Page 16 - Rbi

Bank credit to NBFCs jumps 34% in May, lifts services sector lending growth

Bank lending to NBFCs surged 33.7 per cent year-on-year in May, helping drive services sector credit growth, while industry, retail and agriculture lending also remained strong

MFI credit grows after 7 quarters, borrower base continues to shrink: RBI

Microfinance loans increased for the first time after seven consecutive quarters of decline, although the number of borrowers continued to contract during the January-March 2026 quarter, according to the RBI's latest Financial Stability Report (FSR) released on Tuesday. The RBI said the borrower base shrank by 22.7 lakh in the latest quarter, indicating that while lending activity has started picking up, the sector is still witnessing consolidation in its customer base. The central bank also pointed to a continued improvement in asset quality as the share of 31-180 days past due (DPD) declined for the fifth successive quarter. This reflects that the asset quality has improved after the guardrails were adopted by the sector. According to the report, the 31-180 DPD of banks stood at 2.5 per cent, which is the highest among all lenders involved in MFI lending. This was followed by 2.0 per cent each by overall and small finance banks, 1.9 per cent of NBFC-MFI, and 1.6 per cent of ...

From banks, risks to shocks: What RBI's financial stability report says

Banks remain safe and sound, supported by strong capital, continued improvement in asset quality, and stable profitability, says the RBI's Financial Stability Report

RBI's new funding rules deal 'body blow' to Indian prop trading firms

From July 1, bank guarantees used in capital markets must be fully backed by collateral, a move expected to reduce leverage and raise funding costs

Brokers hold out relief hope ahead of Reserve Bank of India's credit norms

The RBI's new framework, which was deferred from April 1, is scheduled to take effect from July 1

India's external debt climbed to $763 billion in FY26, shows RBI data

India's total external debt stood at USD 762.8 billion at the end of March 2026, registering an increase of USD 26.3 billion over the year-ago period, according to the RBI data released on Monday. Valuation effect due to the appreciation of the US dollar vis-a-vis the Indian rupee and other major currencies amounted to USD 24.6 billion, according to the data on 'India's External Debt as at the end of March 2026'. "Excluding the valuation effect, external debt would have increased by USD 51 billion instead of USD 26.3 billion at end-March 2026 over end-March 2025," the Reserve Bank of India said. The central bank also said that the external debt to GDP ratio increased to 20.8 per cent at end-March 2026 from 19.8 per cent during the corresponding period a year ago. At the end of March 2026, RBI said, long-term debt (with original maturity of above one year) stood at USD 613.5 billion, recording an increase of USD 11.6 billion over its level at end-March 2025. "The share of short-ter

SBI raises $300 mn via 3-year dollar bonds at SOFR plus 100 basis points

The country's largest lender becomes the latest Indian issuer to tap overseas debt markets under the RBI's concessional swap window with a $300 million bond issue

Axis Bank CFO Puneet Sharma steps down after more than six years

Sharma said he had largely achieved the objectives he set as CFO, including strengthening financial controls, building a resilient balance sheet and improving shareholder trust

Indian banks may face an AI compliance bill: Who will bear the cost?

RBI's proposed AI risk framework could raise compliance costs across banks, NBFCs and fintechs, creating new demands for audits, oversight and governance

Going green for planet blue: Sustainable finance returns to lenders' agenda

As India finalises its climate finance taxonomy, banks are expanding green lending while experts call for deeper capital pools and stronger disclosure norms

SBI Card leads May credit card additions as industry adds nearly 1 mn cards

SBI Card added the highest number of new credit cards in May as the industry added nearly one million cards, while credit card spending rose to Rs 2.02 trillion

10 more jurisdictions come under RBI's State Development Loans framework

States and UTs are expected to raise Rs 3.19 trillion through market borrowings in Q2FY27, while the RBI expands its benchmark issuance framework to improve SDL liquidity

India's forex reserves rise by $963 mn to $672.587 billion: RBI data

India's forex reserves increased by USD 963 million to USD 672.587 billion during the week ended June 19, the RBI said on Friday. In the previous reporting week, the overall reserves had dropped by USD 9.985 billion to USD 671.625 billion. For the week ended June 19, foreign currency assets, a major component of the reserves, decreased by USD 3.072 billion to USD 541.217 billion, according to the RBI. Expressed in dollar terms, the foreign currency assets include effects of appreciation or depreciation of non-US units, such as the euro, pound, and yen, held in foreign exchange reserves. However, the value of gold reserves increased by USD 4.110 billion to USD 107.930 billion during the week, the RBI said. The Special Drawing Rights (SDRs) were down USD 52 million to USD 18.647 billion, the apex bank said. India's reserve position with the IMF slipped USD 22 million to USD 4.793 billion in the reporting week, according to the apex bank's data.

RBI's AI risk framework to strengthen governance, oversight of AI models

The central bank's draft guidelines require board-approved model risk frameworks, stronger oversight of AI models and enhanced safeguards for customer-facing artificial intelligence applications

RBI proposes wider access to money markets in draft rules for NBFCs, firms

Under the draft proposals, companies will also be allowed to participate in the term money market as lenders but smaller non-bank finance firms will be excluded

Best of BS Opinion: Weather risks, state finances and Trump's economics

Today's opinions examine monsoon uncertainty, RBI's NBFC framework, worsening state finances, Donald Trump's economic approach and the future of modern feminism

Tata Sons' listing hangs in balance after RBI diktat for upper-layer NBFCs

In its latest direction, the central bank has dropped a provision defining the "indirect receipt of public funds"

Listing Tata Sons: RBI's directions could strengthen group's governance

Tata Sons was designated an upper-layer NBFC by the RBI in September 2022, mandating its listing within three years

RBI introduces total return swaps, broadens credit derivatives market

RBI introduces Total Return Swaps and widens credit derivatives participation to deepen the corporate bond market and improve risk management

RBI drafts rules for NBFC, AIFI participation in term money market

The draft framework permits transactions to be executed in over-the-counter markets, including NDS-CALL and electronic trading platforms authorised by the RBI