Banks can borrow from international institutions without RBI nod

RBI has eased norms for accessing foreign funds with a view to providing greater flexibility in seeking access to overseas funds

Easing norms for accessing foreign funds, the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) on Thursday allowed banks to borrow from international financial institutions for general banking business without seeking its permission.

“With a view to providing greater flexibility in seeking access to overseas funds, it has now been decided to permit... banks to borrow from international/multilateral financial institutions without approaching Reserve Bank for a case by case approval,” RBI said.

The flexibility has been provided for international/multilateral financial institutions of which the government of India is a shareholding member or which have been established by more than one government or have shareholding by more than one government and other international organisations.

Such borrowings, RBI added, should be for the purpose of general banking business and not for capital augmentation.

In another circular, RBI allowed all non-deposit taking NBFCs to act as sub-agents under Money Transfer Service Schemes (MTSS) without seeking prior approval from it.

Deposit accepting non-banking financial companies (NBFCs) are however, not permitted to undertake such activity, RBI added.

As per a August 2014 circular, NBFCs desirous to act as sub-agents under the MTSS required prior approval of the RBI.

The August circular has been reviewed in the "light of certain representations" received by the Reserve Bank.