Fitch Ratings has affirmed India’s sovereign credit rating at ‘BBB-’ with a stable outlook. This is the lowest investment-grade rating. The agency’s decision is underpinned by India’s robust economic growth and solid external finances. Fitch’s forecast for India’s GDP growth is 6.5% for the fiscal year ending March 2026 (FY26), which is unchanged from FY25. This figure is significantly higher than the median of 2.5% … Read more
The Pradhan Mantri Jan Dhan Yojana (PMJDY), India’s flagship financial inclusion programme launched on 28th August 2014 by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, has completed 11 successful years. Marking this occasion, Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman announced that over 560 million (56 crore) Jan Dhan accounts have been opened, transforming the lives of millions by giving … Read more
The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) released the Internal Working Group (IWG) report in 2025 reviewing its Liquidity Management Framework. Liquidity management is at the heart of effective monetary policy, ensuring smooth control over short-term interest rates, market stability, and monetary transmission. This review highlights challenges and suggests reforms to make India’s financial markets more … Read more
The State Bank of India (SBI), India’s largest lender by assets, has urged the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) to allow banks to finance mergers and acquisitions (M&A). Current Rule Under existing regulations, Indian banks are barred from lending for acquisitions. Companies currently rely on NBFCs or raise money via corporate bonds to fund such … Read more
The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) is set to roll out a new cheque clearing system starting October 4, 2025, that will reduce the processing time from two working days to just a few hours. This marks a major shift towards faster, more reliable, and customer-friendly banking services. Current System vs New System Current system: … Read more
In a strategic move to support India’s capital markets while addressing concerns of large corporates, the Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) has proposed relaxing the Minimum Public Offer (MPO) norms for very large companies launching initial public offerings (IPOs). This comes as part of SEBI’s efforts to reduce the stake dilution burden and … Read more
In a significant development for India’s financial services sector, Kotak Mahindra International has become the first Indian company to receive a license from the Securities and Commodities Authority (SCA) of the United Arab Emirates (UAE). This license grants permission for Investment Fund Management and Portfolio Management, opening up new opportunities for cross-border financial operations and … Read more
India’s unemployment rate dropped to 5.2% in July 2025, according to the latest Periodic Labour Force Survey (PLFS) released by the Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation (MoSPI). This decline signals encouraging signs of recovery in the labour market, particularly driven by rural employment gains. The survey paints a mixed but hopeful picture of India’s … Read more
On India’s 79th Independence Day (August 15, 2025), the State Bank of India (SBI) launched two significant financial initiatives aimed at empowering defence personnel and enhancing digital banking. These include a collateral-free personal loan scheme for Agniveers—the youth recruited under the Agnipath scheme—and a revised fee structure for Immediate Payment Service (IMPS) transactions. This move … Read more
Artificial Intelligence (AI) is transforming financial services—from fraud detection to credit assessment—but without proper safeguards, it can also amplify risks. To balance innovation with safety, the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) formed a committee in December 2024 to design the Framework for Responsible and Ethical Enablement of AI (FREE-AI). This framework aims to encourage innovation … Read more