UNITED STATES
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549
FORM N-CSR
CERTIFIED SHAREHOLDER REPORT OF REGISTERED MANAGEMENT INVESTMENT COMPANIES
Investment Company Act file number: | 811-08266 | |
Exact name of registrant as specified in charter: | The India Fund, Inc. | |
Address of principal executive offices: | 1735 Market Street, 32nd Floor Philadelphia, PA 19103 | |
Name and address of agent for service: | Ms. Andrea Melia Aberdeen Asset Management Inc. 1735 Market Street 32nd Floor Philadelphia, PA 19103 | |
Registrants telephone number, including area code: | 800-522-5465 | |
Date of fiscal year end: | December 31 | |
Date of reporting period: | December 31, 2016 |
Item 1 - Reports to Stockholders.
The Report to Shareholders is attached herewith.
The India Fund, Inc. (IFN) Annual Report December 31, 2016 The Palace of Mysore is one of many destinations that has boosted tourism in India, an industry that has created jobs and contributed to improving infrastructure.
Letter to Shareholders
1 | The MSCI India Index is designed to measure the performance of the large and mid cap segments of the Indian market. With 76 constituents, the index covers approximately 85% of the Indian equity universe. Indexes are unmanaged and have been provided for comparison purposes only. No fees or expenses are reflected. You cannot invest directly in an index. Index performance is not an indication of the performance of the Fund itself. For complete fund performance, please visit http://www.aberdeenifn.com |
The India Fund, Inc.
1
Letter to Shareholders (concluded)
All amounts are U.S. Dollars unless otherwise stated.
The India Fund, Inc.
2
Report of the Investment Manager
1 | Indexes are unmanaged and have been provided for comparison purposes only. No fees or expenses are reflected. You cannot invest directly in an index. Index performance is not an indication of the performance of the Fund itself. For complete fund performance, please visit aberdeen-asset.us. |
2 | Demonetization comprises the act of stripping a currency unit of its status as legal tender. |
3 | The black economy comprises a cash-based system of business transactions that are not reflected in a countrys gross domestic product calculation. |
The India Fund, Inc.
3
Report of the Investment Manager (concluded)
The India Fund, Inc.
4
Total Investment Returns (unaudited)
The following table summarizes the average annual Fund total investment return compared to the Funds benchmark, the MSCI India Index, for the 1-year, 3-year, 5-year and 10-year periods as of December 31, 2016.
1 Year | 3 Years | 5 Years | 10 Years | |||||||||||||
Net Asset Value (NAV) |
0.5% | 9.7% | 10.2% | 5.1% | ||||||||||||
Market Value |
1.2% | 10.1% | 10.2% | 3.0% | ||||||||||||
MSCI India Index |
-1.4% | 4.7% | 6.8% | 2.7% |
Aberdeen Asset Management Inc. (AAMI), the Funds administrator, has entered into an agreement with the Fund to limit investor relations services fees. See Note 3 in the Notes to Financial Statements. For the fiscal year ended December 31, 2016, AAMI did not waive any investor relations services fees, because the Fund did not reach the capped amount. Returns represent past performance. Total investment return at NAV is based on changes in the NAV of Fund shares and assumes reinvestment of dividends and distributions, if any, at prices pursuant to the Funds dividend reinvestment program. All return data includes fees charged to the Fund, which are listed in the Funds Statement of Operations under Expenses. The Funds total investment return is based on the reported NAV on the financial reporting period end. Total investment return at market value is based on changes in the market price at which the Funds shares traded on the NYSE during the period and assumes reinvestment of dividends and distributions, if any, at market prices pursuant to the Funds dividend reinvestment program. Because the Funds shares trade in the stock market based on investor demand, the Fund may trade at a price higher or lower than its NAV. Therefore, returns are calculated based on both market price and NAV. Past performance is no guarantee of future results. The performance information provided does not reflect the deduction of taxes that a shareholder would pay on distributions received from the Fund. The current performance of the Fund may be lower or higher than the figures shown. The Funds yield, return, market price and NAV will fluctuate. Performance information current to the most recent month-end is available at www.aberdeenifn.com or by calling 800-522-5465.
The net expense ratio for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2016 was 1.33%.
The India Fund, Inc.
5
Portfolio Summary (unaudited)
The following table summarizes the sector composition of the Funds portfolio, in Standard & Poors Global Industry Classification Standard (GICS), expressed as a percentage of net assets as of December 31, 2016. The GICS structure consists of 11 sectors, 24 industry groups, 68 industries and 157 subindustries. As of December 31, 2016, the Fund did not have more than 25% of its assets invested in any industry. The sectors, as classified by GICS, are comprised of several industries.
Top Sectors | As a Percentage of Net Assets |
|||
Financials |
20.5% | |||
Information Technology |
19.3% | |||
Consumer Staples |
19.2% | |||
Materials |
16.9% | |||
Health Care |
13.6% | |||
Consumer Discretionary |
7.9% | |||
Industrials |
5.1% | |||
Telecommunication Services |
2.7% | |||
Energy |
0.7% | |||
Short-Term Investment |
0.1% | |||
Liabilities in Excess of Other Assets |
(6.0)% | |||
100.0% |
Top Ten Equity Holdings (unaudited)
The following were the Funds top ten holdings as of December 31, 2016:
Name of Security | As a Percentage of Net Assets |
|||
Housing Development Finance Corp. Ltd. |
9.8% | |||
Tata Consultancy Services Ltd. |
8.3% | |||
Infosys Ltd. |
8.0% | |||
ITC Ltd. |
5.9% | |||
UltraTech Cement Ltd. |
4.7% | |||
Kotak Mahindra Bank Ltd. |
4.4% | |||
Godrej Consumer Products Ltd. |
4.3% | |||
Bosch Ltd. |
4.1% | |||
Hindustan Unilever Ltd. |
4.0% | |||
Ambuja Cements Ltd. |
4.0% |
The India Fund, Inc.
6
Portfolio of Investments
As of December 31, 2016
Shares | Description | Industry and Percentage of Net Assets | Value (US$) |
|||||||
LONG-TERM INVESTMENTS105.9% |
||||||||||
COMMON STOCKS105.9% |
||||||||||
INDIA105.3% | ||||||||||
499,224 | ABB India Ltd. (a) | Electrical Equipment1.1% |
$ | 7,683,567 | ||||||
489,000 | ACC Ltd. (a) | Construction Materials1.4% |
9,567,693 | |||||||
2,500,000 | Aegis Logistics Ltd. (a) | Oil, Gas & Consumable Fuels0.7% |
4,720,826 | |||||||
9,026,000 | Ambuja Cements Ltd. (a) | Construction Materials4.0% |
27,323,849 | |||||||
1,735,880 | Asian Paints Ltd. (a) | Chemicals3.3% |
22,756,325 | |||||||
1,480,000 | Bharti Airtel Ltd. (a) | Wireless Telecommunication Services1.0% |
6,650,675 | |||||||
2,266,161 | Bharti Infratel Ltd. (a) | Diversified Telecommunication Services1.7% |
11,487,360 | |||||||
90,000 | Bosch Ltd. (a) | Auto Components4.1% |
28,059,773 | |||||||
1,300,000 | Castrol (India) Ltd. (a) | Chemicals1.1% |
7,270,876 | |||||||
1,310,000 | Container Corp. of India Ltd. (a) | Road & Rail3.1% |
21,363,483 | |||||||
240,430 | Cummins India Ltd. (a) | Machinery0.4% |
2,883,341 | |||||||
478,000 | Emami Ltd. (a) | Personal Products1.0% |
6,644,067 | |||||||
194,107 | GlaxoSmithKline Pharmaceuticals Ltd. | Pharmaceuticals1.1% |
7,807,752 | |||||||
1,348,240 | Godrej Consumer Products Ltd. (a) | Personal Products4.3% |
30,022,431 | |||||||
1,325,230 | Grasim Industries Ltd. (a) | Construction Materials2.4% |
16,751,737 | |||||||
1,315,000 | HDFC Bank Ltd. (a) | Banks3.4% |
23,251,283 | |||||||
588,000 | Hero MotoCorp Ltd. (a) | Automobiles3.8% |
26,226,983 | |||||||
2,250,000 | Hindustan Unilever Ltd. (a) | Household Products4.0% |
27,332,103 | |||||||
3,641,000 | Housing Development Finance Corp. Ltd. (a) | Thrifts & Mortgage Finance9.8% |
67,461,428 | |||||||
5,270,000 | ICICI Bank Ltd. (a) | Banks2.9% |
19,712,008 | |||||||
3,723,000 | Infosys Ltd. (a) | Information Technology Services8.0% |
55,280,640 | |||||||
11,485,000 | ITC Ltd. (a) | Tobacco5.9% |
40,651,495 | |||||||
1,250,000 | Jyothy Laboratories Ltd. (a) | Household Products0.9% |
6,191,132 | |||||||
2,910,000 | Kotak Mahindra Bank Ltd. (a) | Banks4.4% |
30,695,711 | |||||||
992,000 | Lupin Ltd. (a) | Pharmaceuticals3.1% |
21,628,784 | |||||||
2,030,000 | Mphasis Ltd. (a) | Information Technology Services2.4% |
16,778,733 | |||||||
244,300 | Nestle India Ltd. (a) | Food Products3.1% |
21,570,808 | |||||||
1,026,264 | Piramal Enterprises Ltd. (a) | Pharmaceuticals3.5% |
24,456,647 | |||||||
260,000 | Sanofi India Ltd. | Pharmaceuticals2.4% |
16,449,683 | |||||||
2,597,318 | Sun Pharmaceutical Industries Ltd. (a) | Pharmaceuticals3.5% |
24,001,953 | |||||||
1,649,379 | Tata Consultancy Services Ltd. (a) | Information Technology Services8.3% |
57,399,426 | |||||||
322,758 | Thermax Ltd. (a) | Machinery0.5% |
3,518,127 | |||||||
685,000 | UltraTech Cement Ltd. (a) | Construction Materials4.7% |
32,720,692 | |||||||
UNITED STATES0.6% |
||||||||||
71,000 | Cognizant Technology Solutions Corp. (b) | Information Technology Services0.6% |
3,978,130 | |||||||
Total Common Stocks | 730,299,521 | |||||||||
Total Long-Term Investments105.9% (cost $409,227,831) | 730,299,521 |
See Notes to Financial Statements.
