DBS Bank India seeks three-fold jump in gold loan portfolio in 5 yrs: Exec

Lender's amalgamation with Lakshmi Vilas Bank expanded its reach in South India

DBS Bank India has said that it aims to grow its gold loan portfolio three-fold in five years. The bank’s current gold loan book stands at around Rs 4,500 crore.

“DBS Bank India is well-entrenched in the Indian market, and the advantages of the expanded network across business segments, including products such as gold loans, have started to flow through. We have seen a heightened demand for gold loans among the agrarian community and 70 per cent of the demand is driven from southern India,” said Bharath Mani, the lender’s executive director and head–retail customer segment.

“We aim to grow the gold loan book by 3x to Rs 13500 crore in the next five years. Looking ahead, we will continue to build innovative solutions that cater to a wider customer franchise and empower customers,” said Mani.

Digital offerings by DBS Bank India—after the lender’s amalgamation with Lakshmi Vilas Bank—have expanded the reach of the gold loan products. Customers get loan disbursal in 30 minutes, an attractive rate per gram, low-interest rates, and a 50 per cent waiver in processing fees. DBS Bank India also offers fixed deposit interest rates at 7.27 per cent annualized yield for a five-year period.

In addition to gold loans, DBS Bank India offers commercial vehicle financing and education loans. It offers services for large, medium, and small enterprises and retail customers in India. DBS Bank India reported an increase in its retail customer base with a strong current and savings Account (CASA) balance. The bank is working on its product portfolio, geographical focus, pricing, and customer segmentation. DBS Bank India aims to scale up its retail and lending business, targeting 40 per cent of its overall revenues to come from large corporates and 60 per cent to come from its consumer banking and SME business, said Maini.

The former Lakshmi Vilas Bank amalgamated with DBS Bank India Limited (DBIL) in November 2020. The amalgamation has provided the bank with a strong foothold in South India, and it now has a network of 525 branches across 19 states in the country.