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REGISTRATION STATEMENT PURSUANT TO SECTION 12(b) OR (g) OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934 |
ANNUAL REPORT PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934 |
TRANSITION REPORT PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934 |
SHELL COMPANY REPORT PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934 |
Title of each class |
Trading Symbol(s) |
Name of each exchange on which registered | ||
International Financial Reporting Standards as issued by the International Accounting Standards Board ☐ |
Other ☐ |
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CROSS REFERENCE SHEET
Form 20-F
| Item Caption |
Location |
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| Part I |
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| Item 1 | Identity of Directors, Senior Management and Advisors | Not Applicable |
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| Item 2 | Offer Statistics and Expected Timetable | Not Applicable |
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| Item 3 | Key Information | Exchange Rates and Certain Defined Terms |
1 | |||
| Risk Factors |
35 | |||||
| Selected Financial and Other Data |
81 | |||||
| Item 4 | Information on the Company | Business |
3 | |||
| Selected Statistical Information |
84 | |||||
| Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations |
92 | |||||
| Principal Shareholders |
140 | |||||
| Related Party Transactions |
141 | |||||
| Supervision and Regulation |
149 | |||||
| Item 5 | Operating and Financial Review and Prospects | Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations |
92 | |||
| Item 6 | Directors, Senior Management and Employees | Business—Employees |
30 | |||
| Management |
119 | |||||
| Principal Shareholders |
140 | |||||
| Item 7 | Major Shareholders and Related Party Transactions | Principal Shareholders |
140 | |||
| Management—Loans to Members of Our Senior Management |
132 | |||||
| Related Party Transactions |
141 | |||||
| Item 8 | Financial Information | Report of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firms |
F-2 | |||
| Consolidated Financial Statements and the Notes thereto |
F-5 | |||||
| Business—Legal Proceedings |
31 | |||||
| Item 9 | The Offer and Listing | Certain Information About Our American Depositary Share and Equity Shares |
67 | |||
| Restrictions on Foreign Ownership of Indian Securities |
192 | |||||
| Item 10 | Additional Information | Management |
119 | |||
| Description of Equity Shares |
68 | |||||
| Dividend Policy |
80 | |||||
| Taxation |
143 | |||||
| Supervision and Regulation |
149 | |||||
| Exchange Controls |
190 | |||||
| Restrictions on Foreign Ownership of Indian Securities |
192 | |||||
| Additional Information |
196 | |||||
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CROSS REFERENCE SHEET
| Item Caption |
Location |
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| Item 11 | Quantitative and Qualitative Disclosures About Market Risk | Business—Risk Management |
22 | |||||
| Selected Statistical Information |
84 | |||||||
| Item 12 | Description of Securities Other than Equity Securities | Not Applicable |
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| Item 12D | ADSs fee disclosure | Description of American Depositary Shares—Fees and Charges for Holders of American Depositary Shares |
76 | |||||
| Part II |
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| Item 13 | Defaults, Dividend Arrearages and Delinquencies | Not Applicable |
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| Item 14 | Material Modifications to the Rights of Security Holders and Use of Proceeds |
Not Applicable |
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| Item 15 | Controls and Procedures | Management—Controls and Procedures |
133 | |||||
| Management’s Report on Internal Control Over Financial Reporting |
197 | |||||||
| Report of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm—Internal Controls Over Financial Reporting |
198 | |||||||
| Item 16A | Audit Committee Financial Expert | Management—Audit Committee Financial Expert |
134 | |||||
| Item 16B | Code of Ethics | Management—Code of Ethics |
134 | |||||
| Item 16C | Principal Accountant Fees and Services | Management—Principal Accountant Fees and Services |
134 | |||||
| Item 16D | Exemption from the Listing Standards for Audit Committees | Not Applicable |
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| Item 16E | Purchases of Equity Securities by the Issuer and Affiliated Purchasers | Not Applicable |
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| Item 16F | Changes in or disagreements with accountants | Not Applicable |
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| Item 16G | Significant Differences in Corporate Governance Practices | Management—Compliance with NYSE Listing Standards on Corporate Governance |
135 | |||||
| Item 16H | Mine Safety Disclosure | Not Applicable |
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| Item 16I | Disclosure Regarding Foreign Jurisdictions that Prevent Inspections | Not Applicable |
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EXCHANGE RATES AND CERTAIN DEFINED TERMS
In this document, all references to “we”, “us”, “our”, “HDFC Bank” or “the Bank” shall mean HDFC Bank Limited or where the context requires also to its subsidiaries whose financials are consolidated for accounting purposes. References to the “U.S.” or “United States” are to the United States of America, its territories and its possessions. References to “India” are to the Republic of India. References to the “Companies Act” in the document mean the Indian Companies Act, 2013 and all rules and regulations issued thereunder. References to “$”, “US$”, “dollars” or “United States dollars” are to the legal currency of the United States and references to “Rs.”, “INR”, “rupees” or “Indian rupees” are to the legal currency of India.
Our financial statements are presented in Indian rupees and in some cases translated into United States dollars. The financial statements and all other financial data included in this report, except as otherwise noted, are prepared in accordance with United States generally accepted accounting principles, or U.S. GAAP. U.S. GAAP differs in certain material respects from accounting principles generally accepted in India, the requirements of India’s Banking Regulation Act and related regulations issued by the Reserve Bank of India (“RBI”) (collectively, “Indian GAAP”), which form the basis of our statutory general purpose financial statements in India. Principal differences applicable to our business include: determination of the allowance for credit losses, classification and valuation of investments, accounting for deferred income taxes, stock-based compensation, loan origination fees, derivative financial instruments, business combinations and the presentation format and disclosures of the financial statements and related notes. References to a particular “fiscal” are to our fiscal year ended March 31 of such year.
Fluctuations in the exchange rate between the Indian rupee and the United States dollar will affect the United States dollar equivalent of the Indian rupee price of the equity shares on the Indian stock exchanges and, as a result, will affect the market price of our American Depositary Shares (“ADSs”) in the United States. These fluctuations will also affect the conversion into United States dollars by the depositary of any cash dividends paid in Indian rupees on the equity shares represented by ADSs.