The India Fund, Inc.
7
Portfolio of Investments (concluded)
As of December 31, 2016
Shares | Description | Value (US$) |
||||||||
SHORT-TERM INVESTMENT0.1% |
||||||||||
UNITED STATES0.1% |
||||||||||
644,506 | State Street Institutional U.S. Government Money Market Fund(c) | $ | 644,506 | |||||||
Total Short-Term Investment0.1% (cost $644,506) | 644,506 | |||||||||
Total Investments106.0% (cost $409,872,337) (d) | 730,944,027 | |||||||||
Liabilities in Excess of Other Assets(6.0)% | (41,207,772 | ) | ||||||||
Net Assets100.0% | $ | 689,736,255 |
(a) | Fair Values are determined pursuant to procedures approved by the Funds Board of Directors. Unless otherwise noted, securities are valued by applying valuation factors to the exchange traded price. See Note 2(a) of the accompanying Notes to Financial Statements. |
(b) | Non-income producing security. |
(c) | Registered investment company advised by State Street Global Advisors. |
(d) | See accompanying Notes to Financial Statements for tax unrealized appreciation/(depreciation) of securities. |
See Notes to Financial Statements.
The India Fund, Inc.
8
Statement of Assets and Liabilities
As of December 31, 2016
Assets |
||||
Investments, at value (cost $409,227,831) |
$ | 730,299,521 | ||
Short-term investments, at value (cost $644,506) |
644,506 | |||
Foreign currency, at value (cost $3,492,737) |
3,491,991 | |||
Interest and dividends receivable |
339 | |||
Prepaid expenses |
96,676 | |||
Total assets |
734,533,033 | |||
Liabilities |
||||
Dividends payable to common shareholders |
42,401,541 | |||
Deferred foreign capital gains tax |
1,386,841 | |||
Investment management fees payable (Note 3) |
642,796 | |||
Administration fees payable (Note 3) |
49,609 | |||
Investor relations fees payable (Note 3) |
46,932 | |||
Director fees payable |
45,520 | |||
Accrued expenses |
223,539 | |||
Total liabilities |
44,796,778 | |||
Net Assets |
$ | 689,736,255 | ||
Composition of Net Assets: |
||||
Capital stock (par value $.001 per share) (Note 5) |
$ | 28,457 | ||
Paid-in capital in excess of par |
367,840,776 | |||
Distributions in excess of net investment income |
(6,404,146 | ) | ||
Accumulated net realized gain from investments and foreign currency transactions |
8,587,065 | |||
Net unrealized appreciation on investments and translation of assets and liabilities denominated in foreign currencies |
319,684,103 | |||
Net Assets |
$ | 689,736,255 | ||
Net asset value per share based on 28,457,410 shares issued and outstanding |
$ | 24.24 |
See Notes to Financial Statements.
The India Fund, Inc.
9
Statement of Operations
For the Year Ended December 31, 2016
Net Investment Income |
||||
Income |
||||
Dividends and other income (net of foreign withholding taxes of $0) |
$ | 10,203,428 | ||
10,203,428 | ||||
Expenses |
||||
Investment management fee (Note 3) |
7,935,561 | |||
Administration fee (Note 3) |
643,219 | |||
Directors fees |
423,521 | |||
Custodians fees and expenses |
338,740 | |||
Investor relations fees and expenses (Note 3) |
207,798 | |||
Legal fees and expenses |
193,185 | |||
Reports to shareholders and proxy solicitation |
149,949 | |||
Insurance expense |
122,660 | |||
Independent auditors fees and expenses |
92,963 | |||
PA franchise tax fee |
65,606 | |||
Transfer agents fees and expenses |
22,082 | |||
Miscellaneous |
59,951 | |||
Net expenses |
10,255,235 | |||
Net Investment Loss |
(51,807 | ) | ||
Net Realized and Unrealized Gain/(Loss) on Investments and Foreign Currency Related Transactions |
||||
Net realized gain/(loss) from: |
||||
Investment transactions |
51,368,569 | |||
Foreign currency transactions |
(464,126 | ) | ||
50,904,443 | ||||
Net change in unrealized appreciation/(depreciation) on: |
||||
Investments (including $4,352,928 change in deferred capital gains tax) (Note 2f) |
(53,474,903 | ) | ||
Foreign currency translation |
(8,995 | ) | ||
(53,483,898 | ) | |||
Net realized and unrealized (loss) from investments and foreign currency transactions |
(2,579,455 | ) | ||
Net Decrease in Net Assets Resulting from Operations |
$ | (2,631,262 | ) |
See Notes to Financial Statements.
The India Fund, Inc.
10
Statements of Changes in Net Assets
For the Year Ended December 31, 2016 |
For the Year Ended December 31, 2015 |
|||||||
Increase/(Decrease) in Net Assets |
||||||||
Operations: |
||||||||
Net investment income/(loss) |
$ | (51,807 | ) | $ | 435,989 | |||
Net realized gain from investments and foreign currency transactions |
50,904,443 | 45,672,679 | ||||||
Net change in unrealized appreciation/(depreciation) on investments and translation of assets and liabilities denominated in foreign currencies |
(53,483,898 | ) | (72,417,737 | ) | ||||
Net decrease in net assets resulting from operations |
(2,631,262 | ) | (26,309,069 | ) | ||||
Distributions to Shareholders from: |
||||||||
Net investment income |
(1,062,403 | ) | (4,894,930 | ) | ||||
Net realized gains |
(47,561,090 | ) | (48,554,755 | ) | ||||
Net decrease in net assets from distributions |
(48,623,493 | ) | (53,449,685 | ) | ||||
Capital Share Transactions: |
||||||||
Repurchase of shares under open market repurchase policy (789,662 and 360,209, respectively) (Note 6) |
(18,073,096 | ) | (8,730,657 | ) | ||||
Change in net assets from capital share transactions |
(18,073,096 | ) | (8,730,657 | ) | ||||
Change in net assets resulting from operations |
(69,327,851 | ) | (88,489,411 | ) | ||||
Net Assets: |
||||||||
Beginning of year |
759,064,106 | 847,553,517 | ||||||
End of year (including distributions in excess of net investment income of ($6,404,146) and ($5,378,077), respectively) |
$ | 689,736,255 | $ | 759,064,106 |
See Notes to Financial Statements.
The India Fund, Inc.
