Regulating Commercial Banking

The Reserve Bank of India had, on October 24, 2025, issued two draft Directions on Capital Market Exposure (CME), viz.,: (i) Reserve Bank of India (Commercial Banks – Capital Market Exposure) Directions, 2025 and (ii) Reserve Bank of India (Small Finance Banks – Capital Market Exposure) Directions, 2025 seeking feedback from stakeholders. The draft Directions were aimed primarily to (i) provide an enabling framework for banks to finance acquisitions by Indian corporates; (ii) enhance the limit for lending by banks against shares, units of REITs, InvITs while removing the regulatory ceiling altogether on lending against listed debt securities; and (iii) put in place a more principle-based framework for lending to capital market intermediaries (CMIs).

In pursuance of the announcement made in the Statement on Developmental and Regulatory Policies dated February 6, 2026, the Reserve Bank of India has today issued the following draft Amendment Directions for public comments: i) Reserve Bank of India (Commercial Banks – Credit Facilities) Second Amendment Directions, 2026 - Draft for Comments ii) Reserve Bank of India (Commercial Banks – Concentration Risk Management) Second Amendment Directions, 2026 - Draft for Comments iii) Reserve Bank of India (Commercial Banks – Financial Statements: Presentation and Disclosures) Fourth Amendment Directions, 2026 - Draft for Comments iv) Reserve Bank of India (Small Finance Banks – Credit Facilities) Second Amendment Directions, 2026 - Draft for Comments v) Reserve Bank of India (All India Financial Institutions – Credit Facilities) Amendment Directions, 2026 - Draft for Comments

(Amount in ₹ crore) SCHEDULED COMMERCIAL BANKS (Including RRBs, SFBs and PBs) ALL SCHEDULED BANKS 24-Jan-2025# 15-Jan-2026 31-Jan-2026 24-Jan-2025# 15-Jan-2026 31-Jan-2026 I LIABILITIES TO THE BKG.SYSTEM (A) a) Demand & Time deposits from banks 274580.76 334644.10 336474.48 279763.56 342345.34 344450.58** b) Borrowings from banks 144172.70 80440.83 81053.24 144288.99 80507.15 81307.96 c) Other demand & time liabilities 29455.08 32892.14 42057.26 29792.86 33441.63 42661.78

Detailed instructions on matters related to engagement of recovery agents have been issued to Scheduled Commercial Banks (excluding Regional Rural Banks) and Housing Finance Companies currently. Upon a review, it has been decided to issue comprehensive instructions to all regulated entities on conduct related matters in recovery of loans and engagement of recovery agents, which inter alia cover aspects such as fair treatment to borrowers during recovery process, conduct of lender’s employees and recovery agents, due diligence, training, code of conduct for recovery agents, etc.

Currently, instructions on customer appropriateness and suitability and other related matters in the context of insurance agency business have been issued to Scheduled Commercial Banks (excluding Regional Rural Banks) and Housing Finance Companies. Upon a review, it has been decided to issue comprehensive instructions on advertising, marketing and sales of financial products and services (including third-party products and services) to all banks and NBFCs, which shall include various aspects related thereto, such as activities of Direct Sales Agents (DSAs) / Direct Marketing Agents (DMAs), dark patterns, prevention of mis-selling, etc.

Analysis of the performance under the Citizen’s Charter during the month of January 2026 has been carried out, and the summary thereof is given below – Description No. of Applications A Applications pending at the beginning of the month 3,392 B Applications received during the month 19,850 C Referred back to applicants for additional information 477 Total (A+B-C) 22,765 D Applications processed during the month – Within timeline – Beyond timeline 19,932 19,916 16 (99.9%) (0.1%)

(Amount in ₹ crore) SCHEDULED COMMERCIAL BANKS (Including RRBs,SFBs and PBs) ALL SCHEDULED BANKS 10-Jan-2025# 31-Dec-2025 15-Jan-2026 10-Jan-2025# 31-Dec-2025 15-Jan-2026 I LIABILITIES TO THE BKG.SYSTEM (A) a) Demand & Time deposits from banks 271703.78 340111.14 334594.98 276454.35 347493.56 342296.21** b) Borrowings from banks 143463.79 84009.60 80440.83 143532.02 84135.04 80507.15 c) Other demand & time 

Reserve Bank had announced, as part of the Statement on Developmental and Regulatory Policies dated June 08, 2023, to issue guidelines rationalising the extant prudential norms for implementation of resolution plans in respect of exposures affected by natural calamities, inter alia harmonising the regulatory instructions applicable to different Regulated Entities (REs). Based on a comprehensive review of the existing regulatory instructions, including the scope, coverage and prudential requirements, the following draft Directions are being issued for public comments.

Please refer to the FMRD Master Direction No. 1/2016-17 - Master Direction - Risk Management and Inter-Bank Dealings and the Prudential Norms on Capital Adequacy Directions, 2025 applicable to the different Regulated Entities (REs) which inter alia specify the methodology for computation of Net Open Position and calculation of capital charge on foreign exchange risk. Reserve Bank has released today the following draft Amendment Directions which modify the aforementioned instructions.

The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has decided to grant ‘in-principle’ approval to Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corporation (SMBC), Japan for setting up a Wholly Owned Subsidiary (WOS) in India, under the Reserve Bank of India (Setting Up of Wholly Owned Subsidiaries by Foreign Banks) Guidelines, 2025. SMBC is currently carrying on