Investor expectations that reforms implemented by the government of India (the “Government of India” or the “Government”) will lead to an improvement in the long term growth outlook helped to improve the rupee’s performance, reducing the depreciation trend to 3.85 percent in fiscal year 2015. During fiscal year 2016, the rupee depreciated by 6.32 percent primarily reflecting global risk aversion and a strong United States dollar. However, in line with other emerging markets, which experienced currency appreciation in fiscal year 2017, the Indian rupee also appreciated by 2.1 percent against the United States dollar. This was mainly attributed to repricing of the Indian assets by international investors (driven by domestic economic and political stability) alongside the disappointment relating to the United States reform agenda. In fiscal year 2018, the rupee ranged between a high of Rs. 65.71 per US$ 1.00 and a low of Rs. 63.38 per US$ 1.00. Pressure developed in the last two quarters of fiscal year 2018 as oil prices rose and trade war risks escalated globally. In fiscal year 2019, while the rupee depreciated overall by 6.3 percent against the United States dollar, it ranged between a high of Rs. 74.4 per US$ 1.00 and a low of Rs. 64.85 per US$ 1.00. Rising oil prices and a slowdown in global trade volumes, as well as a risk aversion towards emerging market currencies (because of tariffs and trade war risks) have all affected the rupee negatively in fiscal year 2019. The rupee further depreciated in fiscal year 2020, amid weak global demand, low domestic economic growth and foreign portfolio investment outflows, as well as a result of foreign investors becoming more risk averse with respect to investments in India. In fiscal year 2020, the rupee ranged between a high of Rs. 76.37 per US$ 1.00 and a low of Rs. 68.40 per US$ 1.00. The rupee appreciated by 2.8 percent in fiscal year 2021, in part due to a weak dollar and robust foreign flows. In fiscal year 2021, the rupee traded in the range of 75.08-73.14 per US $1.00. With foreign capital outflows and geo-political risks, the rupee depreciated by 3.8 percent against the United States dollar in fiscal year 2022. In fiscal year 2022, the rupee ranged between a high of Rs. 77.07 per US$ 1.00 and a low of Rs. 72.37 per US$ 1.00. On account of a strong United States dollar and foreign institutional investors (“FII”) outflows, the rupee depreciated by 8.1 percent in fiscal year 2023.
Although we have translated selected Indian rupee amounts in this document into United States dollars for convenience, this does not mean that the Indian rupee amounts referred to could have been, or could be, converted to United States dollars at any particular rate, the rates stated above, or at all. Unless otherwise stated, all translations from Indian rupees to United States dollars are based on the noon buying rate in the City of New York for cable transfers in Indian rupees at US$ 1.00 = Rs. 82.19 on March 31, 2023. The Federal Reserve Bank of New York certifies this rate for customs purposes on each date the rate is given. The noon buying rate on June 16, 2023 was Rs. 81.89 per US$ 1.00.
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FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS
We have included statements in this report which contain words or phrases such as “will”, “aim”, “will likely result”, “believe”, “expect”, “will continue”, “anticipate”, “estimate”, “intend”, “plan”, “contemplate”, “seek to”, “future”, “objective”, “goal”, “project”, “should”, “will pursue” and similar expressions or variations of these expressions, that are “forward-looking statements”. Actual results may differ materially from those suggested by the forward-looking statements due to certain risks or uncertainties associated with our expectations with respect to, but not limited to, our ability to implement our strategy successfully, the market acceptance of and demand for various banking services, the success of the Proposed Transaction (as defined below) and implementation of the Scheme with HDFC Limited (as defined below (1)), future levels of our non-performing/ impaired assets, our growth and expansion, the adequacy of our provision/allowance for credit and investment losses, technological changes, volatility in investment income, our ability to market new products, cash flow projections, the outcome of any legal, tax or regulatory proceedings in India and in other jurisdictions we are or become a party to, the future impact of new accounting standards, our ability to pay dividends, the impact of changes in banking regulations and other regulatory changes on us in India and other jurisdictions, our ability to roll over our short term funding sources and our exposure to market and operational risks. By their nature, certain of the market risk disclosures are only estimates and could be materially different from what may actually occur in the future. As a result, actual future gains, losses or impact on net income could materially differ from those that have been estimated.
In addition, other factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those estimated by the forward-looking statements contained in this document include, but are not limited to: general economic and political conditions, instability or uncertainty in India and the other countries which have an impact on our business activities or investments caused by any factor, including terrorist attacks in India, the United States or elsewhere, anti-terrorist or other attacks by the United States, a United States-led coalition or any other country, tensions between India and Pakistan related to the Kashmir region or between India and China, military armament or social unrest in any part of India; the monetary and interest rate policies of the Government of India, natural calamities, pandemics, inflation, deflation, unanticipated turbulence in interest rates, foreign exchange rates, equity prices or other rates or prices; the performance of the financial markets in India and globally, changes in Indian and foreign laws and regulations, including tax, accounting and banking regulations, changes in competition and the pricing environment in India, and regional or general changes in asset valuations. For further discussion on the factors that could cause actual results to differ, see “Risk Factors”.
| (1) | Any forward-looking statements made in relation to the Scheme with HDFC Limited and the Proposed Transaction are merely predictions and therefore inherently subject to uncertainties and other factors and involve known and unknown risks that relate to the Scheme with HDFC Limited and the Proposed Transaction. The Scheme with HDFC Limited is not yet effective and in accordance with the provisions of the Scheme, the Scheme may be terminated and the Proposed Transaction may not be completed. Further, the implementation of the Scheme may fail to realize the anticipated benefits of the merger. For additional information about potential risks that relate to the Proposed Transaction and the Scheme with HDFC Limited that could affect our business and financial results, see “Risk Factors”. |
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BUSINESS
Overview
We are a new generation private sector bank in India. Our goal is to be the preferred provider of financial services to our customers in India across metro, urban, semi-urban and rural markets. Our strategy is to provide a comprehensive range of financial products and services to our customers through multiple distribution channels, with what we believe are high-quality services, advanced technology platforms and superior execution.
We have three principal business activities: retail banking, wholesale banking and treasury operations. Our retail banking products include deposit products, loans including loans to small and medium enterprises, credit cards, debit cards, third-party mutual funds and insurance products, bill payment services, and other products and services. Under wholesale banking, we offer a wide range of commercial and transactional banking services, including working capital finance, trade services, transactional services and cash management. We are also a leading provider of structured solutions in India, which combine cash management services with vendor and distributor finance to facilitate supply chain management for our corporate customers. Our treasury operations manage our balance sheet including liquidity and interest rate risks thereon, and include customer-driven services such as advisory services related to foreign exchange and derivative transactions for corporate and institutional customers, supplemented by proprietary trading, including Indian Government securities. Further, our non-banking finance company (“NBFC”) subsidiary HDB Financial Services Limited (“HDBFSL”) offers a wide range of loans and asset finance products including mortgage loans, commercial vehicle loans, consumer loans and gold loans, as well as a range of business process outsourcing solutions. We provide our customers with brokerage accounts through our subsidiary HDFC Securities Limited (“HSL”), which we believe is one of the leading stock brokerage companies in India and which offers a suite of products and services across various asset classes, such as equity, gold and debt, and via multiple platforms, i.e., online, mobile, telephone and branches.
As a result of trade tensions and geo-political risks, global growth slowed to 2.8 percent in 2019 from 3.6 percent in 2018, according to IMF estimates. In 2020, growth declined by 2.8 percent, driven by the COVID-19 pandemic and related lockdowns and movement restrictions across the globe, which caused GDP to contract in major economies. With the availability of vaccines and policy support, the global economy started regaining strength in 2021, when, as per the International Monetary Fund (“IMF”), global growth stood at 6.3 percent. However, global recovery halted again in 2022 on account of the Russia-Ukraine crisis, the China slowdown, rising commodity prices, and elevated inflation. As per the IMF, global growth moderated to 3.4 percent in 2022. Looking ahead, growth outlooks appear less optimistic as global monetary tightening, the recent turmoil in the U.S. banking sector and moderation in global trade are likely to weigh on global growth in 2023. The IMF estimates global growth to moderate to 2.8 percent in 2023.