11
Financial Highlights
For the Fiscal Years Ended December 31, | ||||||||||||||||||||
2016 | 2015 | 2014 | 2013 | 2012 | ||||||||||||||||
Per Share Operating Performance(a): |
||||||||||||||||||||
Net asset value, beginning of year | $25.95 | $28.63 | $22.92 | $23.79 | $21.57 | |||||||||||||||
Net investment income/(loss) | | 0.01 | (b) | 0.08 | 0.10 | 0.11 | ||||||||||||||
Net realized and unrealized gain/(loss) on investments and foreign currency related transactions | (0.09 | ) | (0.91 | ) | 7.40 | 0.05 | 4.44 | |||||||||||||
Total from investment operations | (0.09 | ) | (0.90 | ) | 7.48 | 0.15 | 4.55 | |||||||||||||
Dividends and distributions to shareholders from: | ||||||||||||||||||||
Net investment income | (0.04 | ) | (0.16 | ) | (0.12 | ) | (0.08 | ) | (0.15 | ) | ||||||||||
Net realized gains | (1.67 | ) | (1.66 | ) | (1.74 | ) | (0.87 | ) | (2.22 | ) | ||||||||||
Total dividends and distributions to shareholders | (1.71 | ) | (1.82 | ) | (1.86 | ) | (0.95 | ) | (2.37 | ) | ||||||||||
Capital Share Transactions: | ||||||||||||||||||||
Impact due to capital shares issued from stock distribution (Note 5) | | | | (0.21 | ) | | ||||||||||||||
Impact due to shares tendered or repurchased (Notes 5 and 6) | | | 0.08 | 0.04 | 0.04 | |||||||||||||||
Impact due to open market repurchase policy (Note 6) | 0.09 | 0.04 | 0.01 | 0.10 | | |||||||||||||||
Total capital share transactions | 0.09 | 0.04 | 0.09 | (0.07 | ) | 0.04 | ||||||||||||||
Net asset value, end of year | $24.24 | $25.95 | $28.63 | $22.92 | $23.79 | |||||||||||||||
Market value, end of year | $21.39 | $22.74 | $25.81 | $20.00 | $20.91 | |||||||||||||||
Total Investment Return Based on(c): | ||||||||||||||||||||
Market value | 1.20% | (4.42% | ) | 37.83% | 0.16% | 21.70% | ||||||||||||||
Net asset value | 0.50% | (1.67% | )(d) | 33.41% | (d) | 0.89% | 22.22% | |||||||||||||
Ratio to Average Net Assets/Supplementary Data: | ||||||||||||||||||||
Net assets, end of year (000 omitted) | $689,736 | $759,064 | $847,554 | $800,673 | $877,076 | |||||||||||||||
Average net assets (000 omitted) | $770,618 | $862,993 | $837,505 | $874,054 | $940,120 | |||||||||||||||
Net expenses, after income tax reversal, after reimbursement and waiver(e) | 1.33% | 1.32% | 1.47% | 1.17% | 1.16% | |||||||||||||||
Net expenses, before income tax reversal, prior to reimbursement and waiver(e) | 1.33% | 1.32% | 1.74% | 1.43% | 1.41% | |||||||||||||||
Net investment income/(loss) | (0.01% | ) | 0.05% | (b) | 0.29% | 0.41% | 0.49% | |||||||||||||
Portfolio turnover | 12.25% | 5.74% | 3.28% | 3.32% | 36.36% |
(a) | Based on average shares outstanding. |
(b) | Included within the net investment income per share and the ratio of net investment income to average net assets are the effects of an adjustment to a foreign tax liability. If such amounts were excluded, the net investment income per share and the ratio of net investment income to average net assets would have been $(0.01) and -0.04%, respectively. |
(c) | Total investment return based on market value is calculated assuming that shares of the Funds common stock were purchased at the closing market price as of the beginning of the period, dividends, capital gains, and other distributions were reinvested as provided for in the Funds dividend reinvestment plan and then sold at the closing market price per share on the last day of the period. The computation does not reflect any sales commission investors may incur in purchasing or selling shares of the Fund. The total investment return based on the net asset value is similarly computed except that the Funds net asset value is substituted for the closing market value. |
(d) | Includes adjustments in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America and as such, the net asset value for financial reporting purposes and the returns based upon those net asset values may differ from the net asset value and returns based upon net asset value as reported. |
(e) | Prior to 2016, ratio inclusive of foreign tax expense. |
Amounts listed as - are $0 or round to $0.
See Notes to Financial Statements.
The India Fund, Inc.
12
Notes to Financial Statements
December 31, 2016
The India Fund, Inc.
13
Notes to Financial Statements (continued)
December 31, 2016
The following is a summary of the inputs used as of December 31, 2016 in valuing the Funds investments and other financial instruments at fair value. The inputs or methodology used for valuing securities are not necessarily an indication of the risk associated with investing in those securities. Please refer to the Portfolio of Investments for a detailed breakout of the security types:
Investments, at Value | Level 1 | Level 2 | Level 3 | Total | ||||||||||||
Long-Term Investments |
||||||||||||||||
Information Technology Services |
$ | 3,978,130 | $ | 129,458,799 | $ | | $ | 133,436,929 | ||||||||
Pharmaceuticals |
24,257,435 | 70,087,384 | | 94,344,819 | ||||||||||||
Other |
| 502,517,773 | | 502,517,773 | ||||||||||||
Short-Term Investment |
644,506 | | | 644,506 | ||||||||||||
Total |
$ | 28,880,071 | $ | 702,063,956 | $ | | $ | 730,944,027 |
The India Fund, Inc.
14
Notes to Financial Statements (continued)
December 31, 2016
The India Fund, Inc.
15
Notes to Financial Statements (continued)
December 31, 2016
The India Fund, Inc.
16
Notes to Financial Statements (continued)
December 31, 2016
The India Fund, Inc.
17
Notes to Financial Statements (continued)
December 31, 2016
9. Tax Information
The U.S. federal income tax basis of the Funds investments and the net unrealized appreciation as of December 31, 2016 were as follows:
Tax Basis of Investments |
Appreciation | Depreciation | Net Unrealized Appreciation |
|||||||||||
$416,748,228 | $ | 327,174,088 | $ | (12,978,289 | ) | $ | 314,195,799 |
Income and capital gains distributions are determined in accordance with federal income tax regulations, which may differ from GAAP. The tax character of distributions paid during the fiscal years ended December 31, 2016 and December 31, 2015 was as follows:
December 31, 2016 | December 31, 2015 | |||||||
Distributions paid from: |
||||||||
Ordinary Income |
$ | 1,062,403 | $ | 4,894,930 | ||||
Net long-term capital gains |
47,561,090 | 48,554,755 | ||||||
Total tax character of distributions |
$ | 48,623,493 | $ | 53,449,685 |
As of December 31, 2016, the components of accumulated earnings on a tax basis were as follows:
Undistributed ordinary income net |
$ | | ||
Undistributed long-term capital gains net |
9,352,644 | |||
Total undistributed earnings |
$ | 9,352,644 | ||
Qualified late-year loss deferrals |
(293,834 | )* | ||
Unrealized appreciation/(depreciation) |
312,808,212 | ** | ||
Total accumulated earnings/(losses) net |
$ | 321,867,022 |
* | For the year ended December 31, 2016, the Fund deferred qualified late year losses of $(293,834). Under federal tax law, qualified late year losses realized from investment income transactions after October 31 may be deferred and treated as occurring in the following year. |
** | The tax basis of components of distributable earnings differs from the amounts reflected in the Statement of Assets and Liabilities by temporary book/tax differences. These differences are primarily timing differences due to wash sales and passive foreign investment companies. |
The India Fund, Inc.
18
Notes to Financial Statements (concluded)
December 31, 2016
The India Fund, Inc.
19
Report of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm
To the Board of Directors and Shareholders of
The India Fund, Inc.
In our opinion, the accompanying statement of assets and liabilities, including the portfolio of investments in securities, and the related statements of operations and of changes in net assets and the financial highlights present fairly, in all material respects, the financial position of The India Fund, Inc. (the Fund) as of December 31, 2016, the results of its operations for the year then ended, the changes in its net assets for each of the two years in the period then ended and the financial highlights for each of the five years in the period then ended, in conformity with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America. These financial statements and financial highlights (hereafter referred to as financial statements) are the responsibility of the Funds management. Our responsibility is to express an opinion on these financial statements based on our audits. We conducted our audits of these financial statements in accordance with the standards of the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (United States). Those standards require that we plan and perform the audit to obtain reasonable assurance about whether the financial statements are free of material misstatement. An audit includes examining, on a test basis, evidence supporting the amounts and disclosures in the financial statements, assessing the accounting principles used and significant estimates made by management, and evaluating the overall financial statement presentation. We believe that our audits, which included confirmation of securities as of December 31, 2016 by correspondence with the custodian, provide a reasonable basis for our opinion.
