GIFT City emerges as hotspot for global finance, treasury and investments
Chennai, June 11
Gujarat International Finance Tec-City on Thursday engaged with industry leaders, investors, treasury professionals and Global Capability Centre executives in Chennai, highlighting growing opportunities in international finance, treasury management, fund management, capital markets and cross-border business services, as per a press release.
"GIFT City is also witnessing increasing traction as a destination for global and regional treasury operations. Loans and advances by Global/Regional Corporate Treasury Centres (GRCTCs) operating from GIFT City stood at USD 5.61 billion as of March 2026, reflecting growing adoption of the ecosystem for treasury management and cross-border financing activities," the release said.
According to the release, banking assets at GIFT City IFSC stood at USD 111 billion, while External Commercial Borrowing (ECB) exposure exceeded USD 41 billion, as of March 2026. During the same time, GIFT City hosted 217 Fund Management Entities (FMEs) managing 360 schemes, with cumulative capital commitments crossing USD 39 billion.
GIFT City is seeing increasing traction as a destination for global and regional treasury operations. It hosted 35 aircraft lessors and 36 ship lessors, with over 370 aviation assets and 37 ships leased through GIFT City structures. Additionally, debt securities listed on IFSC exchanges crossed USD 70 billion, as per the release.
"Loans and advances by Global/Regional Corporate Treasury Centres (GRCTCs) operating from GIFT City stood at USD 5.61 billion as of March 2026," it said.
Sanjay Kaul, Managing Director and Group CEO, GIFT City, said, "Chennai occupies a unique position in India's growth story, with its strong GCC ecosystem, sophisticated treasury operations and deep talent pool across finance, technology, analytics, risk management and compliance. As companies increasingly look to optimise treasury functions, access global capital and support cross-border business activities, we see significant opportunities for Chennai-based enterprises and global organisations to leverage the financial and regulatory ecosystem available at GIFT City."
— ANI
Reader Comments
Impressive traction in aircraft and ship leasing! 370 aviation assets and 37 ships is no joke. This could really boost India's position as a global financial hub, but we need to ensure the regulatory framework stays competitive with Dubai and Singapore.
As someone working in Chennai's GCC ecosystem, this is a brilliant move! The synergy between our talent pool in finance/analytics and GIFT City's regulatory advantages is huge. But I wish the press release had mentioned more about job creation timelines and local hiring commitments for Tamil Nadu professionals. 🎯
The fund management numbers (217 FMEs, $39 billion commitments) are particularly noteworthy. India is finally creating a credible alternative to Mauritius and Singapore for fund structures. Let's hope the government doesn't change the tax rules abruptly like they've done before.
I'm sceptical though. All these big numbers but what about the ordinary taxpayer? GIFT City gets massive tax breaks, yet common citizens still pay 30-42% income tax. The ECB exposure of $41 billion could also be a risk if global interest rates spike. But yes, good for the economy overall, no doubt. 🤔
Finally, some solid progress! From IFSC banking to fund management, GIFT City is ticking all boxes. The $70 billion debt securities listed is a massive vote of confidence. Chennai's finance talent + GIFT City's ecosystem = a powerful combination for India's financial ambitions. 💪
We welcome thoughtful discussions from our readers. Please keep comments respectful and on-topic.