In fiscal year 2021, the COVID-19 pandemic adversely impacted India’s economic growth. The Government imposed a lockdown between March 25, 2020 and May 31, 2020. While this helped to control the spread of the pandemic during the first wave, it adversely impacted all sectors of the economy, with the consumption and services sectors worst affected. With improved mobility and policy measures, economic activity picked up in the second half of fiscal year 2021. GDP rebounded with 2.1 percent year on year growth in the second half of fiscal year 2021 as compared to a contraction of 14.4 percent in the first half of fiscal year 2021. For the full fiscal year 2021, India’s GDP declined by 5.8 percent in fiscal year 2021 compared to growth of 3.7 percent in the prior year.
However, the “second wave” of COVID-19 and related containment measures adversely affected the pace of recovery for the Indian economy during the first quarter of fiscal year 2022. On a quarter-by-quarter basis, India’s GDP declined by 16.3 percent in the first quarter of fiscal year 2022, although year-on-year growth stood at 21.6 percent, primarily due to support from a low base from the previous year. Economic activity started recovering from the second quarter of fiscal year 2022, but came under stress again in the second half of fiscal year 2022 as the Omicron variant started spreading. Overall, GDP growth stood at 9.1 percent in fiscal year 2022, against a decline of 5.8 percent in fiscal year 2021.
In the first quarter of fiscal year 2023, GDP growth in India rebounded sharply with support from the reopening of the economy. While year-on-year growth benefited from a low base, economic activity gained genuine traction during the first quarter. GDP growth stood at 13.2 percent year-on-year in the first quarter of fiscal year 2023. However, year-on-year GDP growth began to moderate from the second quarter, primarily due to a fading base effect. In addition, weak performance of the manufacturing sector and exports negatively impacted growth in part due to elevated input costs as the Russia-Ukraine war caused supply chain disruptions. In the third quarter of fiscal year 2023, GDP growth moderated to 4.5 percent from 6.2 percent in the second quarter. However, GDP growth recovered to 6.1 percent in the fourth quarter of fiscal year 2023. For the full fiscal year 2023, GDP growth stood at 7.2 percent.
Geo-political tensions and lingering supply side disruptions weighed on domestic retail inflation in fiscal year 2023. Consumer Price Index (“CPI”) inflation rose to 7.8 percent in April 2022 and stayed above the RBI’s upper tolerance limit of 6.0 percent for the most part of the fiscal year 2023. CPI inflation averaged at 6.7 percent in fiscal year 2023 compared to 5.5 percent in fiscal year 2022. More recently, headline CPI inflation eased to 4.7 percent in April 2023 and further to 4.25 percent in May. Going forward, domestic retail inflation is expected to average at 4.9 percent in fiscal year 2024, primarily due to the base effect and moderation in global commodity prices. However, weather-related disruptions (such as the possibility of El Niño or an uneven distribution of monsoon and heat waves) could challenge the overall inflation outlook.
In fiscal years 2022 and 2023, major central banks raised interest rates sharply as inflation rose to record levels. The U.S. Federal Reserve increased its policy rate by 500 basis points to 5.0-5.25 percent between March 2022 and May 2023, reaching the highest level since 2007. Similarly, the European Central Bank raised the policy rate by 400 basis points to 3.50 percent (deposit rate) and the Bank of England increased the policy rate by 440 basis points to 4.50 percent. In India, the RBI raised the policy rate cumulatively by 250 basis points to 6.50 percent, before choosing to keep rates unchanged at its April 2023 policy meeting.
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Going forward, India’s GDP growth is likely to moderate in fiscal year 2024, primarily due to decreasing external demand as global growth slowdown is likely to adversely impact India’s export performance. Moreover, the contribution of private consumption to GDP growth is estimated to be lower than in previous years as high services inflation, labor market stress due to global recession and a possibility of weaker than normal monsoons and other weather-related risks for the agriculture sector could negatively affect consumer demand. However, the impact of these factors could be partially cushioned by Government’s capital spending plan worth Rs. 10 trillion, mainly focusing on roads and railways. On balance, GDP growth is expected at 6.0 percent in fiscal year 2024.
In response to the adverse impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and related disruptions, the Government sharply increased its spending in both fiscal year 2021 and fiscal year 2022. While the fiscal deficit was 9.2 percent in fiscal year 2021, it narrowed to 6.7 percent in fiscal year 2022. The Government increased its capital spending plan significantly in fiscal years 2023 and 2024 to support growth, while remaining on track for fiscal consolidation in fiscal year 2023 and targeting the fiscal deficit to be at 6.4 percent. For fiscal year 2024, the Government plans to spend Rs. 10 trillion, an increase of 37.3 percent compared to fiscal year 2023, as capital expenditure. Around 40 percent of total capital expenditure is planned to be spent on roads and railways. Despite the sharp increase in capital spending, the Government has targeted a lower fiscal deficit of 5.9 percent for fiscal year 2024.
Since commencing operations in January 1995, we have grown rapidly. As of March 31, 2023, we had 7,821 branches and 19,727 ATMs/Cash Deposit and Withdrawal Machines (“CDMs”) in 3,811 cities and towns and 82.8 million customers. In addition, we had 15,921 business correspondents, which were primarily manned by common service centers (“CSCs”). On account of the expansion in our geographical reach and the resultant increase in market penetration, our assets have grown from Rs. 21,113.7 billion as of March 31, 2022 to Rs. 25,755.6 billion as of March 31, 2023. Our net income has increased from Rs. 386.0 billion for fiscal year 2022 to Rs. 495.4 billion for fiscal year 2023. Our loans and deposits as of March 31, 2023 amounted to Rs. 17,052.9 billion and Rs. 18,826.6 billion, respectively. Across business cycles, we believe we have maintained a strong balance sheet and a low cost of funds. As of March 31, 2023, gross non-performing customer assets as a percentage of gross customer assets was 1.1 percent. Our net customer assets represented 93.3 percent of our deposits and our deposits represented 73.1 percent of our total liabilities and shareholders’ equity. The average non-interest-bearing current accounts and low-interest-bearing savings accounts represented 43.5 percent of average total deposits for the year ended March 31, 2023. These low-cost deposits and the cash float associated with our transactional services led to an average cost of funds (including equity) of 3.5 percent for fiscal year 2023. We had a return on equity (net income as a percentage of average total shareholders’ equity) of 16.8 percent for fiscal year 2022 and 18.7 percent for fiscal year 2023. As at March 31, 2023 we had a total capital adequacy ratio (calculated pursuant to RBI guidelines) of 19.30 percent. Our Common Equity Tier I (“CET-I”) ratio was 16.40 percent as at March 31, 2023.
