Calcutta Stock Exchange Set For Comeback After 13 Years? Bengal Govt Signals Revival Push

The West Bengal government has announced plans to support the revival of the Calcutta Stock Exchange (CSE), offering a potential lifeline to one of India’s oldest stock exchanges that has remained inactive for more than a decade.

The announcement was made by Finance Minister Swapan Dasgupta during the presentation of the 2026-27 state budget, where the government outlined plans to help restart the exchange as part of its broader economic development agenda.

The development comes at a crucial time for the exchange, which has remained inactive since 2013 and was recently facing uncertainty over its future after years of regulatory and legal challenges.

Govt Pushes Revival Plan

Presenting the first budget of the BJP-led government in West Bengal, Dasgupta said reviving the exchange is part of the state’s effort to strengthen economic growth and restore Kolkata’s position as an important financial centre.

According to the minister, restarting the exchange could create multiple benefits for businesses in eastern India by improving access to capital and lowering the cost of raising funds through public markets.

Announcing the proposal, Dasgupta said the revival of the exchange could also generate employment opportunities while supporting the state government’s larger development plans for West Bengal.

Exchange Seeks Another Chance

The government’s announcement follows recent efforts by the Calcutta Stock Exchange itself to restart operations and avoid shutting down permanently.

A delegation from the exchange recently met Industry Minister Tapas Roy and requested support from the state government to help prevent the institution from closing.

Exchange officials have also informed the government that they want to withdraw the voluntary exit application previously submitted to the Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI), signalling their intention to resume trading operations.

Regulatory Roadblocks Remain

The Calcutta Stock Exchange has remained non-operational since April 2013 after SEBI suspended trading activities due to concerns related to governance standards, compliance requirements and outdated technological infrastructure.

Following a prolonged legal dispute with the market regulator, the exchange submitted an application in February 2025 seeking a voluntary exit from stock exchange operations.

However, since SEBI has not issued a final order on the exit request, the possibility of restarting operations still remains open for the exchange.