Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Monday, 15 June 2026 said the government is actively planning additional measures to draw greater foreign investment into India, signalling that recent moves to open the bond market to overseas capital are only the first step in a broader strategy. She made the remarks at the Hero Mindmine Summit 2026 in New Delhi.

Bond Market as a Gateway

Sitharaman confirmed that the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has already permitted public sector undertakings and banks to raise funds from international markets — but stressed this is not the ceiling of ambition. 'We recognise we need more foreign capital to come in. But the fact that the RBI has now allowed public sector undertakings and banks to go out and raise money from outside is not the end of the story. We will be doing more,' she said.

The Finance Minister specifically identified the bond market as a viable absorption channel for incoming foreign capital. Currently, overseas investment has been opened only for government securities. 'We believe the bond market can be a good way to absorb the capital coming in. As of now, we have done it only for government securities. Certainly, that is not the end of the story,' she added.

Forex Reserves and External Pressures

Sitharaman acknowledged that India's foreign exchange reserves must scale up to keep pace with rising external demand. She pointed to a cluster of global headwinds — tariff volatility, swings in commodity prices, and supply chain disruptions — as factors beyond the government's direct control that nonetheless affect the country's import bill.

Crude oil pricing emerged as a particular concern. 'Not only is the price of crude a challenge, but insurance cover and risk of crude vessels passing through the Strait of Hormuz is also high. India must maintain adequate foreign exchange reserves to manage rising external demand,' she said. Higher shipping insurance costs linked to geopolitical risk in the Strait of Hormuz corridor are adding to India's energy import burden.

Fertiliser Market Volatility

The Finance Minister flagged significant turbulence in the global fertiliser market since the Union Budget was presented earlier this year. Traditional supplier nations had curtailed exports to build domestic inventories, raising concerns over shortages. However, China's re-entry into the export market after nearly a year has partially eased those supply fears, she noted. The episode underscores India's continued exposure to external commodity shocks despite its large domestic consumption base.

Data Centres and GCCs Spreading Beyond Metro Cities

Sitharaman highlighted the rapid expansion of India's data centre and Global Capability Centre (GCC) ecosystem as a structural positive. What was once concentrated in Bengaluru, Hyderabad, and the Delhi NCR is now extending to Tier 2 cities such as Tumakuru and Mangaluru. The Centre is actively coordinating with state governments to ensure data centre and GCC policies are understood and implemented at the ground level.

States are not merely framing policies — they are proactively engaging investors, she said. 'People have not treated it as, "Oh, what is this? What's a data centre?" No, there is a layer of our Indian technicians and youth who are catching on to this very easily,' Sitharaman remarked, pointing to a growing domestic talent pipeline as a competitive advantage.

What Comes Next

The Finance Minister did not specify a timeline for the additional foreign investment measures, but her remarks signal that the government and the RBI are in active dialogue on expanding the scope of capital market liberalisation beyond government securities. With India's domestic consumption providing a degree of buffer against global volatility, the policy push appears aimed at channelling external capital into productive sectors while managing forex adequacy.