About Our Bank
HDFC Bank Limited is a limited liability company that was incorporated in August 1994 under the laws of India and commenced operations as a scheduled commercial bank in January 1995. In 2000, we merged with Times Bank Limited and, in 2008, we acquired Centurion Bank of Punjab Limited (“CBoP”). We are part of the HDFC Group of companies established by our principal shareholder, Housing Development Finance Corporation Limited (“HDFC Limited”), a listed public limited company established under the laws of India. HDFC Limited is primarily engaged in financial services, including mortgages, property-related lending and deposit services. The subsidiaries and associated companies of HDFC Limited are also largely engaged in a range of financial services, including asset management, life insurance and general insurance. HDFC Limited and its subsidiaries (together, “HDFC Group”) owned 20.87 percent of our outstanding equity shares as of March 31, 2023 and our Chairperson and Managing Director are nominated by HDFC Limited and appointed with the approval of our shareholders and the RBI. See “Principal Shareholders.” See also “—Proposed Transaction.” We have no agreements with HDFC Limited or any of its group companies that restrict us from competing with them or that restrict HDFC Limited or any of its group companies from competing with our business. We currently distribute products of HDFC Limited and its group companies, such as home loans of HDFC Limited, life and general insurance products of HDFC Life Insurance Company Limited and HDFC ERGO General Insurance Company Limited, respectively, and mutual funds of HDFC Asset Management Company Limited.
We have two subsidiaries, HDBFSL and HSL, which are both incorporated in India. HDBFSL is a non-deposit-taking NBFC engaged primarily in the business of retail asset financing while HSL is primarily in the business of providing brokerage and other investment services. Effective April 1, 2018, the financial results of our subsidiary companies have been prepared in accordance with notified Indian Accounting Standards (April 1, 2017 being the transition date). HDBFSL’s total assets and shareholders’ equity as of March 31, 2023 were Rs. 700.5 billion and Rs. 114.4 billion, respectively. HDBFSL’s net income was Rs. 19.6 billion for fiscal year 2023. As of March 31, 2023, HDBFSL had 1,492 branches across 1,054 cities in India. HSL’s total assets and shareholders’ equity as of March 31, 2023 were Rs. 82.7 billion and Rs. 18.0 billion, respectively. HSL’s net income was Rs. 7.8 billion for fiscal year 2023.
Our principal corporate and registered office is located at HDFC Bank House, Senapati Bapat Marg, Lower Parel, Mumbai 400 013, India. Our telephone number is 91-22-6652-1000. Our agent in the United States for the 2001, 2005, 2007, 2015 and 2018 ADS offerings is Depositary Management Corporation, 570 Lexington Avenue, New York, NY 10022.
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Proposed Transaction
The Board of Directors at its meeting held on April 4, 2022 approved a composite scheme of amalgamation (the “Scheme”) for the amalgamation of: (i) HDFC Investments Limited and HDFC Holdings Limited, each a subsidiary of HDFC Limited, with and into HDFC Limited; and (ii) HDFC Limited with and into HDFC Bank (the “Proposed Transaction”). The share exchange ratio shall be 42 equity shares of HDFC Bank (each having a face value of Rs. 1) for every 25 equity shares of HDFC Limited (each having a face value of Rs. 2).
Following the Board meeting held on April 4, 2022, the parties to the Scheme filed a company scheme application with the National Company Law Tribunal, Mumbai Bench (“NCLT”). Pursuant to the order dated October 14, 2022 by the NCLT, a shareholders’ meetings of HDFC Bank and HDFC Limited were convened. The Scheme was approved by the requisite majority of shareholders on November 25, 2022. On receipt of such shareholders’ approval, the parties to the Scheme filed a joint company scheme petition before the NCLT seeking sanction of the Scheme. The NCLT, after hearing the parties to the Scheme, sanctioned the Scheme on March 17, 2023 (“NCLT Order”).
In accordance with Clause 42 of the Scheme, the effectiveness of the Scheme is inter alia subject to receipt of certain approvals and meeting various compliances under the applicable law and regulations. While the requisite approvals have been received by the parties, certain compliances are currently pending. The Scheme will be made effective shortly after completion of such compliances, including filing the NCLT Order with the Registrar of Companies, which is expected to occur on or about July 1, 2023.
We expect the Proposed Transaction to be strategically beneficial to both the Bank and HDFC Limited as it takes advantage of existing complementarities. Following the Proposed Transaction, we expect to grow our housing loan portfolio and enhance our existing customer base, benefiting from HDFC Limited’s technological capabilities to evaluate the credit worthiness of customers and its existing offices to market our products and services across India. The housing market environment has changed with recent laws bringing in greater transparency and price corrections lowering inventories. Home loan customers are typically retained for a longer time than our other retail customers. There is a sizeable customer base of HDFC Limited that presently does not do banking with us yet and to whom we can make our product and service offerings. HDFC Limited’s rural and affordable housing lending is expected to qualify as priority sector lending for us and can enable a higher flow of credit into priority sector lending, including agriculture. At the same time, we expect the combined entity resulting from the completion of the Proposed Transaction to benefit from our lower cost of funds and distribution. As the present regulatory environment is more conducive in terms of reduced reserve requirements of about 22.5 percent (compared to 26 percent previously), we expect acquiring liability customers and deposit mobilization to be a key focus area for us to fund future growth. In addition, we expect to reduce the proportion of our exposure to unsecured loans and benefit from a larger balance sheet and capital base, which would allow us to underwrite larger ticket loans and also enable a greater flow of credit into the Indian economy. More secured and long-tenure products are expected to strengthen the Bank’s robust asset portfolio mix. The Scheme also enlists certain rationales and benefits of the Proposed Transaction. Those expectations and anticipated benefits as well as the rationales mentioned in the Scheme are based on estimations and there is no assurance that they will materialize or materialize to the fullest extent as anticipated.
See also “Risk Factors—The implementation of the Scheme may fail to realize the anticipated benefits of the merger and will expose us to incremental regulatory requirements.”
Our Competitive Strengths
We attribute our growth and continuing success to the following competitive strengths:
We have a strong brand presence and extensive reach through a large distribution network
At HDFC Bank, we are focused on offering a comprehensive range of financial products and solutions tailored to meet the diverse needs of our customers. We are driven by our core values: customer focus, operational excellence, product leadership, sustainability and people. This has helped us grow and achieve our status as one of the largest private sector banks in India, while delivering value to our customers, stakeholders, the Government, employees and the community at large. We believe HDFC Bank is one of the most trusted and preferred bank brands in India. We have been acknowledged as “Best Bank in India” at the Euromoney Awards for Excellence 2022 and as the “Best Corporate Bank”, “Best Bank for SMEs” and “Best Bank for Diversity Inclusion” at the Asia Money Best Bank Awards 2022. We have capitalized on our strong brand presence by establishing an extensive banking network throughout India, serving a broad range of customers in metro, urban, semi-urban and rural regions. As of March 31, 2023, we had 7,821 branches and 19,727 ATMs/CDMs in 3,811 cities and towns and over 82.8 million customers, and of our total branches, 52.0 percent were in the semi-urban and rural areas. In addition, we had 15,921 business correspondents, which were primarily manned by CSCs. Our extensive branch network is further complemented by our digital platforms, including internet banking, mobile banking, WhatsApp banking and phone banking solutions, to provide our customers with a lifestyle banking experience, which is categorized into seven categories: Pay, Save, Invest, Borrow, Shop, Trade and Insure. Our focus is on delivering a highly personalized multi-channel experience to our customers.
