New Delhi [India], December 13 (ANI): The Department of Posts (DoP), Ministry of Communications and the stock exchange BSE signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) in line with the Budget 2025-26 announcement, which emphasised leveraging India Post's vast postal network as a catalyst for economic activity in rural and semi-urban regions.

With its extensive presence across the country, India Post continues to play a pivotal role in deepening financial access and enabling inclusive growth.

This 'strategic partnership' enables India Post to act as a distributor of mutual fund products through its vast postal network, significantly benefiting citizens in rural, semi-urban, and underserved regions, the Ministry of Communications said in a statement Friday. 'By combining India Post's unmatched last-mile presence with BSE Star MF, the country's largest mutual fund distribution platform, the initiative aims to democratize access to investment opportunities and promote wider participation in financial markets,' the ministry said. Under the agreement, selected postal employees will be trained and certified as mutual fund distributors, enabling them to provide investor services and facilitate mutual fund transactions through the BSE StAR MF platform. The MoU will remain valid for three years, with provisions for renewal. As part of the collaboration, BSE will facilitate the onboarding of eligible and trained postal officials through the generation of Employee Unique Identification Numbers (EUIN) for authorised personnel, ensuring transparent and compliant distribution of mutual fund products. BSE will also support the certification process by enabling postal employees and agents to obtain the mandatory NISM (National Institute of Securities Markets) Mutual Fund Distributor certification. 'These certified officials, once trained, will assist customers with informed investment choices, execute mutual fund transactions, and offer investor support services at the last mile,' the Ministry said. The collaboration highlights the Department of Posts' efforts to broaden the range of financial services available to the public and strengthen service delivery across the country. It complements BSE's objective of fostering an efficient and investor-friendly mutual fund ecosystem. With this partnership, India Post will be able to offer customers access to contemporary investment avenues, enhancing its role as a key financial service provider. By integrating BSE's technology platform with India Post's widespread presence, the initiative is expected to improve service accessibility, promote investor awareness, and support wider participation in formal financial markets. The partnership is expected to boost mutual fund penetration in Tier-2, Tier-3, and rural areas, encourage informed investment behaviour, and contribute to India's broader goal of building a financially aware and empowered population. (ANI)