Framework for Ship Leasing
IFSCA circular F. No. 496/IFSCA/FC/SLF/2022-23/001 · 20 May 2026
Official title
Framework for Ship Leasing, updated as on May 20, 2026
IFSCA circular F. No. 496/IFSCA/FC/SLF/2022-23/001 · 20 May 2026
Official title
Framework for Ship Leasing, updated as on May 20, 2026
Summary
Check the official recordThe International Financial Services Centres Authority (IFSCA) provides a regulatory framework for entities operating as lessors in IFSCs to conduct ship leasing activities. The framework categorizes activities into ship operating leases and ship financial leases, each with specific capital requirements and permissible operations. Entities must register with the IFSCA via the Single Window IT Systems (SWITs) and maintain compliance with prudential, anti-money laundering, and corporate governance standards. Lessors are required to maintain minimum owned funds, conduct business in specified foreign currencies, and submit annual financial reports. The framework also includes restrictions on transferring ownership or leasehold rights of ships from persons resident in India to IFSC entities for domestic service provision, with specific exceptions for new vessels acquired from Indian shipyards.
What you must do
Key dates
Who is affected
Thresholds
Exceptions
If you do not comply
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CIRCULAR
F. No. 496/IFSCA/FC/SLF/2022-23/001 August 16, 2022 (Updated as on May 20, 2026)
All Finance Company / Finance Unit registered in the International Financial Services Centres (IFSCs)
Framework for Ship Leasing
In exercise of the powers conferred by section 12 of the International Financial Services Centres Authority Act, 2019 (50 of 2019) (hereinafter referred as the “said Act”) read with notification number S.O.5199 (E) dated December 14, 2021 issued by Ministry of Finance, Government of India, published in the Gazette of India, Extraordinary, Part II, Section 3, Sub-section (ii), dated the December 14, 2021, the Authority has notified ‘ship lease’ as a financial product vide Gazette notification dated January 07, 2022. As per the said notification, the ‘ship lease’ shall include operating lease, and hybrid of operating and financial lease, of a ship or ocean vessel, engines of ship or ocean vessel, or any other part thereof, as a financial product under clause (d) of sub-section (1) of section 3 of the said Act.
As per sub clause (g) of clause (iii) of sub-regulation (1) of regulation 5 of International Financial Services Centres Authority (Finance Company) Regulations, 2021 (hereinafter referred to as “Finance Company Regulations”), an operating lease transactions for ship lease is classified as a ‘permitted non-core activity’ and as per sub clause (a) of clause (ii) of sub-regulation (1) of regulation 5 of the Finance Company Regulations, a financial lease transaction for ship lease including a hybrid of financial lease and operating lease transaction for ship lease is classified as a ‘permitted core activity’.
The International Financial Services Centres Authority (hereinafter referred to as ”IFSCA”), in order to facilitate the Ship Leasing business in the International Financial Services Centres (hereinafter referred to as “IFSCs”) in India and in exercise of the powers conferred under section 12 read with section 13 of the IFSCA Act, 2019, hereby specifies the following Framework for entities to get registered under Finance Company Regulations for undertaking ship lease transactions:
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A. Applicability: This Framework shall apply to all eligible applicants engaging in one or more of the permissible activities as per this circular.
B. Definition: For the purpose of this Circular (i) “Financial lease” for a ship lease arrangement shall mean the activity of leasing such that it transfers substantially all the risks and rewards incidental to the ownership of the asset involved; (ii) “Lessor” shall mean an entity registered with IFSCA as a Finance Company or Finance Unit in accordance with this Framework, and a. engaged in the business of providing ships or ocean vessel, engines of ship or ocean vessels, or any other part thereof under an operating lease, financial lease and/or a hybrid of financial and operating lease, and/or; b. any other related activity as may be specified by the Authority from time to time. (iii) “Ocean vessel” shall include every description of watercraft used or capable of being used in the marine environment, such as ship, boat, sailing vessel, fishing vessel, submersible, semi-submersible, hydrofoils, non-displacement crafts, amphibious crafts, wing-in-ground crafts, pleasure crafts, barges, lighters, Mobile Offshore Drilling units, Mobile offshore Units, or of any other description, or any part thereof, and shall include inland water vessels and coasting vessels, but does not include fishing or sailing watercraft; (iv) “Operating lease” for a ship lease arrangement shall mean the activity of leasing such that it does not transfer substantially all the risks and rewards incidental to the ownership of the asset involved; (v) “Ship” shall include any watercraft, used or capable of being used in navigation by its own propulsion, in, above, or under the water but does not include fishing or sailing watercraft. (vi)¹ [“Single Window IT Systems (SWITs)” refers to an online platform designed, inter-alia, to facilitate the processing of applications submitted by the applicant for obtaining Certificate of Registration under the Finance Company Regulations.]