We provide a wide range of products and high-quality service to our clients in order to meet their banking needs
Whether in retail banking, wholesale banking or treasury operations, we consider ourselves a “one-stop-shop” for our customers’ banking needs. We consider our high-quality service offerings to be a vital component of our business and believe in pursuing excellence in execution through multiple internal initiatives focused on continuous improvement. This pursuit of high-quality service and operational execution directly supports our ability to offer a wide range of banking products.
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Our retail banking products include deposit products, retail loans (such as vehicle and personal loans), and other products and services, such as private banking, depositary accounts, foreign exchange services, distribution of third-party products (such as insurance and mutual funds), bill payments and sale of gold and silver bullion. In addition, we are the largest credit card issuer in India with 17.5 million cards outstanding as of March 31, 2023. With respect to wholesale banking, we offer a wide range of commercial and transactional banking services to businesses and organizations of all sizes. Our services include working capital finance, term lending, project finance, trade services, supply chain financing, transactional services and cash management, as well as other services. Our product offerings include documentary credits and bank guarantees, foreign exchange and derivative products, investment banking services and corporate deposit products and services such as custodial and clearing bank services and correspondent banking. We have made significant inroads into the banking consortia of a number of leading Indian corporates including multinationals. We believe our large scale and low cost of funding enable us to pursue high-quality wholesale financing opportunities competitively and at an advantage compared to our peers. We collect taxes for the Government and are bankers to companies in respect of issuances of equity shares and bonds to the public. Our NBFC subsidiary HDBFSL offers loan and asset finance products including tractor loans, consumer loans and gold loans, as well as business process outsourcing solutions such as form processing, document verification, contact center management and other front- and back-office services.
We are able to provide this wide range of products across our physical and digital network, meaning we can provide our targeted rural customers with banking products and services similar to those provided to our urban customers, which we believe gives us a competitive advantage. Our wide range of products and focus on superior service and execution also create multiple cross-selling opportunities for us and, we believe, promote customer retention.
We have achieved robust and consistent financial performance while maintaining a healthy asset quality during our growth
On account of our superior operational execution, broad range of products, expansion in our geographical reach and the resulting increase in market penetration through our extensive branch network, our assets have grown from Rs. 21,113.7 billion as of March 31, 2022 to Rs. 25,755.6 billion as of March 31, 2023. Our net interest margin was 4.3 percent in fiscal year 2022 and 4.4 percent in fiscal year 2023. Our current and savings account deposits as a percentage of our total deposits were 44.4 percent as of March 31, 2023, and we believe this strong current and savings account profile has enabled us to tap into a low-cost funding base. In addition to the significant growth in our assets and net revenue, we remain focused on maintaining a healthy asset quality. We continue to have low levels of non-performing customer assets as compared to the average levels in the Indian banking industry. Our gross non-performing customer assets as a percentage of total customer assets was 1.1 percent as of March 31, 2023. Our net income has increased from Rs. 386.0 billion for fiscal year 2022 to Rs. 495.4 billion for fiscal year 2023. Net income as a percentage of average total shareholders’ equity was 16.8 percent in fiscal year 2022 and 18.7 percent in fiscal year 2023 and net income as a percentage of average total assets was 2.1 percent in fiscal year 2022 and 2.2 percent in fiscal year 2023. We believe the combination of strong net income growth, robust deposit-taking, a low cost of funds and prudent risk management has enabled us to generate attractive returns on capital.
We have an advanced technology platform
We have taken significant strides towards building a technology-focused ecosystem by creating seamless digital experiences for our customers. Our technology transformation agenda is central to delivering “always-on” secure services, backed by resilient technology systems. We have started reaping the benefits from Project Future Ready with various products launches consolidating our growth further. See “—Our Business Strategy—Project Future Ready.” We remain committed to leading the charge to innovate and progress on the tech and digital revolution which has been witnessed in India post-COVID-19. We are focusing on building new competencies through our factory approach under Digital Solutions Factory, Enterprise Factory.
Digital Solutions Factory: Visioned to bring in greater working synergies between our Digital Factory Business Solutions Group unit, this unified construct is responsible for building and reimagining experiences and journeys for HDFC bank products and services for our existing and potential customers.
Enterprise Factory: This unit is the bridge between the core IT systems and the cloud-native experience that are being designed through the digital factory. This unit is also responsible for end-to-end architecture of all our applications.
Our factory approach has empowered new products and services with a reimagination of services and journeys for our customers. Strategic partnerships with FinTechs have contributed to introducing cutting edge technologies to the banking landscape and have enabled us to further strengthen our leadership in the industry.
We have an experienced management team
Our experienced management team is led by Mr. Sashidhar Jagdishan, who has been with our Bank since 1996 and who was appointed Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of the Bank in October 2020. Formerly our Chief Financial Officer, Mr. Jagdishan was appointed as Change Agent in 2019. He was additionally responsible for legal and secretarial, human resources, corporate communication, infrastructure, administration and corporate social responsibility functions. Effective April 2023, Mr. Kaizad Bharucha, our former Executive Director, was appointed as Deputy Managing Director and Mr. Bhavesh Zaveri was appointed as Executive Director. See also “Management.”
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Our leadership team brings together a diversity of talent and a wealth of experience. Many of the members of our management have had a long tenure with us, which gives us a deep bench of experienced managers. They have substantial experience in banking or other industries and share our common vision of excellence in execution. Having a management team with such breadth and depth of experience is well suited to leverage the competitive strengths we have already developed across our large, diverse and growing branch network as well as allowing our management team to focus on creating new opportunities for our business. As the world becomes increasingly digital, our management team intends to steer the Bank to leadership in this emerging domain with innovative products and services. See also “Management.”
