The Asian Development Bank (ADB) has raised 3 billion Indian Rupees (INR), about $47 million, from a new issue of offshore Indian Rupee-linked bonds to help finance climate change mitigation and adaptation projects in India.
“Today’s fundraising represents ADB’s maiden Indian Rupee green bond and shows the institution’s long term commitment to financial market development in India,” said ADB Treasurer Pierre Van Peteghem. “In today’s markets, green bonds are an increasingly important source of financing for climate change projects and given ADB’s strong engagement in the capital markets of developing Asia, it is a natural next step for ADB to issue green bonds in local currency.”
The bond issue carries a 6.00% interest rate with a 3.75-year maturity, falling due in February 2021.
The bonds, which are denominated in Indian rupees but settled in US dollars, were underwritten by JP Morgan and TD Securities as Joint Lead Managers. The bonds were placed 9% in Asia, 70% in Europe, and 21% in the Americas. By investor type, 48% of the bonds were placed with banks, and 52% with fund managers.
Proceeds from the bonds will be mobilized into ADB’s first cofinancing with the JICA LEAP Fund for the ReNew Clean Energy Project, a wind and solar power project across six states in India. India is ADB’s fourth largest shareholder and its largest borrower, excluding cofinancing. In 2016, ADB approved $2.26 billion in sovereign loans and $795 million in private sector projects in India, its largest market.
ADB is a regular borrower in the mainstream international bond markets but has also led issuance in developing Asian countries as part of efforts to promote domestic bond markets as an alternative to bank lending. ADB plans to raise up to $30 billion from the capital markets in 2017.
ADB, based in Manila, is dedicated to reducing poverty in Asia and the Pacific through inclusive economic growth, environmentally sustainable growth, and regional integration. Established in 1966, ADB is celebrating 50 years of development partnership in the region. It is owned by 67 members—48 from the region. In 2016, ADB assistance totaled $31.7 billion, including $14 billion in cofinancing.