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
February 27, 2017
The India Fund, Inc.
20
Federal Tax Information: Dividends and Distributions (unaudited)
The following information is provided with respect to the distributions paid by The India Fund, Inc. during the fiscal year ended December 31, 2016:
Payable Date |
Total Cash Distribution |
Long-Term Capital Gain |
Tax Return of Capital |
Net Ordinary Dividend |
Foreign Taxes Paid |
Gross Ordinary Dividend |
Qualified Dividends(1) |
Foreign Source Income |
||||||||||||||||||||||||
9/28/2016 | 0.215600 | 0.178700 | | 0.036900 | | 0.036900 | 0.036900 | 0.036841 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
1/11/2017 | 1.490000 | 1.490000 | | | | | | |
(1) | The Fund hereby designates the amount indicated above or the maximum amount of qualified dividends allowable by law. |
The India Fund, Inc.
21
Supplemental Information (unaudited)
The India Fund, Inc.
22
Supplemental Information (unaudited) (continued)
The India Fund, Inc.
23
Supplemental Information (unaudited) (continued)
The India Fund, Inc.
24
Dividend Reinvestment and Cash Purchase Plan (unaudited)
The India Fund, Inc.
25
Dividend Reinvestment and Cash Purchase Plan (unaudited) (concluded)
The India Fund, Inc.
26
Management of the Fund (unaudited)
The names of the Directors and Officers of the Fund, their addresses, ages, and principal occupations during the past five years are provided in the tables below. Directors that are deemed interested persons (as that term is defined in Section 2(a)(19) of the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended) of the Fund or the Funds investment adviser are included in the table below under the heading Interested Directors. Directors who are not interested persons, as described above, are referred to in the table below under the heading Independent Directors.
Board of Directors Information
as of December 31, 2016
Name, Address, and Age | Position(s) Held With the Fund |
Term of Office and Length of Time Served |
Principal Occupation(s) During Past Five Years |
Number of Funds in Fund Complex* Overseen by Director |
Other Directorships Held by Director | |||||
Independent Directors |
||||||||||
Jeswald W. Salacuse c/o Aberdeen Asset Management Inc. 1735 Market Street, 32nd Floor Philadelphia, PA 19103
Year of Birth: 1938 |
Chairman of the Board of Directors, Nominating Committee, Valuation Committee and Audit Committee |
Since 1993; Current term ends at the 2018 Annual Meeting |
Mr. Salacuse has been the Henry J. Braker Professor of Commercial Law at the Fletcher School of Law & Diplomacy, Tufts University, since 1986. He was also a Visiting Professor of Law at Harvard Law School from January 2014 through July 2014, and has served as International Arbitrator, Arbitration Tribunal, ICSID, World Bank since 2004. | 2 | Chairman of The Asia Tigers Fund, Inc. | |||||
J. Marc Hardy c/o Cim Fund Services Ltd, 33, Edith Cavell Street, Port Louis, Mauritius
Year of Birth: 1954 |
Director, Audit Committee and Nominating Committee Member |
Since 2002; Current term ends at the 2019 Annual Meeting |
Mr. Hardy is a qualified stockbroker and has been providing investment advice to pension and investment funds for many years through Axys Capital Management. Since October 2010, he is the investment manager of NMHGSF, a large pension fund, and acts as Treasurer to a large group where he uses extensively derivatives products to manage foreign exchange risk and improve profitability. Mr. Hardy has served as a member of the Board Investment Committee of Mauritius Union Group since January 2012, and is a member of several investment committees for highly reputable institutions. | 2 | Director of The Asia Tigers Fund, Inc., MDA Properties Ltd of the ENL Group and Independent Director of CAM-GTF Limited and CAM-GTI Limited | |||||
Stephane R.F. Henry c/o Cim Fund Services Ltd, 33, Edith Cavell Street, Port Louis, Mauritius
Year of Birth: 1967 |
Director, Audit Committee and Nominating Committee Member |
Since 2004 Current term ends at the 2017 Annual Meeting |
Mr. Henry has been the Chief Executive Officer of Investment Professionals Ltd. (investment management) since 2005 and a Director of Ipro Growth Fund Ltd since 2011. He is also a Director of several other funds registered in Mauritius. | 1 | Director of Ipro Growth Fund Ltd, Ipro Funds Ltd and Arisaig Partners (Mauritius) Ltd. | |||||
Leslie H. Gelb c/o Aberdeen Asset Management Inc. 1735 Market Street, 32nd Floor Philadelphia, PA 19103
Year of Birth: 1937 |
Director, Audit Committee and Nominating Committee Member |
Since 1994; Current term ends at the 2017 Annual Meeting |
Mr. Gelb has been the President Emeritus of The Council on Foreign Relations since 2003. Previously, he was a Columnist, Deputy Editorial Page Editor and Editor, Op-Ed Page, of The New York Times, as well as a senior official in the departments of State and Defense. | 2 | Director of The Asia Tigers Fund, Inc. and 27 Registered Investment Companies advised by Legg Mason Partners Fund Advisor, LLC and its affiliates. | |||||
Luis Rubio c/o Aberdeen Asset Management Inc. 1735 Market Street, 32nd Floor Philadelphia, PA 19103
Year of Birth: 1955 |
Director, Audit Committee and Nominating Committee Member |
Since 1999; Current term ends at the 2017 Annual Meeting |
Mr. Rubio has been the Chairman of Centro de Investigacion para el Desarrollo, A.C. (Center of Research for Development) since 2000. He is also a frequent contributor of op-ed pieces to The Wall Street Journal and the author and editor of 48 books. | 2 | Director of The Asia Tigers Fund, Inc. and one registered investment company advised by Advantage Advisers L.L.C. or its affiliates; Director of Coca Cola Femsa. |
The India Fund, Inc.
27
Management of the Fund (unaudited) (continued)
Name, Address, and Age | Position(s) Held With the Fund |
Term of Office and Length of Time Served |
Principal Occupation(s) During Past Five Years |
Number of Funds in Fund Complex* Overseen by Director |
Other Directorships Held by Director | |||||
Nancy Yao Maasbach c/o Aberdeen Asset Management Inc. 1735 Market Street, 32nd Floor Philadelphia, PA 19103
Year of Birth: 1972 |
Director, Audit Committee and Nominating Committee Member |
Since 2016; Current term ends at the 2019 Annual Meeting |
Ms. Maasbach is the President of the Museum of Chinese in America. Prior to this position she was the executive director of the Yale-China Association, one of the oldest non-profit organizations dedicated to building U.S.-China relations at a grassroots level. Nancy has over twenty years of experience working in and covering Asia, including positions at Goldman Sachs & Co., Center for Finance and Research Analysis, and the Council on Foreign Relations. Nancy is a member of the Council on Foreign Relations. | 2 | Director of The Asia Tigers Fund, Inc. | |||||
Nisha Kumar c/o Aberdeen Asset Management Inc. 1735 Market Street, 32nd Floor Philadelphia, PA 19103
Year of Birth: 1970 |
Director, Audit Committee and Nominating Committee Member |
Since 2016; Current term ends at the 2018 Annual Meeting |
Ms. Kumar has been a Managing Director and the Chief Financial Officer and Chief Compliance Officer of Greenbriar Equity Group LLC since 2011. She was previously Chief Financial Officer and Chief Administrative Officer of Rent the Runway, Inc. during 2011. From 2007 to 2009, Ms. Kumar served as Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer of AOL LLC, a subsidiary of Time Warner Inc. Nisha is a member of the Council on Foreign Relations and serves as a board member to the following organizations: GB Flow Investment LLC, EDAC Technologies Corp., Nordco Holdings, LLC, and SEKO Global Logistics Network, LLC. | 2 | Director of The Asia Tigers Fund, Inc. | |||||
Interested Directors |
||||||||||
Martin J. Gilbert** Aberdeen Asset Management PLC 10 Queens Terrace Aberdeen, Scotland AB10 1YG
Year of Birth: 1955 |
Director | Since 2012; Current term ends at the 2018 Annual Meeting |
Mr. Gilbert is a founding director and shareholder, and Chief Executive of Aberdeen Asset Management PLC, the holding company of the fund management group that was established in 1983. Director (1991 2014), Aberdeen Asset Management Asia Limited; and Director (2000 2014), Aberdeen Asset Management Limited. Director (1995 2014), Aberdeen Asset Management Inc. | 28 | Trustee of Aberdeen Funds; Director of Aberdeen Asia-Pacific Income Fund, Inc., Aberdeen Global Income Fund, Inc., The Asia Tigers Fund, Inc., and Aberdeen Asia-Pacific Income Investment Company Limited | |||||
Hugh Young** c/o Aberdeen Asset Management Inc. Attn: US Legal 1735 Market Street, 32nd Floor, Philadelphia, PA 19103
Year of Birth: 1958 |
Director | Since 2012; Current term ends at the 2019 Annual Meeting |
Mr. Young has been a member of the Executive Management Committee of Aberdeen Asset Management PLC since 1991. He has been Managing Director of Aberdeen Asset Management Asia Limited since 1991. | 2 | Director of Aberdeen Australia Equity Fund, Inc., and Aberdeen Asia-Pacific Income Investment Company Limited |
* | Aberdeen Asia-Pacific Income Fund, Inc., Aberdeen Global Income Fund, Inc., Aberdeen Australia Equity Fund, Inc., Aberdeen Chile Fund, Inc., Aberdeen Israel Fund, Inc., Aberdeen Indonesia Fund, Inc., Aberdeen Latin America Equity Fund, Inc., Aberdeen Emerging Markets Smaller Company Opportunities Fund, Inc., Aberdeen Singapore Fund, Inc., Aberdeen Japan Equity Fund, Inc., The Asia Tigers Fund, Inc., The India Fund, Inc., Aberdeen Greater China Fund, Inc., Aberdeen Funds (consisting of 18 portfolios) and Aberdeen Investment Funds (consisting of 4 portfolios) have a common investment manager and/or investment adviser, or an investment adviser that is affiliated with the Investment Manager and Investment Adviser, and may thus be deemed to be part of the same Fund Complex. |
** | Mr. Gilbert and Mr. Young are deemed to be interested persons because of their affiliation with the Funds Investment Manager. |
The India Fund, Inc.