Our Business Strategy
Our business strategy emphasizes the following elements:
Project Future Ready
In fiscal year 2022, we launched “Project Future Ready”, which focuses on developing best-in-class products and services. As part of Project Future Ready, we have launched a multitude of products over fiscal year 2023, delivering neo-banking experiences to our customers while making banking simple, easy and highly secure. Key launches include the following:
| • | PayZapp 2.0: The modernized payments app, which launched in March 2023, offers a seamless and intuitive user interface with enhanced security. PayZapp 2.0 also brings about several quality-of-life improvements compared to its predecessor and provides new-age functionalities such as limit management, auto-linkage of HDFC Bank cards, enhanced onboarding experience and detailed account statements. |
| • | Smart Hub Vyapar: The one-stop business and banking solution has been designed and developed to serve the business needs of micro, small and medium enterprises (“MSMEs”) and is continuously enhanced with new use cases bundled as part of various rollouts. The app allows instant, digital and paperless merchant onboarding for the Bank’s customers, accepts interoperable payments across multiple payment modes, and enables remote payments. Merchants can also avail banking services such as opening fixed deposits and quick access to pre-approved loans and credit cards. Additionally, the app has a marketing tool that enables merchants to broadcast their offers through social media to existing and potential customers. |
| • | HDFC Bank One (Customer Experience Hub): This conversational bot is built on artificial intelligence (“AI”) and machine learning (“ML”) and has transformed our contact centers into a consolidated central platform. It has been rolled out pan-India covering contact centers including inbound phone banking, interactive voice response (“IVR”) self-service, virtual relationship management teams and tele-sales. With the launch of HDFC Bank One we have witnessed significant improvements in our customer engagements owed to the omni-channel experience being provided across WhatsApp chat banking, SMS banking, IVR self-service and agent-assisted banking. |
| • | Xpress Car Loans (“XCL”): XCL, which is the first of its kind end-to-end digital lending journey platform in India, facilitates instant and hassle-free car loan disbursals to existing as well as new-to-bank customers. It has been well received particularly by customers with average monthly disbursements crossing a fifth of the total disbursements. The platform will be further enhanced by engaging with leading car dealerships and manufacturers to offer seamless loan disbursals and purchase experiences across India. |
| • | Cattle Finance: Our Dairy Cattle Finance App is our one-touch solution developed to support dairy farmers by providing them with a single platform for the end-to-end digital processing of loan applications. As the platform combines everything from the customer’s onboarding to the disbursement of the loan under one umbrella, the turnaround time can be reduced significantly, thereby enhancing the customer experience. |
Increase our market share of India’s expanding banking and financial services industry
In addition to benefiting from the overall growth in India’s economy and financial services industry, we believe we can increase our market share by continuing to focus on our competitive strengths, including our strong brand, our diverse product offering and our extensive banking outlet and ATM networks, to increase our market penetration. We believe we can expand our market share by focusing on developing our digital offerings to target mass markets across India. We believe digital offerings will position us well to capitalize on growth in India’s banking and financial services sector, arising from India’s emerging middle class and growing number of bankable households. Our key indigenous digital products such as XCL, 10 Second Personal loans, digital loan against shares, and digital loan against mutual funds, among others, enable not only our existing customers but also new bank customers to avail loans in a seamless manner. These initiatives address the needs of the growing population of digital savvy customers. We believe we can also capture an increased market share by expanding our branch footprint, particularly by focusing on rural and semi-urban areas. As of March 31, 2023, we had 7,821 branches and 19,727 ATMs/CDMs in 3,811 cities and towns. In addition, we had 15,921 business correspondents, which were primarily manned by CSCs. In line with the Bank’s core value of product leadership, the bank has significantly enhanced its process of managing the retail distribution franchise and its expansion by developing a scientific approach and using a “Distribution Planning Tool”. This data science tool combines data sources, including geo-spatial data on urbanization levels in India, credit bureau information on the presence of financial companies in an area and various internal data sources with a front-end data visualization solution. The Distribution Planning Tool has enabled the Bank to merge data-based insights with on-the-ground intelligence to take informed decisions on the expansion of distribution points (branches, ATMs/CDMs and business correspondents) at locations which carry high business potential across the country. We expect this approach to help optimize our expansion and increase our market share and profitability.
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Continue our investments in technology to support our digital strategy
As we continuously improve and modernize our core banking applications and information technology infrastructure, we have reinforced our technology and innovation know-how by undertaking key initiatives such as:
| • | Data Centre Migration: We have successfully migrated our primary data center to state-of-the-art facilities in Mumbai and Bengaluru. Our comprehensive planning of the 12+ month program helped achieve a seamless migration of all production and testing environment applications. |
| • | Cloud strategy: We have progressed on our hybrid cloud strategy with the successful implementation of a common landing zone with leading cloud service providers. This enables us to create a secure and streamlined environment for all cloud deployments in the future and furthers ’our agenda of implementing agile and modern software development practices in the transformation journey. |
| • | TradeFlow: The application TradeFlow is built entirely on the cloud and employs various automations integrating more than 15 applications. It has entirely transformed our trade finance solution by building a centralized state-of-the-art platform, providing improved reliability and usability for end-users. With features such as dynamic reports, an informative dashboard and a single view of all dependencies as well as its ability to integrate with various trade finance peripheral applications, TradeFlow proves to be a one-stop application for all our trade users. |
| • | Revamping Corporate Net Banking: Corporate Banking eXchange (“CBX”) is our unified corporate banking portal specifically designed to cater to the net-banking needs of corporates. Having the capability to transact and process via both mobile and the internet portal, this system handles more than 87,000 active domains. 99 percent of our customers have already been migrated to CBX and the remaining are being onboarded. The new portal offers a superior experience with modern features such as customized narration, enhanced authorization levels and a contextual help dashboard providing superior customer convenience. |
| • | Unified payment interface (“UPI”): With a 70 percent year-on-year growth, our UPI continued improving both in terms of value and volumes in fiscal year 2023. With the successful implementation of the Active-Active architecture of the UPI (data is replicated to a ready-to-go secondary site which is in constant synchronization with the primary site), we are able to process records from the NPCI disaster recovery (“DR”) and NPCI primary recovery (“PR”) sites simultaneously. We plan to enhance our UPI further, viz. through the introduction of UPI Lite, which facilitates low-value transactions in offline mode through on-device wallets, enabling users to make transactions even when they do not have access to the internet. |
| • | FynDNA Governor Solution: Governor Solution is our recently developed adaptive rate limiter for monitoring UPI transactions, which is deployed between the source and destination system (whether cloud or on-premises). It plays a key role in intelligently managing and controlling the exchange of transactions basis the health of the destination system. The monitoring mechanism of Governor solution enables detailed performance analytics of the destination system, facilitating the early detection of any irregularities and preventing performance deterioration. |
Cross-sell our broad financial product portfolio across our customer base
We are able to offer our complete suite of financial products across our branch network, including in rural locations. By matching our broad customer base with our ability to offer our complete suite of products to both rural and urban customers across retail banking, wholesale banking and treasury product lines, we believe that we can continue to generate organic growth by cross-selling different products by proactively offering our customers complementary products as their relationships with us develop and their financial needs grow and evolve.
Maintain strong asset quality through disciplined credit risk management
We have maintained high-quality loan and investment portfolios through careful targeting of our customer base, and by putting in place what we believe are comprehensive risk assessment processes and diligent risk monitoring and remediation procedures. Our gross non-performing customer assets as a percentage of gross customer assets was 1.1 percent as of March 31, 2023. We believe we can maintain strong asset quality appropriate to the loan portfolio composition while achieving growth.
Maintain a low cost of funds
We believe we can maintain a relatively low-cost funding base as compared to our competitors, by leveraging our strengths and expanding our base of retail savings and current deposits and increasing the free float generated by transaction services, such as cash management and stock exchange clearing. Our non-interest-bearing current and low-interest-bearing savings account deposits were 44.4 percent of our total deposits as of March 31, 2023. Our average cost of funds (including equity) was 3.1 percent in fiscal year 2022 and 3.5 percent in fiscal year 2023.
