The capital market regulator, Securities and Exchange Board of India (Sebi), under pressure to tighten scrutiny, is taking as long as a year to approve initial public offerings (IPOs). This has prompted criticism from companies, already grappling with unpredictable demand and a lack of alternative funding sources. The stock market has soared, touching record highs last month. It was Asia’s second-best performer last year, thanks to largely $16 billion of foreign investment.
But the boom has failed to translate into many IPOs, a vital source of capital, especially for small companies which make up the bulk of the economy yet often struggle to access keenly priced bank loans.