ASK MANISH · INVIT AND INFRASTRUCTURE

Why is governance readiness important before launching an InvIT?

Institutional investors such as pension funds, sovereign wealth funds, and domestic mutual funds will not invest unless they are confident that cash flows cannot be siphoned via opaque management fees, inflated sponsor asset acquisitions, or unmonitored related-party transactions.

Manish SatnaliwalaFounder & Managing Director, TruNorth | NorthAxis Advisory
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EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

Direct Answer

Governance readiness is critical because an InvIT operates under fiduciary trust principles where assets are held for the exclusive benefit of unitholders, rather than for the promoter's discretion. The governance framework is split across the Trustee, the Investment Manager, and the unitholders.

The Investment Manager must have an independent board (at least 50% independent directors under SEBI guidelines for public InvITs), independent audit and nomination committees, and a dedicated Investment Committee to evaluate asset acquisitions.

Furthermore, related-party transactions (such as project management contracts or future asset acquisitions from the sponsor) are strictly governed, requiring independent valuations, fairness opinions, and majority or supermajority approval of non-interested unitholders.

COMMERCIAL & STRATEGIC CONTEXT

Why This Matters for Sponsors and Leaders

Institutional investors such as pension funds, sovereign wealth funds, and domestic mutual funds will not invest unless they are confident that cash flows cannot be siphoned via opaque management fees, inflated sponsor asset acquisitions, or unmonitored related-party transactions.

DUE DILIGENCE & EVALUATION

What to Examine

Board Composition and Independence

Selecting credible, respected independent directors with domain expertise in infrastructure, capital markets, and corporate law.

Related-Party Transaction (RPT) Policies

Drafting transparent protocols for pricing and approving ongoing O&M and EPC contracts between the InvIT and the sponsor.

Unitholder Voting Thresholds

Identify the exact approval provision, voting denominator and excluded votes. The October 2026 amendment uses at least 75% of votes cast for specified Regulation 22 approvals, not every InvIT decision.

Whistleblower and Compliance Systems

Establishing institutional risk management, audit trails, and SEBI compliance mechanisms within the Investment Manager.

MANISH'S PRACTICAL PERSPECTIVE

Practical Leadership Insight

Promoters used to running private companies often find InvIT governance demanding. The day you launch an InvIT, you are no longer the unilateral owner of those assets; you are a fiduciary managing institutional capital under continuous regulatory and public market scrutiny.

NORTHAXIS ADVISORY

Need InvIT Readiness or Structuring Support?

NorthAxis Advisory supports sponsors, developers and asset owners in assessing InvIT viability, structuring HoldCo/SPV assets, financial modelling and preparing for institutional investor due diligence. All regulated intermediary roles are performed by registered SEBI intermediaries.