Marking a significant step towards advancing investor education & professional development, the Institute of Chartered Accountants of India (ICAI), the World's Largest Accounting Body, has signed landmark Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs) with the Indian Venture and Alternate Capital Association (IVCA) & NSE IFSC Limited (NSE IX).

MoU with IVCA: Strengthening India's Alternative Capital Ecosystem

ICAI entered into a strategic MoU with Indian Venture and Alternate Capital Association (IVCA), the apex industry body representing India's alternative capital sector.

Key areas of cooperation include:

• Establishment of joint expert groups on alternative capital issues
• Work towards Standardization of Financial Reporting Frameworks with Industry led Consultation
• Collaborative events, policy outreach, and regulatory advocacy
• Promoting thought leadership of India’s alternative capital industry

MoU with NSE IX: Advancing Investor Education and Global Financial Integration

In a parallel development, ICAI joined hands with NSE IFSC Limited (NSE IX), a wholly-owned subsidiary of the National Stock Exchange of India and a recognised stock exchange at the International Financial Services Centre (IFSC), GIFT City, Gandhinagar, to foster collaboration aimed at promoting investor awareness, international investment, and professional development in the Indian capital markets.

The MoU outlines collaboration in areas such as:

• Knowledge sharing and content contributions for educating members and stakeholders
• Conducting Joint events - seminars and workshops on capital market developments and regulatory updates
• Participation of NSE IX in ICAI's international outreach programmes to position India's capital markets on the global stage.
• Co-branded educational initiatives to build competencies among professionals, students and market participants in emerging areas such as global investing, derivative instruments and financial innovation.

The MoUs were formally signed in the presence of CA. Charanjot Singh Nanda, President, ICAI; CA. Prasanna Kumar D, Vice-President, ICAI; CA. Ashley Menezes, Chairperson, IVCA, Shri Rajat Tandon, President, IVCA and Shri Balasubramaniam Venkataramani, MD & CEO, NSE IX. Also present were CA. Durgesh Kumar Kabra, Chairman, Committee on Financial Markets and Investor Protection (CFMIP), ICAI; CA. Dayaniwas Sharma, Vice-Chairman, CFMIP and other senior dignitaries.

On this historical partnership, CA. Charanjot Singh Nanda, President, ICAI, said, "These collaborations mark a significant step forward in our shared vision for economic transformation through strengthened financial reporting, governance and investor empowerment. The MoUs with NSE IX and IVCA reaffirm ICAI's steadfast commitment to advancing financial literacy, fostering global investment into the IFSC, and supporting the growth of India’s alternative capital market. By joining forces with leading institutions, we aim to drive impactful, knowledge-driven initiatives that will elevate trust, transparency, and innovation across financial markets".

During the signing of MoU, CA. Ashley Menezes, Chairperson, IVCA, stated "This MoU reflects our collective intent to deepen governance standards, enhance financial disclosures, and promote sustainable investing in India's growing capital market landscape".

Shri Rajat Tandon, President, IVCA, added, "At IVCA, we believe meaningful change begins with meaningful collaboration. This MoU with ICAI sets the stage for a structured knowledge exchange - from joint expert groups and industry-specific financial frameworks to shared platforms for education and advocacy. We see this as a long-term partnership that will support fund managers, strengthen reporting standards, and elevate the ecosystem as a whole".

On this occasion, Shri Balasubramaniam Venkataramani, MD & CEO, NSE IX, said, "NSEIX being the premier market infrastructure institution in GIFT IFSC is delighted to enter into this MoU with ICAI as the foremost professional institution of the country. We look forward to jointly empowering finance professionals and Chartered Accountants both in India and abroad to leverage the IFSC ecosystem through NSEIX".

On this occasion, CA. Prasanna Kumar D, Vice-President, ICAI, stated, "We are committed to building a more mature, inclusive and globally competitive financial ecosystem in India through such strategic collaborations. By leveraging ICAI's institutional expertise and aligning it with the industry insights of our partners like NSE IX and IVCA, we aim to co-create robust compliance frameworks and promote greater transparency, particularly within the evolving alternative capital sector".

As India advances toward becoming a $5 trillion economy, this partnership seeks to enhance high-quality financial reporting within the alternative investment space. The strategic collaborations reinforce ICAI's pivotal role in shaping financial and regulatory frameworks aligned with the national vision of Viksit Bharat, Shashakt Bharat-a developed and empowered India. These MoUs mark a significant milestone in ICAI's continued commitment to professional excellence, strengthening investor confidence and elevating India’s standing in the global financial and capital markets

About ICAI

The Institute of Chartered Accountants of India (ICAI) is a statutory body set up by an Act of Parliament under the Chartered Accountants Act, 1949 for the regulation and development of the profession of Chartered Accountancy in India. The Institute functions under the administrative supervision of the Ministry of Corporate Affairs, Government of India. With over 14.5 Lakh Members and Students, today ICAI is the largest professional accountancy body in the world. ICAI has a wide network of 5 Regional Councils and 182 Branches within India and a global presence with 54 Overseas Chapters and 31 Representative Offices spanning 85 cities across 47 Countries worldwide.

About IVCA

IVCA is a not-for-profit, apex industry body promoting the alternate capital industry and fostering a vibrant investing ecosystem in India. IVCA is committed to supporting the ecosystem by facilitating advocacy discussions with the Government of India, policymakers, and regulators, resulting in the rise of entrepreneurial activity, innovation, and job creation in India and contributing towards the development of India as a leading fund management hub. IVCA represents 450+ funds with a combined AUM of over $350 Bn.

About NSE IX

NSEIX a wholly owned subsidiary of NSE India Limited playing the role of the leading market infrastructure institution with 99% market share is the dominant Stock Exchange in GIFT IFSC , the Exchange offers both inbound and outbound investment products which equally attract foreign investors including the global diaspora of NRI’s and Resident Investors under the LRS route.