In a bid to encourage evidence-based policy research in emerging financial space, the IFSC regulator International Financial Services Centres Authority (IFSCA) has recently formed a collaboration with the Indian Institute of Management Ahmedabad (IIMA).

As per the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU), signed on February 10 at the IIMA campus, both the institutions will explore opportunities for research, consultancy, training, internships., and capacity building for policy analysis and development in areas of finance and convergence of technology.

Impetus for research

This will look for cooperation and collaboration to strengthen active participation in conducting evidence-based policy research to aid policy formulation and also encourage research in emerging financial areas.

IFSCA is a statutory authority established under the IFSCA Act 2019, headquartered at GIFT City, Gandhinagar and is a unified regulator established with a mandate to develop and regulate the financial products, financial services, and financial institutions in the International Financial Services Centres (IFSCs).

Commenting on the collaboration, Injeti Srinivas, Chairperson, IFSCA said, "It will provide an ideal platform for a two-way collaboration between IFSCA and IIMA, especially in the areas of policy research, economic impact analysis, strategy management and emerging areas such as FinTech, Climate Finance etc."

Professor Errol D'Souza, Director, IIMA stated that it would build a globally competitive Financial Centre in India. "This MoU will help create the foundation and provide the impetus for focused research and policymaking related to financial markets within the overall economic framework."