Mumbai’s financial landscape saw transformative shifts last year, as SEBI Chairman Tuhin Kanta Pandey marked the completion of his inaugural year at the helm. In an exclusive interview, Pandey described the period as a ‘year of reforms,’ navigating through a maze of financial upheavals, geopolitical tensions, and rapid technological disruptions that tested the resilience of India’s capital markets.
Pandey highlighted how stakeholders united to drive progress across key areas: easing business operations, simplifying investments, bolstering market infrastructure, and fueling equity market growth. ‘It was a year packed with challenges but equally rich in achievements,’ he noted, emphasizing a strategic focus on four pillars—trust, transparency, teamwork, and technology.
Under his leadership, SEBI pursued ‘optimal regulation’—a balanced approach avoiding overreach or laxity. Enforcement and surveillance mechanisms were fortified to ensure robust compliance. Pandey expressed satisfaction with the team’s hard work, which yielded significant milestones in safeguarding investors and fostering market development.
A standout innovation is ‘Sudarshan,’ SEBI’s AI-powered tool designed to detect rogue finfluencers violating regulations. This technology enables swift action, including potential removal from cyberspace, underscoring SEBI’s commitment to investor protection—one of its three core mandates alongside market development and regulation.
Looking ahead, Pandey assured streamlined processes and enhanced support for SMEs accessing capital markets via dedicated exchange platforms. He cautioned investors against chasing extraordinary returns, advocating disciplined, long-term strategies amid realistic 12-14% annual yields seen recently.
SEBI’s roadmap remains clear: protect investors, grow markets, and regulate effectively, as enshrined by Parliament. With technology as an ally, the regulator is poised for sustained evolution in India’s dynamic financial ecosystem.