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Embed ESG principles within our wider business strategy
We include environmental, social and governance (“ESG”) factors in our business strategy, including in the design of our products and services and the implementation of our processes and policies. Our ESG strategy, which seeks to create value for all stakeholders, focuses on climate change, community and society, along with certain practices related to customers and suppliers, lending, procurement and governance. We have a board-level Corporate Social Responsibility and ESG Committee with oversight of our sustainability and climate change initiatives, and the Board has approved an ESG policy framework to identify and mitigate the Bank’s climate change-related risks. In fiscal year 2022, we committed to become carbon neutral with respect to direct emissions from our operations by fiscal year 2032 and are putting in place an implementation framework to achieve carbon neutrality, including continuing our investments in renewable energy and energy efficiency projects to lower our carbon footprint. Other initiatives to reduce ESG risks include initiatives in digital banking, contributions to tree planting targets, green building, managing greenhouse gas emissions through various initiatives, including those to reduce fuel consumption by our corporate fleet and paper consumption across the Bank, the use of renewable energy and a reduction in energy consumption.
With increasing focus on formalizing climate change risk management and enhancing related disclosures, some stakeholders are also placing more emphasis on financial institutions’ actions and investment decisions in respect of ESG matters. We continue to monitor the impacts of climate change risks on our business, including as the result of regulatory developments, changing market practices and the transition to a low carbon economy, and to accelerate the development of our climate risk management capabilities. Developments in data collection and assessment methodologies are expected to continue to help improve and enhance our measurement and reporting of climate change risks and financed emissions. We are exploring frameworks to model and assess climate risks. We also continue our efforts to acquire granular data and test tools for climate risk assessments and to adopt suitable methodologies to analyze exposures under different climate scenarios through suitable partnerships—including exploring options to collaborate with data providers.
Evaluation of environmental and social risk is also an integral part of our overall credit appraisal and approval process. Recently, we have upgraded the SEMS framework and replaced it with an ESG Climate Change (“ESG CC”) assessment framework to enable a more comprehensive assessment of ESG and climate change issues. The ESG CC assessment framework necessitates an assessment of environmental, health, social, safety and climate change risks in addition to other risks as part of the overall credit appraisal process. In particular, wholesale borrowers with a direct customer risk greater than Rs. 500 million across facilities are subject to ESG CC assessment. In addition, we are increasingly emphasizing green financing solutions and tailoring the Bank’s portfolio towards climate-sensitive financing and companies with appropriate risk assessment systems and processes.
COVID-19 Pandemic
On March 11, 2020, the COVID-19 outbreak was declared a pandemic by the World Health Organization (“WHO”). Governments and companies introduced a variety of measures to contain the spread of the virus. We also took measures and implemented remote working arrangements for the majority of our workforce, provision of appropriate masks and hand sanitizers for at-risk employees, use of physical distancing measures, periodic disinfection and fumigation of operational bank locations and the establishment of a specific COVID-19 employee helpline. As a result of remote working, we have strengthened our cybersecurity measures, including implementing two-factor authentication, increasing employee awareness of unusual activity and ensuring IT support is available 24 hours per day. We also implemented additional measures to enable customers to complete their banking activity remotely where possible. We believe that our capital and liquidity positions remain strong leading to robust processes, coordination and communication within our business units and a high level of customer service and care.
The pandemic and its aftermath present both challenges and opportunities for the Indian banking system. For example, opportunities in the healthcare sector are likely to continue growing, as the management of the pandemic underscores the need to expand capacity in this area. Growth in the healthcare sector also has a positive impact on the pharmaceuticals and medical equipment segments. To strengthen the manufacturing segment, the Government announced the Production Linked Incentive Scheme in March 2020. In the fiscal year 2022 budget, Rs. 1.9 trillion were allocated to the scheme for five years, with a focus to boost production in textiles, electronics, pharmaceuticals and 10 other segments. Additionally, the Government plans to increase its capital spending to Rs. 10.0 trillion for fiscal year 2024 from Rs. 5 trillion in fiscal year 2023. This may lead to increased demand for ancillary products in the infrastructure segment, as well as the crowding-in of private capital expenditure.
The Government has also allocated considerable funding (Rs. 100.0 billion) to formalize the micro-food processing segment through technical and infrastructure support and the implementation of safety and quality standards. The micro-segment is likely to grow in “clusters” and to offer increased credit opportunities for banks, particularly through the micro-finance and the self-help group (“SHG”) channels.
Loans to MSMEs increased sharply in fiscal year 2022 and 2023, primarily due to the Government’s Emergency Credit Line Guarantee Scheme. The Government had increased the cover of this scheme by Rs. 500 billion to Rs. 5 trillion in February 2022. While the sovereign back-stop makes lending to this segment viable in the near term, the effort to strengthen and scale up MSMEs could create high-quality borrowers in the process.
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As the Indian economy began to recover from COVID-19 pandemic-related disruptions, bank credit growth accelerated to 15 percent in March 2023 from 8.6 percent in March 2022. This acceleration in bank credit growth was broadly based in fiscal year 2023, with major segments, such as loans to MSME, retail, agriculture and allied sectors, experiencing double digit growth.
For fiscal year 2024, the Government plans to increase its capital spending by 37.3 percent to Rs. 10 trillion. This could increase investments in ancillary segments such as steel, cement and pipes, some of which have already seen improved capacity utilization, with the potential of private capital expenditures increasing further going forward beyond 2024.
The Government also announced a revamped credit guarantee scheme for the MSME sector in the budget for 2023-2024. The scheme has allocated funds of Rs. 90 billion and is expected to enable additional collateral-free guaranteed credit of Rs. 2 trillion. Moreover, the Government has increased the agriculture credit target by 11 percent to Rs. 20 trillion for fiscal year 2024. These measures could support credit growth in the agriculture sector and industry segment.
Lastly, an anticipated shift in global value chains away from China, in order to reduce concentration risk, as well as in response to a shifting geo-political landscape, presents India with unique opportunities. India could gain global market share across sectors including more traditional sectors, such as textiles, furniture and basic chemicals, as well as more technologically advanced sectors, such as mobile phone handsets, pharmaceuticals and auto components.
However, challenges still remain. Factoring in the possibility of a global slowdown, GDP growth is expected to moderate to 6.0 percent in fiscal year 2024. While Government capital spending could crowd-in private investments in some segments (e.g., cement and steel), overall private capital expenditure growth is likely to be muted, due to a likely slowdown in private consumption and external demand, global uncertainty and recessionary risks. In addition, rising costs of capital due to domestic and global monetary tightening could weigh on investments and credit demand. Lastly, the possibility of rising urban unemployment, which is often a corollary of a slowdown in economic growth, remains a risk for the demand for retail lending.
