Question map
In India, which of the following can trade in Corporate Bonds and Government Securities ? 1. Insurance Companies 2. Pension Funds 3. Retail Investors Select the correct answer using the code given below :
Explanation
The correct answer is option D because all three entities—insurance companies, pension funds, and retail investors—can trade in corporate bonds and government securities in India.
Insurance companies are among the select entities permitted by RBI to undertake repo in corporate debt securities.[1] Pension Fund Managers invest in various classes of securities including Corporate Bonds and Government Securities as per PFRDA guidelines.[2] Retail individual investors can open a Retail Direct Gilt (RDG) Account with RBI and purchase Government securities (Treasury Bills and Dated Securities, State Government securities) in both primary and secondary markets.[3]
Therefore, all three categories of investors—insurance companies (Statement 1), pension funds (Statement 2), and retail investors (Statement 3)—are permitted to trade in these securities, making option D (1, 2 and 3) the correct answer.
Sources- [1] https://www.rbi.org.in/commonman/english/scripts/FAQs.aspx?Id=711
- [2] https://mea.gov.in/Portal/CountryNews/4929_FAQs_on_NPA_for_NRIs.pdf
- [3] Indian Economy, Vivek Singh (7th ed. 2023-24) > Chapter 2: Money and Banking- Part I > Retail Direct Scheme (of RBI): > p. 47
PROVENANCE & STUDY PATTERN
Full viewThis question blends 'Static Common Sense' (Institutions like Insurance/Pension funds exist to invest money) with 'High-Profile Reform' (RBI Retail Direct Scheme). It rewards understanding the *business model* of financial players rather than just memorizing lists.
This question can be broken into the following sub-statements. Tap a statement sentence to jump into its detailed analysis.
- Statement 1: In India, are insurance companies permitted to trade in corporate bonds and government securities?
- Statement 2: In India, are pension funds permitted to trade in corporate bonds and government securities?
- Statement 3: In India, are retail investors permitted to trade in corporate bonds and government securities?
- RBI explicitly permits select entities, including 'insurance companies', to undertake repo in corporate debt securities.
- The passage lists 'insurance companies' among the permitted entities, directly tying insurance firms to permitted activity in corporate bonds.
- The text notes this repo arrangement is 'similar to repo in G-Secs', linking the permission for corporate-debt repo to the government-securities repo framework.
Defines the secondary market where investors trade previously issued securities (including bonds) among themselves.
A student could combine this with the fact that insurance companies are investors to infer they could participate in secondary trading of bonds and then check specific regulations.
States that Foreign Portfolio Investors can invest in Central and State Government securities/bonds and corporate bonds and are treated as debt.
Use this as a pattern that regulators permit institutional/portfolio investors to hold such bonds, then ask whether domestic institutional investors (like insurers) are similarly classified.
Describes the existence and importance of a corporate bond market in India and demand/supply factors for corporate bonds.
A student can infer that a domestic investor base (including insurance companies) is needed for this market, motivating checking whether insurers are allowed to invest/trade in corporate bonds.
Lists the insurance sector and major insurance entities, establishing insurers as organised, regulated financial players.
Combining insurer institutional status with the secondary market rule (snippet 10) suggests insurers are plausible participants in bond markets, warranting looking up their investment permissions.
Explains various types of government securities issued by the Government of India (e.g., special securities, bonds).
Knowing what government securities exist lets a student identify the instruments insurers might hold and then verify regulatory permissions for insurers to invest in those specific instruments.
- Explicitly states how pension fund managers invest pension funds under PFRDA guidelines.
- Specifically lists Corporate Bonds (C) and Government Securities (G) as usual investment classes alongside Equity (E).
- Describes the role of Pension Funds as entities appointed to invest subscribers' pension contributions.
- Establishes that pension funds are active investors responsible for placing contributions into permitted investment schemes.
Defines the National Pension System (NPS) and notes that assets under NPS are held by a registered trust (PFRDA/NPST), implying a regulated pension-investment vehicle exists.
A student could look up PFRDA/NPST investment guidelines to see which asset classes (e.g., government securities, corporate bonds) that regulated pension funds may be allowed to hold.
