As announced in the Union Budget 2022-23, the Government of India, as part of its overall market borrowings, will be issuing Sovereign Green Bonds (SGrBs), for mobilising resources for green infrastructure. The proceeds will be deployed in public sector projects which help in reducing the carbon intensity of the economy. Accordingly, it was notified in the Half-yearly issuance calendar for marketable dated securities for the second half of the fiscal year 2022-23 on September 29, 2022 that SGrBs for an aggregate amount of Rs 16,000 crore would be issued. Government of India has since issued the Sovereign Green Bond Framework on November 09, 2022.

The Government of India, in consultation with the Reserve Bank of India, has decided to notify the indicative calendar for issuance of SGrBs for the fiscal year 2022-23. The issuance calendar is as under:

S.No	Date of Auction	Amount in (Rs Crore)	Security-wise Allocation
1	January 25, 2023	8000	i) 05 Year SGrB for Rs 4,000 crore
			ii) 10 Year SGrB for Rs 4,000 crore
2	February 09, 2023	8000	i) 05 Year SGrB for Rs 4,000 crore
			ii) 10 Year SGrB for Rs 4,000 crore

The features of the SGrB issuance will be as under:

• Issuance Method:  SGrBs will be issued through Uniform Price Auction.
• Non-competitive bidding facility: Five per cent of the notified amount of sale will be reserved for retail investors as specified under the ‘Scheme for Non-competitive Bidding Facility in the Auctions of Government of India Dated Securities and Treasury Bills’.
• Eligibility for Repurchase Transactions (Repo): SGrBs will be eligible for Repurchase Transactions (Repo) as per the terms and conditions mentioned in Repurchase Transactions (Repo) (Reserve Bank) Directions, 2018 as amended from time to time.
• Eligibility for Statutory Liquidity Ratio (SLR): SGrBs will be reckoned as eligible investment for SLR purpose.
• When-issued Trading: SGrBs will be eligible for “When Issued” trading in accordance with the guidelines on ‘Transactions in the When Issued market in Central Government Securities’ issued by the Reserve Bank of India vide circular No. RBI/2018-19/25 dated July 24, 2018, as amended from time to time.
• Tradability: SGrBs will be eligible for trading in the secondary market.
• Investment by Non-residents: SGrBs will be designated as specified securities under the ‘Fully Accessible Route’ for investment in Government Securities by non-residents.

The calendar is subject to change, if circumstances so warrant, including for reasons such as intervening holidays. Such changes shall be communicated through Press Releases.

The auction of SGrBs will be subject to the terms and conditions specified in the General Notification No. F.4(2)-W&M/2018 dated March 27, 2018 issued by the Government of India, as amended from time to time.

****

RM/PPG/KMN

Sovereign Green Bonds issuance calendar announced; auctions via uniform price method with retail quota and market/trading eligibility. Issuance of Sovereign Green Bonds for FY 2022 23 is scheduled in two auctions allocating five year and ten year tranches. Issuance will follow a Uniform Price Auction, include a reserved non competitive retail quota, be eligible for Repurchase Transactions under RBI directions, qualify as Statutory Liquidity Ratio eligible investments, permit when issued and secondary market trading, and allow non resident investment via the Fully Accessible Route; the calendar is indicative and subject to change.