India counts HDFC stake in HDFC Bank as foreign

India's foreign investment regulator has approved raising the foreign holding limit in second-biggest private sector lender HDFC Bank Ltd but counts its parent's holding as foreign, reported the Business Standard newspaper.

India's foreign investment regulator has approved raising the foreign holding limit in second-biggest private sector lender HDFC Bank Ltd but counts its parent's holding as foreign, the Business Standard newspaper reported on Saturday.

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Counting the 22.50% stake owned by mortgage lender Housing Development Finance Corp and two of its units in HDFC Bank would limit capacity for any further foreign fund raising by the bank, the report said, citing an unidentified government official.

An HDFC Bank spokesman was not immediately available for comment.

HDFC Bank said it May it has plans to raise as much as Rs 100 billion by selling shares.

HDFC Ltd is an Indian mortgage lender but is 77.85% owned by foreigners, according to stock exchange data.