28
Management of the Fund (unaudited) (continued)
Information Regarding Officers who are not Directors
Name, Address and Age | Position(s) Held With the Fund |
Term of Office and Length of Time Served |
Principal Occupation(s) During Past Five Years | |||
Officers |
||||||
Alan Goodson* c/o Aberdeen Asset Management Inc. Attn: US Legal 1735 Market Street, 32nd Floor, Philadelphia, PA 19103
Year of Birth: 1974 |
President | Since 2011 | Currently, Head of Product US, overseeing Product Management, Product Development, and Investor Services for Aberdeens registered and unregistered investment companies in the U.S. and Canada. Mr. Goodson is a Director and Vice President of AAMI and joined Aberdeen in 2000. | |||
Jeffrey Cotton* c/o Aberdeen Asset Management Inc. Attn: US Legal 1735 Market Street, 32nd Floor, Philadelphia, PA 19103
Year of Birth: 1977 |
Chief Compliance Officer, Vice President | Since 2011 | Currently, Director, Vice President and Head of Compliance Americas for AAMI. Mr. Cotton joined Aberdeen in 2010. Prior to joining Aberdeen, Mr. Cotton was a Senior Compliance Officer at Old Mutual Asset Management (2009-2010) supporting its affiliated investment advisers and mutual fund platform. Mr. Cotton was also a VP, Senior Compliance Manager at Bank of America / Columbia Management (2006-2009). | |||
Lucia Sitar* c/o Aberdeen Asset Management Inc. Attn: US Legal 1735 Market Street, 32nd Floor, Philadelphia, PA 19103
Year of Birth: 1971 |
Chief Legal Officer, Vice President |
Since 2012 | Currently, Managing U.S. Counsel for AAMI. Ms. Sitar joined AAMI in July 2007. Prior to that, Ms. Sitar was an associate attorney in the Investment Management Group of Stradley Ronon Stevens & Young LLP (law firm) (2000-2007). | |||
Andrea Melia* c/o Aberdeen Asset Management Inc. Attn: US Legal 1735 Market Street, Philadelphia, PA 19103
Year of Birth: 1969 |
Treasurer | Since 2011 | Currently, Vice President and Head of Fund Administration U.S. for AAMI (since 2009). Prior to joining Aberdeen, Ms. Melia was Director of Fund Administration and accounting oversight for Princeton Administrators LLC, a division of BlackRock Inc. and had worked with Princeton Administrators since 1992. | |||
Megan Kennedy* c/o Aberdeen Asset Management Inc. Attn: US Legal 1735 Market Street, Philadelphia, PA 19103
Year of Birth: 1974 |
Secretary, Vice President |
Since 2011 | Currently, Head of Product Management for AAMI. Ms. Kennedy joined Aberdeen Asset Management Inc. in 2005 as a Senior Fund Administrator. Ms. Kennedy was promoted to Assistant Treasurer Collective Funds/North American Mutual Funds in February 2008 and promoted to Treasurer Collective Funds/North American Mutual Funds in July 2008. | |||
Adrian Lim* c/o Aberdeen Asset Management Inc. Attn: US Legal 1735 Market Street, 32nd Floor, Philadelphia, PA 19103
Year of Birth: 1971 |
Vice President | Since 2012 | Currently, Senior Investment Manager on the Asian Equities Team. Adrian joined Aberdeen in 2000 as a manager in private equity on the acquisition of Murray Johnstone and transferred to his current position soon after. |
The India Fund, Inc.
29
Management of the Fund (unaudited) (continued)
Name, Address and Age | Position(s) Held With the Fund |
Term of Office and Length of Time Served |
Principal Occupation(s) During Past Five Years | |||
Bev Hendry* c/o Aberdeen Asset Management Inc. Attn: US Legal 1735 Market Street, 32nd Floor, Philadelphia, PA 19103
Year of Birth: 1953 |
Vice President | Since 2014 | CEO Americas for Aberdeen Asset Management Inc. He first joined Aberdeen in 1987 and helped establish Aberdeens business in the Americas in Fort Lauderdale. Mr. Hendry left Aberdeen in 2008 when the company moved to consolidate its headquarters in Philadelphia. Mr. Hendry re-joined Aberdeen in 2014 from Hansberger Global Investors in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, where he worked for six years as Chief Operating Officer. | |||
Jennifer Nichols* c/o Aberdeen Asset Management Inc. Attn: US Legal 1735 Market Street, 32nd Floor, Philadelphia, PA 19103
Year of Birth: 1978 |
Vice President | Since 2011 | Currently, Global Head of Legal for Aberdeen. Director, Vice President for AAMI (since October 2006). | |||
Christian Pittard* c/o Aberdeen Asset Management Inc. Attn: US Legal 1735 Market Street, 32nd Floor, Philadelphia, PA 19103
Year of Birth: 1973 |
Vice President | Since 2011 | Currently, Group Head of Product Opportunities for Aberdeen Asset Management PLC and Director of Aberdeen Asset Managers Limited since 2010. Previously, Director and Vice President (2006-2008), Chief Executive Officer (from October 2005 to September 2006) of Aberdeen Asset Management Inc. | |||
Kasey Deja* c/o Aberdeen Asset Management Inc. 1735 Market Street, 32nd Floor, Philadelphia, PA 19103
Year of Birth: 1979 |
Assistant Secretary | Since 2012 | Currently, Senior Product Manager within Product Management for AAMI. Ms. Deja joined Aberdeen in 2005 as an Analyst in Investment Operations and transferred to the U.S. Transitions Team in 2007. In 2009, she became Manager of the U.S. Transitions Team and transferred to her current position in 2011. | |||
Sharon Ferrari* c/o Aberdeen Asset Management Inc. Attn: US Legal 1735 Market Street, 32nd Floor, Philadelphia, PA 19103
Year of Birth: 1977 |
Assistant Treasurer | Since 2013 | Currently, Senior Fund Administration Manager for AAMI. Ms. Ferrari joined AAMI as a Senior Fund Administrator in 2008. Prior to joining AAMI, Ms. Ferrari was an Accounting Analyst at Delaware Investments. |
* | As of December 2016, Messrs. Goodson, Cotton, Lim, Hendry, and Pittard and Mses. Sitar, Melia, Kennedy, Nichols, Deja, and Ferrari, hold officer position(s) in one or more of the following: Aberdeen Asia-Pacific Income Fund, Inc., Aberdeen Global Income Fund, Inc., Aberdeen Australia Equity Fund, Inc., Aberdeen Emerging Markets Smaller Company Opportunities Fund, Inc., Aberdeen Israel Fund, Inc., Aberdeen Indonesia Fund, Inc., Aberdeen Latin America Equity Fund, Inc., Aberdeen Chile Fund, Inc., Aberdeen Singapore Fund, Inc., Aberdeen Japan Equity Fund, Inc., The India Fund, Inc., The Asia Tigers Fund, Inc., Aberdeen Greater China Fund, Inc., Aberdeen Funds (consisting of 18 portfolios) and Aberdeen Investment Funds, (consisting of 4 portfolios) each of which may also be deemed to be a part of the same Fund Complex. |
The India Fund, Inc.
