SEC Division of Investment Management staff letter: National Securities Depository Ltd

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UNITED STATES PUBLIC
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSIOf'.JAV~<U.L.ABILITY_~"""l_V;";'.J,.,L1.;"U_'.b_'. WASHINGTON. D.C. 20549 February 25 , 1997 VIA FACSIMILE AND AIR MAIL Mr. Pratip Kar Executive Director Securities and Exchange Board of India Mittal Court 'B' Wing, 224 Nariman Point, Mumbai-400 021 INDIA Dear Mr. Kar:
Your letter to Mr. Paul Leder dated January 16, 1997 was referred to the Division of Investment Management (the IIDivision") for response. The Division is primarily responsible for the regulation of investment companies in the United States. In your letter, you state that the National Securities Depository Ltd. ("NSDL") ·has been organized under The Depositories Act, 1996 and the Securities and Exchange Board of India (Depositories and Participants) Regulations 1996 (IIRegulations"). You further note that U.S.-based institutional investors have advised you that before they will use NSDL as a foreign custodian, the United States Securities and Exchange Commission (ltSEClt) must issue a "no-action" letter to NSDL. You specifically request information regarding any formalities NSDL would have to complete in order to obtain a "no-action" letter.
Section 17(f) of the Investment Company Act of 1940 ("1940
Act") sets forth the custodial requirements for U.S.-registered management investment cpmpanies ("funds"). Rule 17f-5 thereunder permits funds to maintain their assets with certain categories·of lIeligible foreign custodians." Generally, these include foreign banks that have more than $200 million shareholders' equity; majority-owned subsidiaries of U.S. banks that have more than $100 million shareholders' equity; certain centralized securities depositories and clearing agencies; and transnational foreign securities depositories and clearing agencies. Based upon your characterization of NSDL, subparagraphs (c) (2) (iii) and (c) (2) (iv) of Rule 17f-5 seem most relevant to

your inquiry. Rule 17f-5(c) (2) (iii) defines the term lIeligible

Mr. Pratip Kar
Securities and Exchange Board of India
February 25, 1997 foreign custodianll to include a IIsecurities depository or clearing agency, incorporated or organized under the laws of a country other than the United States, which operates the central system for handling of securities or equivalent book-entries in that country. III Rule 17f- 5 (c) (2) (iv) defines an eligible foreign custodian as a "securities depository or clearing agency, incorporated or organized under the laws of a country other than the United States which operates a transnational system for the central handling of securities or equivalent book-entries." Rule 17f-5 is self-operative and does not require any foreign institution that satisfies the definition of "eligible foreign custodian" to obtain the prior approval of the SEC before serving as an eligible foreign custodian for U.S.-registered funds. Thus, if the NSDL is the only central depository for handling securities or equivalent book-entries in India, it falls within the definition of eligible foreign custodian and does not need the approval of the SEC to provide custodial services to U.S. funds. After reviewing the materials you forwarded with

your letter, it is not immediately apparent whether the NSDL

qualifies as an "eligible foreign custodian." Specifically, you

do not state whether the NSDL operates the central system for

handling of securities or equivalent book-entries in India.

Section 3(a) (23) (A) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934
defines "clearing agency" generally as an intermediary that makes paYments or deliveries in connection with transactions in securities. The term includes any entity, such as a securities depository, that (1) acts as a custodian of securities in connection with a system for the central handling of securities . whereby all securities of a particular class or series of an issuer deposited within the system are treated as fungible and may be transferred, loaned, or pledged by bookkeeping without physical delivery of securities certificates, or (2) otherwise permits or facilitates the settlement of securities without physical delivery of securities certificates. Rule 17f-4 defines a "securities depository" as a "system for the central handling of securities where all securities of any particular class or series of any issuer deposited within the system are treated as fungible and may be transferred or pledged by bookkeeping entry without physical delivery of securities." Rule 17f-5(c) (2) (iii) refers to both securities depositories and clearing agencies because a foreign securities depository may be known as a IIclearing agency" in certain countries. See Investment Company Act ReI. No. 13724 at n. 31 (Jan. 17, 1984) (reproposing Rule 17f-5).

Mr. Pratip Kar
Securities and Exchange Board of India
February 25, 1997
Foreign custody arrangements with foreign securities depositories or clearing agencies that do not operate the central system for handling securities or equivalent book-entries in a given country are evaluated on a case-by-case basis. 2 If the NSDL does not satisfy the "eligible foreign custodian" requirements under Rule 17f-5, we suggest that the NSDL consult an attorney familiar with the U.S. federal securities laws. On July 27, 1995, the SEC proposed for pUblic comment amendments to Rule 17f-5 that would, among other things, amend the definition of "eligible foreign custodian." I am sending with this letter a copy of current Rule 17f-5, a copy of the release proposing the amendments, copies of Rule 17f-4 and
Section 3(a) (23) (A) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, and
three no-action letters, Jardine Fleming China Region Fund, Inc., Malaysian Central Depository Sdn. Bhd., and Intersettle Swiss Corporation for International Securities Settlements as examples of case-by-case evaluations. If you have any further questions, please contact me at (202) 942-0660 or [FAX] (202) 942-9659. ) Sincerely, Assistant .~, Chief Counsel Attachments (with airmail copy) 2 See,~, Malaysian Central Depository Sdn. Bhd. (pub. avail. May 19, 1993); Jardine Fleming China Region Fund, Inc. and Custody of B Shares Trading on the Shenzhen and Shanghai Securities Exchanges (both pub. avail. Apr. 26, 1993); Camara de Liquidacao e Custodia S/A and Balsa de Valores de Sao Paulo (both pub. avail. Oct. 28, 1992); and Intersettle Swiss Corporation For International Securities Settlements (pub. avail. Dec. 12, 1996) (transnational depository) .

