With a view to boosting infrastructure investment in the country, markets regulator Securities and Exchange Board of India (Sebi) has allowed Infrastructure Investment Trusts (InvITs) and Real Estate investment Trust (REITs) to raise capital by issuing debt securities. In addition to this, the market regulator also introduced the concept of strategic investor for REITs on the same lines as with InviTs. It also allowed single asset REIT on similar lines of InvIT. Sebi also allowed REITs to lend to underlying holding company. It also amended the definition of valuer for both REITs and InvITs. The board, after deliberations, decided to have further consultations with the stakeholders on a proposal of allowing REITs to invest at least 50 per cent of the equity share capital or interest in the underlying holdco/SPVs, and similarly allowing holdco to invest with at least 50 per cent of the equity share capital or interest in the underlying SPVs.

(Economic Times)