30
Corporate Information
Aberdeen Asset Management Asia Limited
Notice is hereby given in accordance with Section 23(c) of the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended, that the Fund may purchase, from time to time, shares of its common stock in the open market.
Shares of The India Fund, Inc. are traded on the NYSE under the symbol IFN. Information about the Funds net asset value and market price is available at www.aberdeenifn.com.
This report, including the financial information herein, is transmitted to the shareholders of The India Fund, Inc. for their general information only. It does not have regard to the specific investment objectives, financial situation and the particular needs of any specific person. Past performance is no guarantee of future returns.
Aberdeens Investor Relations Services We invite you to enroll today and stop the paper. As part of our commitment to shareholders, we invite you to visit Aberdeens Closed-End Funds on the web at cef.aberdeen-asset.us/ where you can view monthly fact sheets, portfolio manager commentary, distribution and performance information, updated daily fact sheets courtesy of Morningstar®, portfolio charting, and other timely data. To learn more about Aberdeens Closed End Funds Enroll today and receive shareholder reports electronically* Visit us: By enrolling in this convenient service, you will receive important Fund Aberdeen Closed-End Fund Center documents including annual reports, semi-annual reports, prospectuses, cef.aberdeen-asset.us/ and proxy statements via e-mail. Theres never been a faster, simpler or more environmentally-friendly Watch us: way to receive investment information. Aberdeen Closed-End Fund TVaberdeen-asset.us/aam.nsf/usclosed/aberdeentv To enroll, follow these simple steps: E-mail us: 1. Go to cef.aberdeen-asset.us/ InvestorRelations@aberdeen-asset.com 2. Click on the link for Email Services - under Tools and Resources, Call us Shareholder Services: 800-522-5465 which takes you to Open Monday to Friday 9am-5pm (ET) http://cef.aberdeen-asset.us/en/cefinvestorcenter/contact-us/email 3. Click Sign-up. You can expect to receive your electronic documents in 4-6 weeks. (*)Please note that Aberdeen does not share our shareholder information with any other organizations. You can return to this site at any time to change your email address or edit your preferences. IFN-ANNUAL
Item 2 - Code of Ethics.
As of December 31, 2016, the Registrant had adopted a Code of Ethics that applies to the Registrants principal executive officer, principal financial officer, principal accounting officer or controller, or persons performing similar functions regardless of whether these individuals are employed by the Registrant or a third party (the Code of Ethics). During the period covered by this report, there were no material changes to the Code of Ethics. During the period covered by this report, there were no waivers to the provisions of the Code of Ethics. A copy of the Code of Ethics has been filed as an exhibit to this Form N-CSR.
Item 3 - Audit Committee Financial Expert.
As of December 31, 2016, the Registrants Board of Directors had determined that Mr. J. Marc Hardy and Ms. Nisha Kumar, members of the Board of Directors Audit Committee, possess the attributes, and have acquired such attributes through means, identified in instruction 2 of Item 3 to Form N-CSR to each qualify as an audit committee financial expert, and has designated Mr. Hardy and Ms. Kumar as the Audit Committees financial experts. Each of Mr. Hardy and Ms. Kumar is considered to be an independent Director, as such term is defined in paragraph (a)(2) of Item 3 to Form N-CSR.
Item 4 - Principal Accountant Fees and Services.
(a) (d) Below is a table reflecting the fee information requested in Items 4(a) through (d):
Fiscal Year Ended |
(a) Audit Fees |
(b) Audit-Related Fees |
(c) Tax Fees(1) |
(d) All Other Fees |
||||||||
December 31, 2016 | $55,000 | $0 | $24,950 | $15,520(2) | ||||||||
December 31, 2015 | $104,500 | $0 | $45,745 | $75,000(2) |
(1) | Services include tax services in connection with the Registrants excise tax calculations and review of the registrants applicable tax returns. |
(2) | Services incurred in connection with the transition of branch operations from Mauritius and conduct operations directly from the U.S. This transition was effected as of end of day on March 31, 2015. |
(e)(1) | The Registrants Audit Committee (the Committee) has adopted a charter that provides that the Committee shall bear direct responsibility for the appointment, compensation, retention and oversight of the work of the Registrants independent auditors for the purpose of preparing or issuing an audit report or performing other audit, review or attest services for the Registrant. The Committee shall also evaluate the qualifications, performance and independence of the Registrants independent auditors, including whether the auditors provide any consulting services to the Investment Manager or its affiliated companies, and receive the auditors specific representations as to their independence. The Charter also provides that the Committee shall, to the extent required by applicable law, pre-approve: (i) all audit and permissible non-audit services that the Registrants independent auditors provide to the Registrant, and (ii) all non-audit services that the Registrants independent auditors provide to the Investment Manager and any entity controlling, controlled by, or under common control with the Investment Manager that provides ongoing services to the Registrant, if the engagement relates directly to the operations and financial reporting of the Registrant; provided that the Committee may implement policies and procedures by which such services are approved other than by the full Committee prior to |
their ratification by the Committee. Pursuant to the Committees Pre-Approval Policies, as amended on May 12, 2015, individual tax or audit-related services that fall within certain enumerated categories and are not presented to the Committee as part of the annual pre-approval process may be pre-approved, if deemed consistent with the independent auditors independence, by the Chairman (or any other Committee member who is a disinterested director under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended, to whom this responsibility has been delegated) so long as the estimated fee for the services does not exceed $75,000. Any such pre-approval shall be reported to the full Committee at its next regularly scheduled meeting. |
(e)(2) | None of the services described in each of paragraphs (b) through (d) of this Item involved a waiver of the pre-approval requirement by the Audit Committee pursuant to Rule 2-01 (c)(7)(i)(C) of Regulation S-X. |
(f) | Not Applicable. |
(g) | The aggregate non-audit fees billed by the Registrants accountant for services rendered to the Registrant, and rendered to the Registrants Investment Manager (not including any sub-adviser whose role is primarily portfolio management and is subcontracted with or overseen by another investment adviser), and any entity controlling, controlled by, or under common control with the Investment Manager that provides ongoing services to the Registrant for each of the last two fiscal years of the Registrant was $40,070 for 2016 and $122,245 for 2015. |
(h) | The Registrants Audit Committee of the Board of Directors has considered whether the provision of non-audit services that were rendered to the Registrants Investment Manager (not including any sub-adviser whose role is primarily portfolio management and is subcontracted with or overseen by another investment adviser), and any entity controlling, controlled by, or under common control with the Investment Manager that provides ongoing services to the Registrant that were not pre-approved pursuant to paragraph (c)(7)(ii) of Rule 2-01 of Regulation S-X is compatible with maintaining the principal accountants independence and has concluded that it is. |
Item 5 - Audit Committee of Listed Registrants.
(a) |
The Registrant has a separately-designated standing Audit Committee established in accordance with Section 3(a)(58)(A) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (15 U.S.C. 78c(a)(58)(A)). |
For the fiscal year ended December 31, 2016, the Audit Committee members were:
Leslie H. Gelb
J. Marc Hardy
Stephane R.F. Henry
Nisha Kumar
Nancy Yao Maasbach
Luis F. Rubio
Jeswald W. Salacuse
(b) | Not applicable |
Item 6 - Investments.
(a) | Included as part of the Report to Stockholders filed under Item 1 of this Form N-CSR. |
(b) | Not applicable. |
Item 7 - Disclosure | of Proxy Voting Policies and Procedures for Closed-End Management Investment Companies. |
Pursuant to the Registrants Proxy Voting Policy and Procedures, the Registrant has delegated responsibility for its proxy voting to its Investment Manager, provided that the Registrants Board of Directors has the opportunity to periodically review the Investment Managers proxy voting policies and material amendments thereto.
The proxy voting policies of the Registrant are included herewith as Exhibit (c) and policies of the Investment Manager are included as Exhibit (d).
Item 8 - Portfolio Managers of Closed-End Management Investment Companies.