Explains that 'Debt or fixed income funds' invest in bonds issued by the Central Government, State Governments, PSUs and corporates, showing these instrument types are standard, regulated investments in Indian financial markets.
A student can reason that since debt instruments are standard regulated assets for institutional funds, pension funds might also be permitted to hold similar debt instruments and should verify specific pension rules.
Describes various types of government securities (special securities, bank recapitalisation bonds, sovereign gold bonds), indicating an established market and variety of government debt instruments.
Knowing there is a structured government securities market, a student could check whether regulated institutional investors (including pension funds) participate in this market under domestic regulations.
Discusses efforts to develop the corporate bond market and regulatory actions (e.g., FPI limits), indicating corporate bonds are a recognized asset class with defined participation rules.
A student could extend this to ask whether domestic institutional investors such as pension funds are listed among typical eligible holders in corporate bond regulations (or consult PFRDA rules).
States that mutual funds give access to professionally managed portfolios of equities, bonds and other securities, showing that pooled/regulated investment vehicles routinely include bonds.
Compare the permitted asset mix for mutual funds with that for pension funds (NPS) to infer whether bonds are commonly authorized for regulated institutional investors and then check pension-specific rules.
- Specifies a Retail Direct Gilt (RDG) account allowing retail individual investors to purchase central and state government securities in primary and secondary markets.
- Explicitly states retail investors can buy Treasury Bills and dated government securities (with the single restriction on competitive bidding).
- Explains corporate bond market dynamics where public offerings are costly and firms prefer private placements to select investors rather than the general public.
- Implies limited retail participation in corporate bonds because private placements restrict access and governance/disclosure concerns deter broad retail investment.
- [THE VERDICT]: Sitter. The 'RBI Retail Direct Scheme' (allowing retail in G-Secs) was a headline reform in 2021-22. Standard books (Vivek Singh) covered it explicitly.
- [THE CONCEPTUAL TRIGGER]: Financial Markets > Debt Market Participants. Specifically, the transition from 'Wholesale only' to 'Retail access'.
- [THE HORIZONTAL EXPANSION]: 1. NDS-OM (The platform retail now accesses). 2. Competitive vs Non-Competitive Bidding (Retail uses Non-Competitive). 3. Voluntary Retention Route (VRR) for FPIs in debt. 4. Difference between T-Bills (Central only) and Dated Securities (Central + State). 5. Masala Bonds (Rupee denominated abroad).
- [THE STRATEGIC METACOGNITION]: When a new scheme launches (e.g., Retail Direct), ask: 'Who was allowed before this?' (Banks, PDs, Insurance, Pension). The question simply aggregated the 'New Entrant' (Retail) with the 'Old Giants' (Insurance/Pension).
Understanding types of government securities and special issues is central to questions about who can hold or trade sovereign debt.
High-yield for UPSC because G‑Secs are integral to public finance, debt management and monetary operations; mastery helps answer questions on government borrowing, market instruments and institutional investors. Connects to topics on fiscal policy, RBI operations and capital markets, enabling answers on debt issuance, investor base and market inclusion.
- Indian Economy, Vivek Singh (7th ed. 2023-24) > Chapter 2: Money and Banking- Part I > 2.5 Government Securities > p. 47
- Indian Economy, Vivek Singh (7th ed. 2023-24) > Chapter 2: Money and Banking- Part I > Indian Govt. securities will very soon join Global Bond Index > p. 48
Knowledge of the corporate bond market's development, investor requirements and limitations helps evaluate participation by institutional investors.
Important for questions on infrastructure financing and capital markets reform; links to banking, financial regulation and capital formation. Helps frame answers on impediments to bond market growth, investor suitability and measures to deepen debt markets.
- Indian Economy, Vivek Singh (7th ed. 2023-24) > Chapter 2: Money and Banking- Part I > 2.6 Corporate Bond Market in India > p. 49
Regulatory structure and FDI policy in insurance shape the capabilities and permitted activities of insurance companies in financial markets.
Crucial for public policy and economic governance questions involving sectoral regulation, ownership norms and market access. Connects to financial sector reforms, role of institutional investors and implications of FDI limits on market behavior.
