Outstanding gold loans by Non-Banking Financial Companies (NBFCs) in India surged by 66.1 per cent year-on-year to 3.74 trillion in September 2026, making it one of the fastest-growing segments in their retail loan portfolios, according to RBI data. This growth, driven by elevated gold prices, has also raised concerns about underwriting practices, with experts noting a portion of disbursements going to borrowers with overdue loans.
Tata Trusts, the majority shareholders of Tata Sons, have proposed merging two operating companies, Tata Electronics Systems Solutions Pvt Ltd (TESS) and Tata Consulting Engineers (TCE), with Tata Sons. This restructuring aims to shed Tata Sons' classification as a non-banking financial company (NBFC) and a core investment company (CIC), thereby allowing it to retain its status as an unlisted private company and resolve ongoing disputes regarding its future ownership.
The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has rejected Tata Sons' application to surrender its non-banking finance company (NBFC) licence, a decision that mandates a public markets listing for the conglomerate's holding company as it is classified as an upper-layer NBFC.
Tata Sons, the holding company of the Tata group, continues to be classified as an 'upper-layer non-banking financial company' (NBFC) by the Reserve Bank of India (RBI), despite its application to deregister as an NBFC-Core Investment Company (CIC) remaining under consideration. This classification subjects it to enhanced regulation and a mandatory listing requirement, which remains uncertain.
His remarks come amid a debate over whether Tata Sons, the holding company of India's largest conglomerate Tata group, is required to go public.
N Chandrasekaran and Noel Tata are expected to attend the Tata Steel board meeting on November 7 to approve Q2 results and the Tata Sons board meeting in the second half of November.
Non-banking financial companies (NBFCs) in India saw their overall credit growth accelerate to 14.2 per cent year-on-year in May, primarily driven by significant increases in loans against gold jewellery and commercial real estate, according to recent Reserve Bank of India (RBI) data.
The Economic Offences Wing (EOW) of the Crime Branch Jammu has filed a chargesheet against two individuals, Manoj Kumar and Vikram Singh, in a financial fraud case involving over Rs 1.22 crore collected from investors in Samba district. The accused allegedly induced residents to invest in schemes from unregistered or de-registered NBFCs, promising high returns but failing to deliver.
Festive shopping on EMIs and credit cards can leave households struggling with debt after Diwali. A clear repayment plan, prioritising expensive loans and refinancing wisely can help borrowers regain control of their finances.
Fintech giant One97 Communications, which operates Paytm, has decided against applying for a Non-Banking Financial Company (NBFC) licence, favouring its existing partnership model.
The portfolio could be split between listed and unlisted investments, or structured along sectoral lines.
Paytm, operated by One97 Communications, is not actively seeking a non-banking financial company (NBFC) licence, preferring partnership models for lending operations, according to its Group CFO.
A source said the "intention of finding a resolution" on thorny issues appeared to be missing at the meeting between the two Tata leaders held at Noel Tata's residence.
Shriram Finance, a leading Indian NBFC, is aggressively expanding its gold loan and electric vehicle (EV) financing segments, targeting a Rs 20,000 crore gold loan portfolio within two years and expecting significant growth in EV disbursements.
Delhi Police have arrested seven men for their alleged involvement in a Rs 3.93 crore cyber fraud that targeted a Delhi-based businessman. The investigation uncovered a sophisticated network involving mule accounts, cash withdrawals, a foreign money-exchange application, and a hawala channel used to convert illicit funds into cryptocurrency. Police recovered numerous banking instruments and mobile phones during fieldwork in Rajasthan, with further investigation ongoing.
'We see a lot of cases of bank deposits getting lost, especially when people die, so this will help address that because you have one consolidated view.'
Listing, according to Noel Tata, will fundamentally change how the company and the group have been working over the past 150 years.
Tata Sons approached the RBI in 2024 seeking de-registration after becoming debt-free, a move that would allow it to remain a privately held, unlisted company. The application has remained pending.