91 22 2845761 ~an-16-97 03:08P sEBI IIMARP .--!I PRATfP KAR EXECUTiVE DIRECTOR IlMARP/ eN /1997 January 16, 1997 Dear Mr Leder, As you may be aware, the National Securities Depository Ltd (NSDL) has been Set up and has started operations in November 1996 for demateralisation and book entry transfer ofsecurities. NSDL has been Set up under the Depositories Act, 1996 and SESI (Depositories and pal1.icipants) Regulations 1996. NSDL has been registered with SEBI as required by the Depositories Act and the SESr regulations. NSDL has framed bye~laws and business rules, which have been approved by SEBI. Copies of the Depositories Act, Regulations, bye-laws and business rules are enclosed for your reference. As you would note. Sub-section (3) of
Section (3) of the Depository Act, 1996 and regulation 13 of the SEBl (Depositories and
Pal1.icipants) Regulations, 1996 provide for adequate safeguards to be taken by the depository. Foreign Institutional Investors (Fils) based in the US. such as pension funds and mutual funds and global custodians of such funds have advised us that for them to be able use NSDL, a 'no action' letter would need to be granted by the US SEC. As We are keen to see foreign invc:stors participate in the depository as speedily as possible, We request that a 'no action' letter be issued in respect ofNSDL. It may be recalled that this issue was raised by our Chairman, Mr D.R. Mehta during our meeting with Chairman Levitt and Mr Micheal Mann, then Director of th~ Office of International Affairs, and we were infonned that US SEC would look at the request for a 'no action' lener favourably. We would be grateful if you could let us know at the earliest regarding any formalities to be completed by us or by NSDL to obtain this letter from the US j SEC. With regards, cU.:"c.\·:ey1 j{ Co+ 0 e(~ GL q Q .Il. ';'/ {}.jif. w../t /)1:'\ /! '. L(jC.1 \ ... '..... , ;1\ \ A :1..\ enc!: ala /.,. v .... \ .~!t.\ - I Mr Paul Leder

Acting Director ofthe

Office (If Inlcmntional Affair!

US Securities and Exchange: (

Washington DC 20549

USA

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Jan-16-97 03:08P SEBI IIMARP
PRATfP KAR
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
Dear Mr Leder,
22 2845761 P_01
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3th" PJAJto t Securities and Exchange
Board ofIndia i
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\ IlMARPI '1/ 11997 i
January 16, 1997 I
As you may be aware, the National Securities Depository Ltd (NSDL) has been set up and has started operations in November 1996 for demateralisation and book entry transfer ofsecurities. NSDL has been set up under the Depositories Act, 1996 and SEBI (Depositories and participants) Regulations 1996. NSDL has been registered with SEBI as required by the Depositorie~ Act and the SEBI regulations, NSDL has framed bye-laws and business rules, which have been approved by SEBl. Copies of the Depositories Act, Regulations, bye-laws and business rules are enclosed for your reference. As you would nole, Sub-section (3) of
Section (3) of the Depository Act, 1996 and regulation 13 of the SEBI (Depositories and
Participants) Regulations, 1996 provide for adequ!1te safeguards to be taken by tne depository. Foreign Institutional Investors (FlIs) based in the US, such as pension funds and mutual funds and global custodians of such funds have advised us that for them to be able use NSDL, a 'no action' letter would need to be granted by the uS SEC. As We are keen to see foreign inv~stors participate in the depository as speedily as possible, We request that a 'no action' letter be issued in respect ofNSDL. It may be recalled that this issue was raised by our Chairman, Mr D.R. Mehta during our meeting with Chainnan Levitt and Mr Micheal Mann, then, Director of th~ Office of International Affairs, and we were infonned that US SEC would look: at the requesl for a 'no action' leUer favourably. We would be grateful if you could let us know at the earliest regarding any formalities to be completed by us or by NSDL to obtain this letter from the US \ SEC. With regards, encl: ala Mr Pau I Leder Acting Director ofthe Office ofIntcmntional Affain US Securities and Exchange ( Washington DC 20549 USA ...lft" ~. 22'1, ~~, ~-400021. : 2850451 <{2850456 (Iq), :i880~62 It 2&80970""', ~: 022.204563J(Z021073 Mitlal Coorl. '8' WinlL. 224, Nar;mRn f'uinl. Mumbai--400 021. Tel, ; 2850451 To 2850456, 2880962 To 2880970, Fax: 022-2045633/202107:;