duration swaps whereby we take on the USD leg of other Indian issuers in return for competitively priced Rupees (we are AAA rated domestically), thus effectively serving as an FX hedging facility for Indian issuers for up to 20 years," said Deputy Managing Director ExIm Bank of India, David Rasquinha.
"We are in touch with most of corporate issuers in the country and they are now primarily focused on the benefits green bonds bring to their bottom line, rather than the costs," said Senior Vice President and Group Head of Debt Capital Markets SBI Capital Markets Limited, Asish Sable.
"The formation of this Market Development Council is a positive step forward in developing the green finance sources and investment pipelines India needs to meet its national infrastructure and climate mitigation goals. Bringing together major participants is a crucial step in the right direction," added Sean Kidney, CEO, Climate Bonds Initiative.
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