¹ Inserted consequent to the circular No. IFSCA-ITIn0WEB/1/2023-IT Infrastructure and Fintech- Part (1) titled ‘Single Window IT System inter-alia for registration and approval from IFSCA, SEZ authorities, GSTN, RBI, SEBI and IRDAI’ dated September 30, 2024.
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C. Eligibility of Applicant: (i) An applicant desirous of undertaking permissible activities in IFSCs as a lessor shall meet the eligibility criteria and other requirements as specified under the Finance Company Regulations, including the following: a. The applicant shall set up operations in an IFSC in the form of a Company or a Limited Liability Partnership (LLP) or a Trust or a Branch under this Framework or in any other form as may be specified by the IFSCA from time to time. Explanation: The branch set up in IFSC may also be of a wholly owned subsidiary (including a subsidiary incorporated outside IFSC) of the IFSC registered entity, for the purpose. b. In case the applicant is a company, the ‘promoter’, as defined in the Companies Act, 2013, of the applicant shall be located in a Financial Action Task Force compliant jurisdiction. In case the applicant is a LLP or a Trust, the partners or the trustees, as the case may be, shall also comply with this requirement. (ii) All entities set up in IFSC for carrying out permitted activities as envisaged in the Framework shall comply with all requirements, exceptions, regulations and conditions imposed by any applicable statute including the Merchant Shipping Act, 1958 (“Shipping Act”), and shall also include circulars and notifications issued by competent authorities established under the Shipping Act or other applicable statutes, by the Ministry of Shipping or Director General of Shipping.
D. Registration of lessor: ²[(i) An applicant desirous of undertaking permissible activities as a lessor shall submit an application to the IFSCA through SWITs, (https://swit.ifsca.gov.in) along with the application fees as specified in this Framework.] ³ ⁴[(ii) An applicant shall not undertake any activity as a lessor unless it has obtained a Certificate of Registration from the IFSCA under Finance Company Regulations.]
² Modified consequent to circular No. IFSCA-ITIn0WEB/1/2023-IT Infrastructure and Fintech- Part (1) titled ‘Single Window IT System inter-alia for registration and approval from IFSCA, SEZ authorities, GSTN, RBI, SEBI and IRDAI’ dated September 30, 2024. ³ Revised vide Circular No. 496/IFSCA/FC/SLF/2022-23/002, titled ‘Amendment to the Circular titled ‘Framework for Ship Leasing’, dated March 22, 2023. Before revision it stood as under: “(ii) An applicant shall not undertake any activity as a lessor unless it has obtained a Certificate of Registration from the IFSCA under Finance Company Regulations. Explanation: An applicant desirous of undertaking ‘Asset Management Support Services related to ship lease’ for an asset other than as mentioned at clause E(ii) of this Circular shall obtain a separate authorisation under the Framework for enabling ancillary services at IFSC (Circular F.No. 206/IFSCA/Anc.Aux/2020-21 dated February 10, 2021), issued by the IFSCA.” ⁴ Revised vide Circular No. ‘IFSCA-FCR0SL/25/2025-Banking/2026-27/01’dated April 22, 2026 , titled ‘Amendment to the Circular titled ‘Framework for Ship Leasing’. Before revision, the ‘Explanation’ stood as under:
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(iii) An entity registered or authorized with IFSCA, which is not undertaking Ship leasing and is desirous of undertaking permissible activities as per this framework, shall apply separately for registration under this framework. For this purpose, an entity registered with IFSCA for undertaking operating lease for ship shall also have to seek permission if it is desirous of undertaking permissible activities referred at clause 3H(i), (ii) and (iv) below.