You can soon invest in corporate bond-index derivatives in India
You can soon invest in corporate bond-index derivatives in India
The Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) is working with the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) to introduce derivatives linked to corporate bond indices.
The move is aimed at deepening India's debt market and improving liquidity in fixed-income instruments.
SEBI Chairman Tuhin Kanta Pandey announced this development at the ICICI Securities India Investor Conference 2026.
Capital markets key avenue for household savings
Pandey said capital markets are becoming a key avenue for household savings and wealth creation.
He attributed this structural shift to not just economic growth but also the formalization of the economy, financialization of savings, and growing trust in financial institutions.
He highlighted that India now has some 145 million investors in the securities market with an annual growth rate of over 20%.
Rise in mutual fund assets, household financial savings
Pandey also noted the sharp rise in mutual fund assets over the years, from ₹12 lakh crore to over ₹80 lakh crore. He said this is a clear sign of growing household participation in capital markets.
He revealed that household financial savings as a share of GDP rose to 21.7% in FY25 from around 20% in FY23, indicating broader participation across financial instruments.
Enabling economic growth
Pandey emphasized that India's capital markets are not just reflecting economic growth but actively enabling it.
He said they are channeling household savings into productive enterprises, attracting global capital, and converting economic momentum into investable opportunities.
On market activity, he revealed equity issuances touched ₹4.5 lakh crore in FY26 while 366 IPOs raised around ₹1.9 lakh crore during the year.
Corporate bond issuances, market capitalization
Pandey also highlighted that corporate bond issuances crossed ₹9 lakh crore, underscoring the growing role of markets in capital formation.
He said market capitalization has risen from some 69% of GDP a decade ago to nearly 128% currently, despite recent market corrections.
On the regulatory side, he said SEBI is taking an "optimum regulation" approach to balance investor protection with ease of access and market development.