At the time of independence in 1947, India's capital market was relatively under-developed. Although there was significant demand for new capital, there was a dearth of providers. Merchant bankers and underwriting firms were almost non-existent. And commercial banks were not equipped to provide long-term industrial finance in any significant manner.

It is against this backdrop that the government established The Industrial Finance Corporation of India (IFCI) on July 1, 1948, as the first Development Financial Institution in the country to cater to the long-term finance needs of the industrial sector. The newly-established DFI was provided access to low-cost funds through the central bank's Statutory Liquidity Ratio or SLR which in turn enabled it to provide loans and advances to corporate borrowers at concessional rates.

Financial Products

IFCI offers a wide range of products to the target customer segments to satisfy their specific financial needs. The product range includes following credit products:

 

• Short-term Loans (upto two years) for different short term requirements including bridge loan, Corporate Loan etc
• Medium-term Loans (more than two years to eight years) for business expansion, technology up-gradation, R&D expenditure, implementing early retirement scheme, Corporate Loan, supplementing working capital and repaying high cost debt
• Long-term Loans (more than eight years to upto 15 years) - Project Finance for new industrial/ infrastructure projects Takeout Finance, acquisition financing (as per extant RBI guidelines / Board approved policy), Corporate Loan, Securitisation of debt
• Structured Products: acquisition finance, pre-IPO investment, IPO finance, promoter funding, etc.
• Lease Financing
• Takeover of accounts from Banks / Financial Institutions / NBFCs
• Financing promoters contribution (private equity participation)/subscription to convertible warrants
• Purchase of Standard Assets and NPAs

The product mix offering varies from one business/ industry segment to another. IFCI customizes the product-mix to maximize customer satisfaction. It’s domain knowledge and innovativeness make the product-mix a key differentiator for building enduring and sustaining relationship with the borrowers.

Targeted Business Segments

Traditionally, IFCI has been meeting the changing requirements of the clients by endeavoring to devise various schemes and financial products for multiple industry sectors. Major Financing Schemes of IFCI included Project Financing and Financial Services mainly to the manufacturing industry along with a diversified industrial portfolio.

1. Public Sector Undertakings
2. Manufacturing industry
3. Infrastructure projects
   • Power
   • Airports (brownfield)
   • Ports
   • Hotels
   • Urban infrastructure projects
4. NBFCs
5. Participation in Private Equity
6. Promoter funding