How InvIT will help construction companies to boost Infrastructure Development

Infrastructure development is crucial for the growth of any country, and India is no exception. In recent years, India has made significant strides in this area, with many construction companies emerging over the years. Construction companies are the backbone of the infrastructure development in India, but they often face challenges in securing financing for their projects. This is where InvITs come in. To counter the significant challenges in financing and executing large-scale infrastructure projects, Infrastructure Investment Trusts (InvITs) have emerged as an innovative and effective financing tool that can help bridge the infrastructure funding gap.

InvITs are trusts that own and manage revenue-generating infrastructure assets, such as roads, power transmission lines, and airports. These assets are typically leased to private sector players, such as construction companies, on a long-term basis, generating stable and predictable cash flows. InvITs pool the income generated by these assets and distribute it among the trust's investors as dividends.

The use of InvITs is expected to provide several benefits to infrastructure development in India. Firstly, InvITs can enable construction companies to monetize their infrastructure assets, freeing up capital for further investment in new projects. This, in turn, can help accelerate the pace of infrastructure development and promote economic growth.

Secondly, InvITs can provide a reliable and predictable source of long-term funding for infrastructure projects. By pooling resources from a large number of investors, InvITs can raise significant amounts of capital that can be used to finance large-scale infrastructure projects. This can help address the financing challenges that often hinder infrastructure development in India.

Thirdly, InvITs can help improve the operational efficiency of infrastructure assets. InvITs are required to be managed by professional asset managers, who are responsible for maintaining and optimizing the assets to maximize their revenue potential. This can help ensure that infrastructure assets are well-maintained and efficiently operated, which can benefit both the investors and the public at large.



The use of InvITs in India's infrastructure sector has been growing steadily in recent years. The first InvIT was launched in 2017 by IRB Infrastructure Developers, a leading construction company. Since then, several other construction companies, including Larsen & Toubro, K Raheja Corp, and GMR Infrastructure, have launched their InvITs.

The growth of InvITs has been facilitated by the regulatory framework put in place by the Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI), which has created a favorable environment for InvITs to thrive. In particular, SEBI has provided clear guidelines on the structure and operation of InvITs, which has helped boost investor confidence in this asset class.

However, there are some challenges that need to be addressed to fully realize the potential of InvITs in India's infrastructure sector. One of the main challenges is the limited availability of high-quality infrastructure assets that can be included in InvITs. This is due to the slow pace of infrastructure development in the country and the lack of a well-developed secondary market for infrastructure assets.

Another challenge is the lack of awareness among investors about the potential benefits of investing in InvITs. Many investors are still not familiar with this asset class and are hesitant to invest in it due to perceived risks and uncertainties.

To address these challenges, the government and industry stakeholders need to take concerted efforts to promote the use of InvITs in infrastructure development. This can be done by increasing awareness among investors about the benefits of InvITs and by promoting the development of high-quality infrastructure assets that can be included in InvITs.