MCX, NISM sign MoU to set up commodity markets research centre

The centre will be housed at NISM and will work on areas including commodity derivatives, hedging, corporate risk management, compliance and market practices.

The initiative comes as India’s commodity derivatives market evolves with new products, changing regulations and closer links with global markets. The centre will seek to address the need for specialised research and training in the segment.

It will undertake applied research and work on policy and white papers. The centre will also support academic initiatives such as faculty development programmes, doctoral fellowships, visiting scholar programmes and academic conferences.

Training programmes will cover the use of commodity derivatives for risk management, along with issues such as suitability, ethical conduct and compliance. The programmes are expected to cater to market participants, corporates, investors and academics.

Sashi Krishnan, Director, NISM, said the increasing complexity of commodity trading and the evolving regulatory framework have made dedicated research and professional training more relevant.

“The development of commodity markets rests on research that is rigorous, current, and grounded in the realities of the Indian market as well as on a steady supply of well-trained professionals,” Krishnan said.

Praveena Rai, MD and CEO, MCX, said the partnership would focus on addressing the knowledge gap as commodity derivatives evolve.

“A robust and efficient commodity market relies fundamentally on informed and skilled market participants,” Rai said.

MCX will provide its market expertise for developing course content and assessments, while NISM will provide the academic and research infrastructure for the centre.

The two institutions have not disclosed details of the centre’s funding, programme timelines or specific research projects.