Indian benchmark indices, Sensex and Nifty, experienced a significant drop in early trade, with the Sensex falling over 600 points, primarily due to crude oil prices surging past the USD 100 per barrel mark and weak global market trends. Track Sensex, Nifty on September 24.
The RBI once again said the Tata group holding company's application for deregistration as an NBFC remains under examination.
Indian equity markets, led by the Nifty 50, saw gains following a pullback in Brent crude prices towards $101-102 a barrel and weaker-than-anticipated US jobs data, which eased concerns about a Fed rate hike. However, analysts caution that markets are likely to remain volatile in the near term.
The Reserve Bank of India's proposal to allow non-banking financial companies (NBFCs) access to the term money market is projected to significantly increase market volumes by 40-60 per cent in the first year, potentially doubling turnover within two to three years, according to treasury executives.
The Shapoorji Pallonji (SP) Group, the second-largest shareholder in Tata Sons, has publicly endorsed a listing of the Tata Group's holding company, aligning with the board's push for greater transparency and public accountability despite opposition from the Tata Trusts.
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Tata Capital remains confident in its 23-25 per cent growth guidance, driven by strong momentum in Retail and SME segments, despite facing pressures from rising funding costs and potential impacts from new RBI regulations on revolving credit.
The Tata Sons board has voted to reappoint N Chandrasekaran as chairman for a third five-year term, a decision influenced by the Reserve Bank of India's rejection of the company's application to surrender its NBFC registration, which revives the prospect of a stock market listing.
Anup Saha, currently a Wholetime Director at Kotak Mahindra Bank, has been appointed as the new Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer for a three-year term, effective January 1, 2027, with the Reserve Bank of India's approval.
'The issue appears to be less about Chandrasekaran personally and more about the direction Tata Sons should take.'
"Pressure on the current account is a temporary problem. Sooner rather than later, our external sector will improve," said RBI Governor Sanjay Malhotra.
A significant boardroom battle has erupted at Tata Sons, India's largest conglomerate, following the board's decision to proceed with a public listing and extend N Chandrasekaran's tenure as executive chairman, moves opposed by Noel Tata, who represents the majority shareholder Tata Trusts.
Tata Trusts Vice-Chairmen Venu Srinivasan and Vijay Singh challenge a proposed reorganisation of Tata Sons, alleging a lack of trustee consultation and raising concerns about its regulatory and financial implications.
Within days of the RBI's letter to Tata Sons that its CIC deregistration application had been rejected, the regulator filed a caveat in the Bombay High Court so that it could be heard before any order is passed on the matter in case there's a petition challenging its listing directive.
Aditya Birla Capital has entered the gold loan business, aiming to establish 1,000 branches within three years, capitalising on the strong structural growth and surge in demand for gold-backed credit in India.
Shapoorji Pallonji Mistry's statement will be watched closely against the backdrop of the listing battle as well as the Tata leadership contest, with veto votes being cast over the reappointment of N Chandrasekaran as chairman of Tata Sons for a third term.
Non-banking financial companies (NBFCs) experienced a significant 68.5 per cent year-on-year growth in gold-backed credit in July 2026, while banks saw their gold loan growth moderate to 88.1 per cent from 136.4 per cent a year prior, according to RBI data.
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Gold loans accounted for 41 per cent of retail loan disbursements in FY26, up sharply from 18 per cent in FY23 and 20 per cent in FY24.
DIIs invested $22.8 billion in Indian equities in Q2CY26.
Equitas Small Finance Bank (SFB) Managing Director and CEO P N Vasudevan stated, "We may end up applying within a year" for a universal banking licence, while also targeting a nearly threefold increase in advances to Rs 1.2 trillion over the next five years.
In essence, Tata Sons will continue to be a CIC, whether registered or unregistered. It will have to follow the 90:60 principle.
If it qualifies as belonging to the upper layer, public listing will be one of the regulatory requirements. However, if it qualifies as 'unregistered CIC', it will escape from prudential regulation, explains Tamal Bandyopadhyay.