- Indian Economy, Nitin Singhania .(ed 2nd 2021-22) > Chapter 14: Service Sector > W History and Background > p. 424
- Indian Economy, Vivek Singh (7th ed. 2023-24) > Chapter 7: Indian Economy after 2014 > 7.13 FDI in Insurance > p. 244
NPS is India’s pension-cum-investment scheme administered by PFRDA and holds assets on behalf of subscribers, so understanding its structure is central to questions about pension fund investment activity.
High-yield for public policy and economic governance questions: connects social security design with financial market participation, regulatory frameworks, and public finance. Mastering this helps answer questions on pension reform, institutional investors, and asset ownership rules.
- Indian Economy, Vivek Singh (7th ed. 2023-24) > Chapter 8: Inclusive growth and issues > 8.8 National/New Pension System (NPS) > p. 268
Debt funds invest in bonds issued by central and state governments, PSUs, corporates and NBFCs, which maps directly onto the instruments (government securities and corporate bonds) referenced in the statement.
Important for finance and economy topics: clarifies what instruments institutional investors target, aids in comparing mutual funds, pension funds and other intermediaries. Useful for questions on bond markets, fiscal management, and portfolio allocation.
- Indian Economy, Nitin Singhania .(ed 2nd 2021-22) > Chapter 9: Agriculture > Mutual Funds > p. 269
There are explicit caps and regulatory rules governing how much foreign investors can hold in corporate bonds, highlighting that bond-market participation is subject to regulatory limits.
Helps tackle questions on capital flow management and bond-market liberalisation: links regulatory ceilings, FPIs, and market access policies. Useful for essays and prelims/GS papers on external-sector regulation and financial markets.
- Indian Economy, Vivek Singh (7th ed. 2023-24) > Chapter 2: Money and Banking- Part I > 2.6 Corporate Bond Market in India > p. 49
Retail Direct Gilt accounts let individual investors directly buy central and state government securities in primary and secondary markets.
High-yield for UPSC answers on public debt market reforms and retail participation; links to RBI regulation, government borrowing and investor access. Enables answers on recent financial inclusion measures and market infrastructure changes.
- Indian Economy, Vivek Singh (7th ed. 2023-24) > Chapter 2: Money and Banking- Part I > Retail Direct Scheme (of RBI): > p. 47
- Indian Economy, Vivek Singh (7th ed. 2023-24) > Chapter 2: Money and Banking- Part I > 3. Regulation of Foreign Exchange Market, Govt. Securities Market and Money Market > p. 68
The 'Non-Competitive Bidding' Trap. While Retail Investors *can* now buy G-Secs, they participate in the 'Non-Competitive' segment of the primary auction (they take the price determined by big players). A future statement might trick you by saying 'Retail investors participate in competitive bidding for G-Secs.'
Use 'Business Model' Logic. Insurance Companies and Pension Funds collect money today to pay out 20-30 years later. They *must* park this capital in long-term, safe, interest-bearing assets. Corporate Bonds and G-Secs are the *only* asset classes that fit this need perfectly. Therefore, 1 and 2 must be correct.
Mains GS-3 (Fiscal Policy): Why does the Govt want Retail/Pension money in bonds? To broaden the 'Borrowing Base'. A wider base reduces the 'Yield' (interest cost) for the Govt, helping manage the Fiscal Deficit and reducing reliance on Banks (leaving banks free to lend to private sector -> preventing Crowding Out).
SIMILAR QUESTIONS
With reference to India, consider the following statements : 1. Retail investors through demat account can invest in 'Treasury Bills' and 'Government of India Debt Bonds' in primary market. 2. The Negotiated Dealing System-Order Matching' is a government securities trading platform of the Reserve Bank of India. 3. The 'Central Depository Services Ltd.' is jointly promoted by the Reserve Bank of India and the Bombay Stock Exchange. Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
Which of the following are the sources of income for the Reserve Bank of India? I. Buying and selling Government bonds II. Buying and selling foreign currency III. Pension fund management IV. Lending to private companies V. Printing and distributing currency notes Select the correct answer using the code given below.