Moscow and Mumbai, April 8, 2008 – The National Depository Center (NDC) and National Securities Depository Limited (NSDL) have signed today a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to build a close cooperative relationship between the central securities depositories.
The MoU aims at co-operation in securities clearing and settlement related matters to help foster the prosperity of the financial markets in Russia and India, promote access to each other's experiences on behalf of their respective participants, and explore opportunities for co-operation in both clearing/settlement operations and establishment of operation linkage.
The agreement includes:
- regular meetings between senior management to increase mutual understanding of business developments;
- understanding their securities markets through exchange of staff and training; and
- conduct joint studies or discussion meetings on topics related to securities clearing and settlement operations.
Mr. Gagan Rai, MD & CEO of NSDL, commented: “The depth and breadth of NDC’s experience in both domestic and cross-border transactions is of interest to NSDL and our clients. We place great value in developing a cooperative relationship to further the growth and prosperity of our respective markets.”
Mr. Nikolay Egorov, Director of The National Depository Center, said: “We believe that closer cooperation of NDC, the biggest settlement depository in Russia, with NSDL, a critical infrastructure in one of the world’s fastest growing economies, will lead to great benefits and enriched knowledge for both parties. Together, we will discover ways to further improve our business operations and service offerings to clients interested in the Indian capital markets.”
About NDC:
Not-for-Profit Partnership “The National Depository Center” is the largest settlement depository in Russia, servicing the full range of equity securities of Russian issuers. It services 100% of transactions conducted in the federal bond and the Bank of Russia bond markets, more than 95% of transactions conducted in the corporate and regional bond markets, and stock exchange share transactions. NDC provides storage of global certificates and depository accounting for 99% of corporate bond issues, and 95% of sub-federal and municipal bond issues. The international rating agency Thomas Murray has assigned NDC an A+ rating as a central depository. For 2007 the value of assets in storage was more than RUR4.3 trillion. NDC is the largest paying agent on behalf of corporate bond issuers. It is Russia's national numerating agency, the substituting numerating agency for the CIS, authorized to assign the international ISIN and CFI codes. It is also a member of the international accounting infrastructure, providing settlements on the global financial markets using direct accounts at Clearstream Banking S.A. and Euroclear Bank. It also holds accounts at the Central Depository of the Republic of Kazakhstan and the NDC of the Republic of Azerbaijan.
Among NDC’s founders are MICEX and Bank of Russia (the founders’ shares in the property of NDC are 46.7% and 39.3% respectively, and in the votes 50.2% and 42.3% respectively). Members include GPB OJSC (Gazprombank), Evrofinans Mosnarbank, Rosbank, VTB Bank (Vneshtorgbank), Bank of Moscow, Rossiysky Credit Bank, Vneshekonombank, ING Bank Eurasia, JP Morgan Bank International LLC, UniCredit, Deutsche Bank, and Sberbank. The Partnership also has a stake in Depository Clearing Company CJSC (36.96 %) and in Settlement Depository Company CJSC (29%).
For further information about NDC: www.ndc.ru, or NDC Public Affaires Department: +7 495 232 0910, .
National Securities Depository Limited (NSDL), which holds more than 85% of the securities held in dematerialised mode in India, is the first and the largest depository in India. Promoted by institutions of national stature viz.; IDBI, UTI and NSE responsible for economic development of the country, NSDL has established a national infrastructure of international standards that handles most of the securities held and settled in dematerialised form in the Indian capital markets. Using innovative and flexible technology systems, NSDL works to support investors, brokers, clearing corporations and stock exchanges in the Indian capital market. NSDL aims at ensuring the safety and soundness of Indian marketplaces by developing settlement solutions that increase efficiency, minimise risk and reduce costs. NSDL plays a central role in developing products and services that will continue to nurture the growing needs of the financial markets. NSDL services more than 9 million investors through its Participants from over 7,200 locations across 800 cities/towns across India. NSDL holds securities valued at more than US$ 1 trillion. NSDL has set-up and manages the nationwide Tax Information Network on behalf of the Government of India. NSDL is in the process of setting up a Central Recordkeeping Agency (CRA) on behalf of the Pension Fund Regulatory and Development Authority (PFRDA) for the New Pension System (NPS) in India. For more information about NSDL, visit www.nsdl.co.in.
Contact: NSDL Chandrashekhar Tilak +91 22 2499 4353 , Pritesh Parikh +91 22 2499 4574