UNDERWRITING AGREEMENT
THIS UNDERWRITING AGREEMENT, dated this 22nd day of June 1994, by and
between Pioneer India Fund, a Delaware business trust ("Pioneer"), and Pioneer
Funds Distributor, Inc., a Massachusetts corporation (the "Underwriter").
W I T N E S S E T H
WHEREAS, Pioneer is registered as an open-end, diversified, management
investment company under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (the
"1940 Act"), and has filed a registration statement (the "Registration
Statement") with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the "Commission") for
the purpose of registering shares of beneficial interest for public offering
under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended;
WHEREAS, the Underwriter engages in the purchase and sale of securities
both as a broker and a dealer and is registered as a broker-dealer with the
Commission and is a member in good standing of the National Association of
Securities Dealers, Inc. (the "NASD");
WHEREAS, the parties hereto deem it mutually advantageous that the
Underwriter should act as Principal Underwriter, as defined in the 1940 Act, for
the sale to the public of the shares of beneficial interest of the securities
portfolio of each series of Pioneer which the Trustees may establish from time
to time (individually, a "Portfolio" and collectively, the "Portfolios"); and
NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the mutual covenants and benefits
set forth herein, Pioneer and the Underwriter do hereby agree as follows:
1. Pioneer does hereby grant to the Underwriter the right and option to
purchase shares of beneficial interest of each class of each Portfolio of
Pioneer (the "Shares") for sale to investors either directly or indirectly
through other broker-
dealers. The Underwriter is not required to purchase any specified number of
Shares, but will purchase from Pioneer only a sufficient number of Shares as may
be necessary to fill unconditional orders received from time to time by the
Underwriter from investors and dealers.
2. The Underwriter shall offer Shares to the public at an offering
price based upon the net asset value of the Shares, to be calculated for each
class of Shares as described in the Registration Statement, including the
Prospectus, filed with the Commission and in effect at the time of the offering,
plus any sales charges as approved by the Underwriter and the Trustees of
Pioneer and as further outlined in Pioneer's Prospectus. The offering price
shall be subject to any provisions set forth in the Prospectus from time to time
with respect thereto, including, without limitation, rights of accumulation,
letters of intention, exchangeability of shares, reinstatement privileges, net
asset value purchases by certain persons and reinvestments of dividends and
capital gain distributions.
3. In the case of all Shares sold to investors through other
broker-dealers, a portion of applicable sales charges, if any, will be reallowed
to such broker-dealers who are members of the NASD or, in the case of certain
sales by banks or certain sales to foreign nationals, to brokers or dealers
exempt from registration with the Commission. The concession reallowed to
broker-dealers shall be set forth in a written sales agreement and shall be
generally the same for broker-dealers providing comparable levels of sales and
service.
4. This Agreement shall terminate on any anniversary hereof if its
terms and renewal have not been approved by a majority vote of the Trustees of
Pioneer voting in person, including a majority of its Trustees who are not
"interested persons" of the Trust and who have no direct or indirect financial
interest in the operation of the Underwriting Agreement (the "Qualified
Trustees"), at a meeting of Trustees called for the purpose of voting on such
approval. This Agreement may also be terminated at any time, without payment of
any penalty, by Pioneer on 60 days' written notice to the Underwriter, or by the
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Underwriter upon similar notice to Pioneer. This Agreement may also be
terminated by a party upon five (5) days' written notice to the other party in
the event that the Commission has issued an order or obtained an injunction or
other court order suspending effectiveness of the Registration Statement
covering the Shares of Pioneer. Finally, this Agreement may also be terminated
by Pioneer upon five (5) days' written notice to the Underwriter provided either
of the following events has occurred: (i) the NASD has expelled the Underwriter
or suspended its membership in that organization; or (ii) the qualification,
registration, license or right of the Underwriter to sell Shares in a particular
state has been suspended or cancelled in a state in which sales of the Shares of
Pioneer during the most recent 12 month period exceeded 10% of all Shares of
Pioneer sold by the Underwriter during such period.
5. The compensation for the services of the Underwriter as a principal
underwriter under this Agreement shall be (i) that part of the sales charge
which is retained by the Underwriter after allowance of discounts to dealers as
set forth in the Registration Statement, including the Prospectus, filed with
the Commission and in effect at the time of the offering, as amended, and (ii)
those amounts payable to the Underwriter as reimbursement of expenses pursuant
to any applicable distribution plan for Pioneer which may be in effect. Nothing
contained herein shall relieve Pioneer of any obligation under its management
contract or any other contract with any affiliate of the Underwriter.
6. The parties to this Agreement acknowledge and agree that all
liabilities arising hereunder, whether direct or indirect, of any nature
whatsoever, including without limitation, liabilities arising in connection with
any agreement of Pioneer or its Trustees as set forth herein to indemnify any
party to this Agreement or any other person, if any, shall be satisfied out of
the assets of Pioneer and that no Trustee, officer or holder of shares of
beneficial interest of Pioneer shall be personally liable for any of the
foregoing liabilities. Pioneer's Certificate of Trust, as amended from time to
time, is on file in the Office of Secretary of State of the State of
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Delaware, and a copy of Pioneer's Declaration of Trust, as amended from time to
time, has been provided to the Underwriter. The Declaration of Trust describes
in detail the respective responsibilities and limitations on liability of the
Trustees, officers, and holders of Shares of Pioneer.
7. This Agreement shall automatically terminate in the event of its
assignment (as that term is defined in the 1940 Act).
8. In the event of any dispute between the parties, this Agreement
shall be construed according to the laws of The Commonwealth of Massachusetts.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have caused this instrument to
be executed by their duly authorized officers and their seal to be hereto
affixed as of day and year first above written.
ATTEST: PIONEER INDIA FUND
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Xxxxxx X. Xxxxx Xxxx X. Xxxxx, Xx.
Secretary President
ATTEST: PIONEER FUNDS DISTRIBUTOR, INC.
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Xxxxxx X. Xxxxx Xxxxxx X. Xxxxxx
Clerk President
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