New Delhi: In a move aimed at bolstering India’s financial integrity and strengthening its fight against money laundering and terrorist financing, the Financial Intelligence Unit – India (FIU-IND) and the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) today in New Delhi. This partnership is a significant step toward ensuring more robust and coordinated implementation of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) and the rules framed under it.
The MoU was formally signed by Vivek Aggarwal, Director, FIU-IND, and R.L.K. Rao, Executive Director, Department of Regulation, RBI, in the presence of senior officials from both institutions, including Bedobani Chaudhuri (Additional Director, FIU-IND), Veena Srivastava (Chief General Manager, RBI), Avinash Kumar (Deputy Director, FIU-IND), and Sanjoy Ghosh (FSE, FIU-IND).
Coordinated Action for Financial Vigilance
The MoU outlines a comprehensive framework for cooperation between FIU-IND and RBI across a range of strategic areas. Key highlights of the agreement include:
- Appointment of Nodal Officers: Each party will designate a nodal officer and an alternate nodal officer to facilitate smooth and effective communication.
- Sharing of Intelligence: Both institutions will share relevant information and intelligence from their respective databases to assist in identifying and preventing illicit financial activities.
- Reporting Procedures: Joint efforts will be made to streamline procedures for how regulated and reporting entities submit information to FIU-IND under PML Rules.
- Outreach and Capacity Building: The two bodies will conduct joint outreach and training programs to enhance Anti-Money Laundering (AML) and Combating Financing of Terrorism (CFT) skills among financial institutions regulated by the RBI.
- Risk Assessment and Compliance Monitoring: The MoU facilitates collaboration on assessing money laundering and terror financing risks, identifying red flag indicators, and supervising compliance of entities with obligations under PMLA and relevant RBI regulations.
- Quarterly Review Meetings: Regular quarterly meetings will be held to discuss issues of mutual interest and evaluate progress on joint initiatives.
- Alignment with Global Standards: The partnership will also focus on ensuring that India’s AML/CFT framework is in line with relevant international best practices and standards.
This strategic alliance marks a new chapter in India’s commitment to curbing financial crimes and enhancing transparency within the financial ecosystem. By leveraging the regulatory strengths of the RBI and the analytical expertise of FIU-IND, the MoU is expected to significantly improve the detection and prevention of suspicious financial activities.
Officials underscored that the collaboration will not only support effective implementation of legal provisions under the PMLA but will also reinforce India’s efforts in meeting its international obligations related to AML/CFT.
