The National Institute of Securities Markets (NISM), established by the Securities and Exchange Board of India (Sebi), and the Indian Institute of Corporate Affairs (IICA) under the Ministry of Corporate Affairs have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to strengthen corporate governance, ESG frameworks and capital markets in India.According to the Ministry of Corporate Affairs, the MoU was signed in Mumbai on May 19, 2026, and aims to strengthen capacity building, research, policy development and training across securities markets and corporate regulation, with a broader objective of supporting a stronger and more transparent financial ecosystem, reported ANI.As part of the agreement, the two institutions will jointly develop certification courses, executive education modules and training programmes, including specialised programmes for Sebi officials and professionals from the regulatory and financial sectors.The collaboration will also seek to improve MSME access to capital markets, strengthen sustainability disclosures, enhance investor education and support evidence-based regulatory research in emerging areas.“The focus is to build a performance-driven corporate governance ecosystem that enables MSME access to capital markets, strengthens sustainability disclosures and promotes evidence-based research in emerging regulatory domains,” said Tuhin Kanta Pandey, Chairman, Sebi.The initiative comes at a time when corporate governance standards, ESG (Environmental, Social and Governance) reporting and responsible business practices are receiving increasing attention across financial markets and global investment ecosystems.The MoU also covers areas including insolvency frameworks, valuation standards, board governance, responsible investing, sustainable finance, market integrity and emerging regulatory challenges.The agreement was signed by representatives of both institutions in the presence of senior officials, including NISM Director Sashi Krishnan, and marks a long-term collaboration between Sebi, NISM and IICA.According to the institutions, the partnership will also involve joint research studies, curriculum development, policy support initiatives, faculty exchange programmes and conferences aimed at sharing best practices.The Ministry of Corporate Affairs said the partnership is intended to create a more inclusive, knowledge-driven and well-regulated financial ecosystem to support India’s expanding capital markets and strengthen investor confidence.
