Govt may block Chinese investment in LIC IPO

May let other foreign investors buy up to 20%

The government wants to block Chinese investors from buying shares in Life Insurance Corporation of India, which is due to go public, four senior government officials and a banker told Reuters. LIC is considered a strategic asset, commanding more than 60 per cent of India’s life insurance market.

The central government wants to block Chinese investors from buying shares in insurance giant Life Insurance Corporation (LIC), which is due to go public, four senior government officials and a banker said, underscoring tensions between the two nations.

State-owned LIC is considered a strategic asset, commanding more than 60 per cent of India's life insurance market with assets of more than $500 billion. While the government is planning to allow foreign investors to participate in what is likely to be the country's biggest-ever IPO worth a potential $12.2 billion, it is leery of Chinese ownership, the sources said.

Under current law, no overseas investors can invest in LIC but the government is considering allowing foreign institutional investors to buy up to 20 per cent of LIC’S offering.

Political tensions between the countries rocketed last year after soldiers of the two countries were killed following a clash in the Galwan Valley amid the still ongoing standoff along the LAC. Since then, India has sought to limit Chinese investment in sensitive companies and sectors, banned a raft of Chinese mobile apps, and subjected imports of Chinese goods to

extra scrutiny.

“With China after the border clashes, it cannot be business as usual. The trust deficit has significantly widen(ed),” said one of the government officials, adding that Chinese investment in companies like LIC could pose risks.

The sources declined to be identified as discussions on how Chinese investment might be blocked are ongoing and as no final decisions have been made.

The finance ministry and LIC did not respond to Reuters emailed requests for comment. China's foreign ministry and commerce ministry did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi's administration is hoping to raise ~90,000 crore through selling 5 per cent to 10 per cent of LIC this financial year. The government has yet to decide on whether it will sell one tranche of shares seeking to raise the full amount or choose to seek the funds in two tranches, sources have said.

Options to prevent Chinese investment in LIC include amending the current law on foreign direct investment with a clause that relates to LIC or creating a new law specific to LIC, two of the government officials said.

They added that the government was conscious of the difficulty in checking on Chinese investments that could come indirectly and would attempt to craft a policy that would protect India's security but not deter overseas investors.

A third option being explored is barring Chinese investors from becoming cornerstone investors in the IPO, said one government official and the banker, although that would not prevent Chinese investors from buying shares in the secondary market.