What is debentures and its types?

Debentures are long-term financial instruments used by companies to raise capital, representing a loan made by investors to the issuer. They typically pay a fixed rate of interest and are secured against the company's assets or may be unsecured. The main types of debentures include convertible debentures, which can be converted into equity shares; non-convertible debentures, which cannot be converted; and redeemable debentures, which are repayable after a specified period, as opposed to irredeemable debentures, which have no fixed maturity date.