(a)(1) The information in the table below is as of March 9, 2017.
Individual & Position |
Services Rendered |
Past Business Experience | ||
Hugh Young Managing Director |
Responsible for equities globally from the Singapore office. | Currently Managing Director and group head of equities as well as a member of the executive committee responsible for Aberdeens day-to-day running. Co-founded Singapore-based Aberdeen Asia in 1992 having been recruited in 1985 to manage Asian equities from London. | ||
Adrian Lim Senior Investment Manager Equities - Asia |
Responsible for Asian equities portfolio management. | Currently a Senior Investment Manager of Asian Equities. Mr. Lim joined Aberdeen from Murray Johnstone in December 2000. He was previously an associate director at Arthur Andersen advising clients on mergers & acquisitions in South East Asia. He moved from private equity to the Asian Equities team in July 2003. | ||
Kristy Fong Senior Investment Manager Asia Equities
|
Responsible for Asian equities portfolio management. | Currently a Senior Investment Manager on the Asian Equities Team. Kristy joined Aberdeen in 2004 from UOB KayHian Pte Ltd where she was an Analyst.
| ||
James Thom Senior Investment Manager Equities - Asia
|
Responsible for Asian equities portfolio management. | Currently a Senior Investment Manager on the Asian Equities Team. He joined Aberdeen in 2010 from Actis, an Emerging Markets Private Equity firm.
| ||
Flavia Cheong Head of Equities - Asia Pacific ex Japan |
Responsible for company research and oversight of portfolio construction. | Currently the Head of Asia Pacific ex Japan Equity on the Asian Equities team, where, as well as sharing responsibility for company research, she oversees regional portfolio construction. Before joining Aberdeen, she was an economist with the Investment Company of the Peoples Republic of China, and earlier with the Development Bank of Singapore. |
(a)(2) The information in the table below is as of December 31, 2016.
Name of
Portfolio Manager |
Type of Accounts |
Total
|
Total Assets ($M)
|
Number
of
|
Total Assets for
Which
Based on
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||
Hugh Young |
Registered Investment Companies
|
22
|
$
|
10,344.39
|
0
|
$
|
0
|
|||||||||||||||||||||
Pooled Investment Vehicles
|
84
|
$
|
36,503.81
|
2
|
$
|
382.77
|
||||||||||||||||||||||
Other Accounts
|
127
|
$ |
30,680.17
|
16
|
$ |
5,246.83
|
||||||||||||||||||||||
Adrian Lim |
Registered Investment Companies
|
22
|
$ |
10,344.39
|
0
|
$ |
0
|
|||||||||||||||||||||
Pooled Investment Vehicles
|
84
|
$ |
36,503.81
|
1
|
$ |
382.77
|
||||||||||||||||||||||
Other Accounts
|
127
|
$ |
30,680.17
|
16
|
$ |
5,246.83
|
||||||||||||||||||||||
Kristy Fong |
Registered Investment Companies
|
22
|
$ |
10,344.39
|
0
|
$ |
0
|
|||||||||||||||||||||
Pooled Investment Vehicles
|
84
|
$ |
36,503.81
|
1
|
$ |
382.77
|
||||||||||||||||||||||
Other Accounts
|
127
|
$ |
30,680.17
|
16
|
$ |
5,246.83
|
||||||||||||||||||||||
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
James Thom |
Registered Investment Companies
|
22
|
$ |
10,344.39
|
0
|
$ |
0
|
|||||||||||||||||||||
Pooled Investment Vehicles
|
84
|
$ |
36,503.81
|
1
|
$ |
382.77
|
||||||||||||||||||||||
Other Accounts
|
127
|
$ |
30,680.17
|
16
|
$ |
5,246.83
|
||||||||||||||||||||||
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Flavia Cheong |
Registered Investment Companies
|
22
|
$ |
10,344.39
|
0
|
$ |
0
|
|||||||||||||||||||||
Pooled Investment Vehicles
|
84
|
$ |
36,503.81
|
1
|
$ |
382.77
|
||||||||||||||||||||||
Other Accounts
|
127
|
$ |
30,680.17
|
16
|
$ |
5,246.83
|
Total Assets are as of December 31, 2016 and have been translated into U.S. Dollars at a rate of £1.00 = $1.24.
In accordance with legal requirements in the various jurisdictions in which they operate, and their own Conflicts of Interest policies, all subsidiaries of Aberdeen Asset Management PLC, (together Aberdeen), have in place arrangements to identify and manage Conflicts of Interest that may arise between them and their clients or between their different clients. Where Aberdeen does not consider that these arrangements are sufficient to manage a particular conflict, it will inform the relevant client(s) of the nature of the conflict so that the client(s) may decide how to proceed.
The portfolio managers management of other accounts, including (1) mutual funds; (2) other pooled investment vehicles; and (3) other accounts that may pay advisory fees that are based on account performance (performance-based fees), may give rise to potential conflicts of interest in connection with their management of a Funds investments, on the one hand, and the investments of the other accounts, on the other. The other accounts may have the same investment objective as a Fund. Therefore, a potential conflict of interest may arise as a result of the identical investment objectives, whereby the portfolio manager could favor one account over another. However, Aberdeen believes that these risks are mitigated by the fact that: (i) accounts with like investment strategies managed by a particular portfolio manager are generally managed in a similar fashion, subject to exceptions to account for particular investment restrictions or policies applicable only to certain accounts, differences in cash flows and account sizes, and similar factors; and (ii) portfolio manager personal trading is monitored to avoid potential conflicts. In addition, Aberdeen has adopted trade allocation procedures that require equitable allocation of trade orders for a particular security among participating accounts.
In some cases, another account managed by the same portfolio manager may compensate Aberdeen based on the performance of the portfolio held by that account. The existence of such performance-based fees may create additional conflicts of interest for the portfolio manager in the allocation of management time, resources and investment opportunities.
Another potential conflict could include instances in which securities considered as investments for a Fund also may be appropriate for other investment accounts managed by Aberdeen or its affiliates. Whenever decisions are made to buy or sell securities by the Fund and one or more of the other accounts simultaneously, Aberdeen may aggregate the purchases and sales of the securities and will allocate the securities transactions in a manner that it believes to be equitable under the circumstances. As a result of the allocations, there may be instances where the Fund will not participate in a transaction that is allocated among other accounts. While these aggregation and allocation policies could have a detrimental effect on the price or amount of the securities available to a Fund from time to time, it is the opinion of Aberdeen that the benefits from the Aberdeen organization outweigh any disadvantage that may arise from exposure to simultaneous transactions. Aberdeen has adopted policies that are designed to eliminate or minimize conflicts of interest, although there is no guarantee that procedures adopted under such policies will detect each and every situation in which a conflict arises.
With respect to non-discretionary model delivery accounts, Aberdeen will deliver model changes subsequent to commencing trading on behalf of our discretionary accounts. Model changes are typically delivered on a security by security basis. The timing of such delivery is determined by Aberdeen and will depend on the anticipated market impact of trading. Market impact includes, but is not limited to, factors such as liquidity and price impact. When minimal market impact is anticipated, we typically deliver security level model changes after such time when approximately two-thirds of our full discretionary order has been executed. Although we anticipate delivering model changes of such securities after approximately two-thirds of the discretionary order has been executed, we may deliver model changes prior to or substantially after two-thirds have been executed depending on prevailing market conditions and trader discretion. With respect to securities for which we anticipate a more significant market impact, we intend to withhold model deliver changes until such time when the entire discretionary order has been fully executed. Anticipated market impact on any given security is determined at the sole discretion of Aberdeen based on prior market experience and current market conditions. Actual market impact may vary significantly from anticipated market impact. Notwithstanding the aforementioned, we may provide order instructions simultaneously or prior to completion of trading for other accounts if the trade represents a relatively small proportion of the average daily trading volume of the particular security or other instrument.
Aberdeen does not trade for non-discretionary model delivery clients. Because model changes may be delivered to non-discretionary model clients prior to the completion of Aberdeens discretionary account trading, Aberdeen may compete against these clients in the market when attempting to execute its orders for its discretionary accounts. As a result, our discretionary clients may experience negative price and liquidity impact due to multiple market participants attempting to trade in a similar direction on the same security.
Timing delays or other operational factors associated with the implementation of trades may result in non-discretionary and model delivery clients receiving materially different prices relative to other client accounts. This may create performance dispersions within accounts with the same or similar investment mandate.
