Subrata Panda, Business Standard

Stories by Subrata Panda, Business Standard

Deposit Rate Cuts Tough For Banks As Govt Retains Small Savings Rates

Deposit Rate Cuts Tough For Banks As Govt Retains Small Savings Rates

Rediff.com   3 days ago

'The government's decision to keep interest rates unchanged on small savings schemes will certainly constrain banks' ability to cut deposit rates further.'

Pricing to remain key in corporate bond mkt this year

Pricing to remain key in corporate bond mkt this year

Rediff.com   4 days ago

A neutral monetary policy stance, heavy government borrowing, and issuers adjusting to a higher-for-longer yield environment have set the stage for a largely stable corporate bond market in 2026.

$6-Billion Foreign Bet on India's Private Banks

$6-Billion Foreign Bet on India's Private Banks

Rediff.com   5 days ago

Cleaner balance sheets, regulatory support and strong growth prospects helped Indian private banks attract over $6 billion in foreign capital, with more deals expected in 2026.

Commission structure in life insurance sector may change

Commission structure in life insurance sector may change

Rediff.com   8 Jan 2026

The committee formed under the Life Insurance Council to review the commission structure in the life insurance sector has recommended capping distributor commissions or deferring them to ease acquisition costs. The recommendations will be sent to the insurance regulator -- Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority of India (Irdai).

Northern Borders 'Stable Yet Sensitive': Defence Ministry

Northern Borders 'Stable Yet Sensitive': Defence Ministry

Rediff.com   3 Jan 2026

The deployment of the army in all sectors along the Line of Actual Control, the de facto border between India and China, is 'robust, well poised and prepared to deal with any emerging contingency'.

3.84 Trillion Spent On These Weapons...

3.84 Trillion Spent On These Weapons...

Rediff.com   2 Jan 2026

The largest tranche came in July, in the wake of Operation Sindoor, with the DAC according acceptance of necessity -- or initial approval -- for 10 capital acquisition proposals amounting to approximately 1.05 trillion through indigenous sourcing.

Up to 4 banks may have to tap buffers in adverse scenarios

Up to 4 banks may have to tap buffers in adverse scenarios

Rediff.com   1 Jan 2026

The Reserve Bank of India (RBI), in its Financial Stability Report (FSR), cautioned that stress tests indicate two scheduled commercial banks (SCBs) may have to dip into their capital conservation buffers (CCBs), unless stakeholders infuse capital, under a scenario involving a gradual slowdown in domestic GDP growth and a moderate rise in inflation, with limited policy easing space available to the central bank.

RBI to infuse Rs 3 trn liquidity via OMOs, buy-sell swap after rupee defence

RBI to infuse Rs 3 trn liquidity via OMOs, buy-sell swap after rupee defence

Rediff.com   24 Dec 2025

The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) on Tuesday announced a fresh round of liquidity measures through open-market operations (OMOs) and a foreign exchange buy-sell swap, under which it will inject close to Rs 3 trillion into the banking system. The central bank said it would purchase Government of India securities worth Rs 2 trillion through OMOs, spread across four tranches of Rs 50,000 crore each to be conducted on December 29, January 5, January 12 and January 22.

Economic activity remained upbeat in Nov

Economic activity remained upbeat in Nov

Rediff.com   23 Dec 2025

Overall economic activity continued to hold up in November with demand conditions remaining robust, thanks to strengthening urban demand, but manufacturing and rural demand showed some signs of deceleration even as services remained strong, according to an article on the State of the Economy written by Reserve Bank of India (RBI) officials in the central bank's December bulletin.

At $4.4 bn, Shriram Fin to get India's largest financial-sector FDI

At $4.4 bn, Shriram Fin to get India's largest financial-sector FDI

Rediff.com   20 Dec 2025

Leading non-banking financial company (NBFC) Shriram Finance on Friday said Japan-based MUFG Bank would invest Rs 39,618 crore, or $4.4 billion, to acquire a 20 per cent stake on a fully diluted basis through a preferential issue of equity shares.

SFIO questions IndusInd execs on accounting discrepancies

SFIO questions IndusInd execs on accounting discrepancies

Rediff.com   20 Dec 2025

Private-sector lender IndusInd Bank had said the Serious Fraud Investigation Office (SFIO) interacted with its officials this week and would send a written communication seeking specific details related to the accounting discrepancies identified at the bank.

SIM-Binding Standoff: Telcos Vs Apps

SIM-Binding Standoff: Telcos Vs Apps

Rediff.com   17 Dec 2025

App-based communication services providers and Indian telcos are at loggerheads over the SIM-binding directions issued by the department of telecom, which are to be complied with by the end of February 2026.

RBI Warns Against Stablecoins, Backs CBDCs

RBI Warns Against Stablecoins, Backs CBDCs

Rediff.com   13 Dec 2025

'We have seen that stablecoins lack the basic attributes of money, their advantages are neither unique nor unambiguous and their risks are all too real.'

Trai Launches Digital Consent Pilot

Trai Launches Digital Consent Pilot

Rediff.com   11 Dec 2025

A national rollout will take place after the pilot test in which SBI, PNB, Axis Bank, Bank of Maharashtra, Canara Bank, Kotak Mahindra Bank, IndusInd Bank, ICICI Bank, HDFC Bank, Indian Overseas Bank and Punjab & Sind Bank are participating.

Board nod must for bank entities to do same biz: RBI

Board nod must for bank entities to do same biz: RBI

Rediff.com   6 Dec 2025

The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) on Friday allowed multiple entities in a bank group to undertake the same business as long as they cater to different client segments, while mandating board approval to ensure that any overlap in business has proper rationale and justification.

Importers rush to hedge while exporters wait on sidelines amid rupee dip

Importers rush to hedge while exporters wait on sidelines amid rupee dip

Rediff.com   5 Dec 2025

Importers are rushing to hedge their dollar positions amid the sharp depreciation of the rupee against the American currency and expectations of further volatility even as exporters are holding off after suffering mark-to-market (MTM) losses on earlier hedges.

With firefighting behind them, insurers can now shift gears and focus on growth

With firefighting behind them, insurers can now shift gears and focus on growth

Rediff.com   3 Dec 2025

Recent years have been turbulent for the insurance industry due to direct and indirect tax reforms, regulatory overhaul and other external pressures. The events cumulatively slowed growth rate to single digits from the high teens seen earlier.

Indian Digital Payment Intelligence Corporation To Combat Fraud

Indian Digital Payment Intelligence Corporation To Combat Fraud

Rediff.com   26 Nov 2025

It will enable real-time intel sharing among banks and other financial sector participants to strengthen customer protection against digital fraud.

Banks raised Rs 55K crore through CDs in fortnight ended Nov 14

Banks raised Rs 55K crore through CDs in fortnight ended Nov 14

Rediff.com   24 Nov 2025

With deposit growth remaining sluggish and the credit - deposit ratio of commercial banks crossing 80 per cent, banks have ramped up their borrowing in the certificate of deposit (CD) market. In the fortnight ended November 14, CD issuances climbed to nearly Rs 55,000 crore - double the borrowings of the preceding two fortnights and the highest since the September 19 fortnight.

IPOs increasingly becoming exit vehicles for early investors: CEA

IPOs increasingly becoming exit vehicles for early investors: CEA

Rediff.com   21 Nov 2025

India's equity markets may have expanded rapidly, but initial public offerings (IPOs) are increasingly becoming exit vehicles for early investors rather than as engines for raising long-term capital, a shift that undermines the spirit of public markets, Chief Economic Advisor V Anantha Nageswaran warned on Monday at a CII event.