State Bank of India (SBI) is extensively using artificial intelligence to underwrite nearly Rs 1 lakh crore in MSME loans and automate the processing of cheques up to Rs 10,000. This AI adoption aims to enhance efficiency, free up employee bandwidth, and improve customer service across various banking functions.
Loans to micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) in India saw moderated growth in April 2026, with early signs of stress emerging among micro borrowers and manufacturers, according to a report by credit bureau CRIF High Mark. The slowdown is attributed to potential impacts of global uncertainty.
India's deposit growth has reached a 15-year high of 17.8 per cent, primarily driven by a surge in foreign currency non-resident (bank), or FCNR(B), deposits. This influx of funds is expected to lead to a softening of corporate loan rates as banks seek to deploy their excess liquidity.
Several non-banking financial companies (NBFCs) are observing an increase in early-stage delinquencies within their micro, small and medium enterprises (MSME) loan portfolios, primarily driven by supply chain disruptions and escalating raw material costs exacerbated by the ongoing conflict in West Asia.
State-owned Bank of Baroda (BoB) reported a 72 per cent year-on-year (Y-o-Y) drop in net profit to 1,278 crore for Q1FY27 due to a $600 million out-of-court settlement related to NMC Health Plc. In contrast, Bank of India (BoI) saw its net profit rise by 36.23 per cent Y-o-Y to 3,068 crore for the same quarter, driven by healthy loan growth and improved asset quality.
Bajaj Finance reported a strong Q1 FY27 performance with 24 per cent year-on-year AUM growth and a 28 per cent rise in consolidated profit after tax, driven by significant increases in consumer financing, gold loans, and commercial vehicle loans, alongside a strategic focus on digital transformation and AI.
India's public sector banks (PSBs) have seen their net profit nearly treble over the past five years, reaching a record Rs 1.98 trillion in FY26, driven by significant improvements in asset quality and sustained lending growth across key economic sectors.
Bajaj Finance's shares fell more than 7 per cent on Tuesday after it trimmed growth guidance for FY26, from 24-25 per cent projected earlier to 22-23 per cent.
Non-banking financial companies (NBFCs) reported encouraging results for Q4FY26 with improved asset quality and earnings, but analysts maintain a cautious near-term outlook due to geopolitical tensions, monsoon risks, and specific portfolio concerns.
'You have seen the retrenchments by big corporates in the IT industry because they are not getting enough offers.' 'MSMEs in the manufacturing sector are really struggling. They do not know what to do. They are not able to predict what will happen tomorrow.'
The Indian banking sector could be due for a rise in profitability after several quarters of net interest margin (NIM) compression. The Q2FY26 results suggest NIMs have bottomed out.
The banking sector could see better loan growth in the third quarter of financial year 2026 (Q3FY26) with improved net interest margins (NIMs), though the full impact of latest rate cuts will be largely felt in the fourth quarter. There may be lower slippage in unsecured loans and microfinance institutions (MFIs) along with steady recovery trends, which should lower credit cost.
TVS Venu Group has agreed to acquire a minority stake of up to 9.9 per cent in Jana Small Finance Bank, including a 4.9 per cent ownership by TVS Motor Company, through a combination of primary issuance of warrants and a secondary purchase.
'We currently have new proposals worth Rs 1.48 trillion in the pipeline.'
State Bank of India, India's largest lender, on Thursday slashed interest rates on working capital loans to micro, small and medium enterprises by 0.5-1 per cent effective from December 16.
Indian bank credit expanded by 16.08 per cent year-on-year in FY26, marking its fastest pace since FY24, while deposits grew by 13.47 per cent, according to RBI data. Experts caution that year-end figures may be inflated due to reporting date changes, but acknowledge strong momentum in corporate, MSME, and retail segments.
The Indian banking sector is projected to experience a steady 9-13 per cent industrial credit growth in the first half of 2026, driven by capital expenditure, infrastructure development, and sectoral demand recovery, according to a Ficci-IBA survey.
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.
'In the last one year, we have added more than Rs 1.7 trillion, and we are on track.'
The Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) has proposed a 20-point policy agenda to the finance ministry, including a conflict-linked emergency credit line guarantee scheme and tax rationalisation on energy inputs, to support MSMEs, exporters, and energy-intensive industries affected by the ongoing West Asia war.
Brokerages were divided on Bajaj Finance after its 2025-26 (FY26) third-quarter (October-December/ Q3) results, with a few raising targets on valuation comfort, while others flagged concerns over the credit cost trajectory.
'The trade deficit in some sectors is huge and that is an area of opportunity to localise.'
The government will come out with a credit guarantee scheme for MSMEs to facilitate term loans without collateral or third party guarantee, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman said on Tuesday. Presenting her seventh straight Union Budget, she also said that public sector banks to build in-house capability for credit assessment of MSMEs.
'Banks may find small ticket size lending economically unviable due to the cost of branch operations.'
It will enable real-time intel sharing among banks and other financial sector participants to strengthen customer protection against digital fraud.
The reduction in the goods and services tax (GST) rates has increased the momentum in India's economic activity both on the supply and demand sides, while robust agricultural activity - reflected in the strong onset of rabi sowing and adequate reservoir levels - has reinforced the outlook for food supply and rural incomes, the finance ministry said on Thursday.
Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman's biggest challenge will be to find a new growth driver, particularly against the backdrop of a global economy ravaged by heightened uncertainty and fragmentation, financial markets on a precipice, and global commodity prices on a continued uptrend.
India is on track to exceed the $4 trillion milestone in 2025-26 (FY26), surpassing the $3.9 trillion gross domestic product (GDP) mark recorded at the end of March 2025, Chief Economic Adviser (CEA) V Anantha Nageswaran said on Tuesday.
By democratising access to finance, empowering women and marginalised groups, and adapting to India's diverse regional landscapes, PMMY has helped fortify the country's grassroots growth engines, says Chief Economic Advisor to the Government of India, V Anantha Nageswaran.
'As the team builds, each of them will bring in a different perspective, new thinking.'
Bandhan Bank is expecting that a little less than 50 per cent of its portfolio will be dominated by affordable housing loans in the next three to five years.
'Afterwards, some improvement is expected.'
'The market has picked up for commercial vehicles. We are very close to pre-pandemic levels.'
Banks such as IndusInd Bank, Federal Bank, DCB Bank and Axis Bank which have renewed their focus on secured loans may be, hence, walking on a tightrope.
Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Monday said people are finding current interest rates "very stressful" and urged banks to make them affordable. Speaking at an event organised by State Bank of India, the finance minister said that at present, India requires industry to ramp up and invest in new facilities, and added that lowering lending rates can help achieve the "Viksit Bharat" aspiration.
'The approach today is, instead of giving loans to 100 MSMEs, let us give one loan to a big-ticket corporate.' 'And so many of these big fish deceived the banks and the banks are in the doldrums now with high NPAs.'
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday said the world has seen the power of India's indigenous weapons during Operation Sindoor, which is 'not over yet'.
The Reserve Bank on Tuesday asked all lending institutions, including non-banking financial companies, to implement the waiver of interest on interest for loans up to Rs 2 crore for the six months moratorium period beginning March 1, 2020.
Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Tuesday announced the doubling of the upper limit of Mudra loans to Rs 20 lakh to promote entrepreneurship in the country. "The limit of Mudra loans will be enhanced to Rs 20 lakh from the current Rs 10 lakh for those entrepreneurs who have availed and successfully repaid previous loans under the 'Tarun category', she said while presenting the Budget in the Lok Sabha.
'This is an area where good lending can happen, and that is one of the priorities for the next quarter.'