Aberdeen does not currently have any model delivery clients in the Funds strategy but may in the future. Investment decisions for other strategies that have model delivery clients, however, may cause the Fund to compete against such model delivery clients that hold and trade in a same security as the Fund.
(a)(3)
Aberdeens remuneration policies are designed to support its business strategy as a leading international asset manager. The objective is to attract, retain and reward talented individuals for the delivery of sustained, superior returns for Aberdeens clients and shareholders. Aberdeen operates in a highly competitive international employment market, and aims to maintain its strong track record of success in developing and retaining talent.
The aggregate value of awards in any year is dependent on the groups overall performance and profitability. Consideration is also given to the levels of bonuses paid in the market. Individual awards, which are payable to all members of staff are determined by a rigorous assessment of achievement against defined objectives.
A long-term incentive plan for key staff and senior employees comprises of a mixture of cash and deferred shares in Aberdeen PLC or select Aberdeen funds (where applicable). Overall compensation packages are designed to be competitive relative to the investment management industry.
Base Salary
Aberdeens policy is to pay a fair salary commensurate with the individuals role, responsibilities and experience, and having regard to the market rates being offered for similar roles in the asset management sector and other comparable companies. Any increase is generally to reflect inflation and is applied in a manner consistent with other Aberdeen employees; any other increases must be justified by reference to promotion or changes in responsibilities.
Annual Bonus
The Remuneration Committee of Aberdeen determines the key performance indicators that will be applied in considering the overall size of the bonus pool. In line with practice amongst other asset management companies, individual bonuses are not subject to an absolute cap. However, the aggregate size of the bonus pool is dependent on the groups overall performance and profitability. Consideration is also given to the levels of bonuses paid in the market. Individual awards are determined by a rigorous assessment of achievement against defined objectives, and are reviewed and approved by the Remuneration Committee.
Aberdeen has a deferral policy which is intended to assist in the retention of talent and to create additional alignment of executives interests with Aberdeens sustained performance and, in respect of the deferral into funds, managed by Aberdeen, to align the interest of asset managers with our clients.
Staff performance is reviewed formally at least once a year. The review process evaluates the various aspects that the individual has contributed to Aberdeen, and specifically, in the case of portfolio managers, to the relevant investment team. Discretionary bonuses are based on client service, asset growth and the performance of the respective portfolio manager. Overall participation in team meetings, generation of original research ideas and contribution to presenting the team externally are also evaluated.
In the calculation of a portfolio management teams bonus, Aberdeen takes into consideration investment matters (which include the performance of funds, adherence to the company investment process, and quality of company meetings) as well as more subjective issues such as team participation and effectiveness at client presentations. To the extent performance is factored in, such performance is not judged against any specific benchmark and is evaluated over the period of a year - January to December. The pre- or after-tax performance of an individual account is not considered in the determination of a portfolio managers discretionary bonus; rather the review process evaluates the overall performance of the team for all of the accounts the team manages.
Portfolio manager performance on investment matters is judged over all of the accounts the portfolio manager contributes to and is documented in the appraisal process. A combination of the teams and individuals performance is considered and evaluated.
Although performance is not a substantial portion of a portfolio managers compensation, Aberdeen also recognizes that fund performance can often be driven by factors outside ones control, such as (irrational) markets, and as such pays attention to the effort by portfolio managers to ensure integrity of our core process by sticking to disciplines and processes set, regardless of momentum and hot themes. Short-terming is thus discouraged and trading-oriented managers will thus find it difficult to thrive in the Aberdeen environment. Additionally, if any of the aforementioned undue risks were to be taken by a portfolio manager, such trend would be identified via Aberdeens dynamic compliance monitoring system.
(a)(4)
Individual | Dollar Range of Equity Securities in the Registrant Beneficially Owned by the Portfolio Manager as of December 31, 2016
| |
Hugh Young
|
$10,001-$50,000 | |
Adrian Lim
|
None | |
Kristy Fong
|
None | |
James Thom
|
None | |
Flavia Cheong
|
None |
(b) Not applicable.
Item 9 - Purchases of Equity Securities by Closed-End Management Investment Company and Affiliated Purchasers.
REGISTRANT PURCHASES OF EQUITY SECURITIES
Period | (a) Total Number of Shares (or Units) Purchased |
(b) Average Price Paid per Share (or Unit) |
(c) Total Number of Shares (or Units) Purchased as Part of Publicly Announced Plans or Programs |
(d) Maximum Number (or Approximate Dollar Value) of Shares (or Units) that May Yet Be Purchased Under the Plans or Programs (1) | ||||
January 1, 2016 through January 31, 2016 |
100,000 | $20.97 | 100,000 | 2,026,711 | ||||
February 1, 2016 through February 29, 2016 |
25,000 | $20.16 | 25,000 | 2,001,711 | ||||
March 1, 2016 through March 31, 2016 |
20,693 | $22.41 | 20,693 | 1,981,018 | ||||
April 1, 2016 through April 30, 2016 |
77,421 | $22.91 | 77,421 | 1,903,597 | ||||
May 1, 2016 through May 31, 2016 |
102,545 | $22.83 | 102,545 | 1,801,052 | ||||
June 1, 2016 through June 30, 2016 |
32,934 | $24.14 | 32,934 | 1,768,118 | ||||
July 1, 2016 through July 31, 2016 |
None | None | None | 1,768,118 | ||||
August 1, 2016 through August 31, 2016 |
29,700 | $25.18 | 29,700 | 1,738,418 | ||||
September 1, 2016 through September 30, 2016 |
None | None | None | 1,738,418 | ||||
October 1, 2016 through October 31, 2016 |
44,082 | $24.69 | 44,082 | 1,694,336 | ||||
November 1, 2016 through November 30, 2016 |
219,232 | $23.42 | 219,232 | 1,475,104 | ||||
December 1, 2016 through December 31, 2016 |
138,055 | $22.56 | 138,055 | 1,337,049 | ||||
Total
|
789,662
|
$22.87
|
789,662
|
--
|
(1) | The open market repurchase policy was authorized on October 30, 2012. The program authorizes management to make open market purchases from time to time in an aggregate amount up to 10% of the Funds outstanding shares, as of a date determined by the Board. Such purchases may be made when the Funds shares are trading at certain discounts to net asset value. |
Item 10 - Submission of Matters to a Vote of Security Holders.
During the period ended December 31, 2016, there were no material changes to the procedures by which shareholders may recommend nominees to the Registrants Board of Directors.
Item 11. Controls and Procedures.
(a) | The Registrants principal executive and principal financial officers, or persons performing similar functions, have concluded that the Registrants disclosure controls and procedures (as defined in Rule 30a-3(c) under the Investment Company Act of 1940 (the Act) (17 CFR 270.30a-3(c))) are effective, as of a date within 90 days of the filing date of the report that includes the disclosure required by this paragraph, based on the evaluation of these controls and procedures required by Rule 30a-3(b) under the Act (17 CFR 270.30a3(b)) and Rule 13a-15(b) or 15d-15(b) under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (17 CFR 240.13a-15(b) or 240.15d15(b)). |
(b) | There were no changes in the Registrants internal control over financial reporting (as defined in Rule 30a-3(d) under the Act (17 CFR 270.30a-3(d)) that occurred during the Registrants last fiscal half-year that has materially affected, or is reasonably likely to materially affect, the Registrants internal control over financial reporting. |
Item 12. Exhibits.
(a)(1) | Code of ethics, or any amendment thereto, that is the subject of disclosure required by Item 2(f) is attached hereto. |
(a)(2) | Certifications pursuant to Rule 30a-2(a) under the Investment Company Act of 1940 and Section 302 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 are attached hereto. |
(a)(3) | Not applicable. |
(b) | Certifications pursuant to Rule 30a-2(b) under the Investment Company Act of 1940 and Section 906 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 are attached hereto. |
(c) | Registrants Proxy Voting Policies |
(d) | Investment Managers Proxy Voting Policies |
SIGNATURES
Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 and the Investment Company Act of 1940, the Registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized.
(Registrant) The India Fund, Inc.
By (Signature and Title): /s/ Alan Goodson
Alan Goodson, Principal Executive Officer
Date: March 10, 2017
Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 and the Investment Company Act of 1940, this report has been signed below by the following persons on behalf of the Registrant and in the capacities and on the dates indicated.
By (Signature and Title): /s/ Alan Goodson
Alan Goodson, Principal Executive Officer
Date: March 10, 2017
By (Signature and Title): /s/ Andrea Melia
Andrea Melia, Principal Financial Officer
Date: March 10, 2017