Our Principal Business Activities
Our principal business activities consist of retail banking, wholesale banking and treasury operations. The following table sets forth our total revenues-net, comprising of net interest revenue after provision for credit losses and non-interest revenue-net attributable to each area for the last three fiscal years:
| Years ended March 31, | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| (in millions, except percentages) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Retail banking |
Rs.567,389.2 | 72.5 | % | Rs.640,670.1 | 71.8 | % | Rs.808,952.1 | US$ | 9,842.4 | 71.5 | % | |||||||||||||||||
| Wholesale banking |
198,576.0 | 25.4 | % | 235,811.3 | 26.4 | % | 305,947.4 | 3,722.3 | 27.1 | % | ||||||||||||||||||
| Treasury operations |
16,463.6 | 2.1 | % | 15,952.8 | 1.8 | % | 16,261.7 | 197.9 | 1.4 | % | ||||||||||||||||||
| Net revenue |
Rs.782,428.8 | 100.0 | % | Rs.892,434.2 | 100.0 | % | Rs.1,131,161.2 | US$ | 13,762.6 | 100.0 | % | |||||||||||||||||
Retail Banking
Overview
We consider ourselves a one-stop shop for the financial needs of our customers. We provide a comprehensive range of financial products including deposit products, loans, credit cards, debit cards, payment wallets, third-party mutual funds and insurance products, bill payment services and other services. Our retail banking loan products include loans to small and medium enterprises for commercial vehicles, construction equipment and other business purposes. We group these loans as part of our retail banking business considering, among other things, the customer profile, the nature of the product, the differing risks and returns, the market segment, our organization structure and our internal business reporting mechanism. Such grouping ensures optimal utilization and deployment of specialized resources in our retail banking business. We also have specific products designed for lower-income individuals through our Sustainable Livelihood Initiative. Through this initiative, we reach out to the un-banked and under-banked segments of the Indian population in rural areas. We actively market our services through our banking outlets and alternate sales channels, as well as through our relationships with automobile dealers and corporate clients. We follow a multi-channel strategy to reach out to our customers bringing to them choice, convenience and what we believe to be a superior experience. Innovation has been the springboard of growth in this segment and so has a strong focus on analytics and customer relationship management, which we believe has helped us to understand our customers better and offer tailor-made solutions. We further believe that these factors lead to better customer engagement.
As of March 31, 2023, we had 7,821 branches and 19,727 ATMs/CDMs in 3,811 cities and towns. In addition, we had 15,921 business correspondents, which were primarily manned by CSCs. We also provide telephone, internet and mobile banking to our customers. We plan to continue to expand our banking outlet and ATM network as well as our other distribution channels, subject to regulatory guidelines/approvals.
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Retail Loans and Other Asset Products
We offer a wide range of retail loans, including loans for the purchase of automobiles, personal loans, retail business banking loans, loans for the purchase of commercial vehicles and construction equipment finance, two-wheeler loans, credit cards and loans against securities. Our retail loans, of which 28.9 percent were unsecured, constituted 66.1 percent of our gross loans as of March 31, 2023. Apart from our banking outlets, we use our ATMs, telephone banking, internet banking and mobile banking to promote our loan products. We perform our own credit analysis of the borrowers and the value of the collateral if the loan is secured. See “—Risk Management—Credit Risk—Retail Credit Risk.” We also buy mortgage and other asset-backed securities and invest in retail loan portfolios through assignments. In addition to taking collateral, in most cases, we obtain debit instructions/post-dated cheques covering repayments at the time a retail loan is made. It is a criminal offense in India to issue a bad cheque. Our unsecured personal loans, which are not supported by any collateral, are a greater credit risk for us than our secured loan portfolio. We may be unable to collect in part or at all on an unsecured personal loan in the event of non-payment by the borrower. Accordingly, personal loans are granted at a higher contracted interest rate since they carry a higher credit risk as compared to secured loans. See also “Risk Factors—Our unsecured loan portfolio is not supported by any collateral that could help ensure repayment of the loan, and in the event of non-payment by a borrower of one of these loans, we may be unable to collect the unpaid balance.”
The following table shows the gross book value and percentage share of our retail credit products:
| At March 31, 2023 | ||||||||||||
| Value (in millions) | % of Total Value | |||||||||||
| Retail Assets: |
||||||||||||
| Auto loans |
Rs. | 1,221,097.6 | US$ | 14,857.0 | 10.6 | |||||||
| Personal loans/Credit cards |
2,782,828.5 | 33,858.5 | 24.2 | |||||||||
| Retail business banking |
3,378,625.2 | 41,107.5 | 29.4 | |||||||||
| Commercial vehicle and construction equipment finance |
1,285,887.8 | 15,645.3 | 11.2 | |||||||||
| Housing loans |
1,020,901.6 | 12,421.2 | 8.8 | |||||||||
| Other retail loans |
1,817,239.6 | 22,110.2 | 15.8 | |||||||||
| Total retail loans |
Rs. | 11,506,580.3 | US$ | 139,999.7 | 100.0 | |||||||
Auto Loans
We offer loans at fixed interest rates for financing of new and used car purchases, including electric vehicles, which have gained significant popularity in recent years. In addition to our general promotional efforts, we specifically market our offerings at various customer touch points such as authorized original equipment manufacturers, dealer showrooms and outlets, authorized direct sales agents and our banking outlets, as well as actively cross-selling these products through other lending businesses of the Bank. We also market our products through outbound and inbound calls with customers, as well as through the bank’s digital touch points. Having established our presence in this business over the last two decades we believe we have consistently been a market leader and are well-equipped to serve the entire automobile ecosystem, including original equipment manufacturers, dealers and end-customers.
Personal Loans and Credit Cards
We offer unsecured loans at fixed rates to salaried individuals, self-employed professionals, small businesses and individual businessmen.
We offer credit cards on VISA, MasterCard, Diners Club and RuPay platforms under the classification of corporate cards, business cards, co-brand cards, premium retail cards and super premium retail cards. We had approximately 16.5 million and 17.5 million cards outstanding (i.e., total credit cards in circulation) as of March 31, 2022 and March 31, 2023, respectively.
We offer Easy EMI (equated monthly installments) through credit cards, debit cards and consumer loans. Easy EMI is available at no extra cost across multiple product categories, including offline and online channels under multiple brands.
Our efforts in the payments business are continuously focused on meeting customers’ specific requirements in the most accessible and relevant manner, while simplifying transactions.
In the recent past, we have experienced outages in our internet banking, mobile banking and payment utilities, including an outage in our internet banking and payment system in November 2020 due to a power failure in the primary data center. In response to these outages, the RBI issued an order on December 2, 2020 (the “December 2020 Order”), advising us to temporarily stop (a) all launches of the digital business- generating activities under our planned Digital 2.0 program and other proposed business-generating IT applications and (b) the sourcing of new credit card customers. In addition, the RBI appointed a third-party auditor to conduct an audit of the Bank’s systems. After completion of that audit, our progress against regulatory commitments resulted in the partial lifting of the restrictions imposed by the December 2020 Order in August 2021, followed by the full removal of the embargo on the Digital 2.0 program in March 2022. See also “Risk Factors—A failure, inadequacy or security breach in our information technology and telecommunication systems may adversely affect our business, results of operations or financial condition.”
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We have adopted preventive measures to strengthen our IT infrastructure and mitigate the risks of outages. Some of the key initiatives undertaken include the migration of core data centers in Bengaluru and Mumbai to state-of-the-art facilities which has reinforced our capability to switchover in less than 45 minutes when needed. The facilities have significantly enhanced our already resilient backbone by providing the Bank with a scalable and reliable infrastructure.
The Hot DR mechanism empowers our Active-Active architecture and further improves the availability and resilience of our applications. With this mechanism in place, data is replicated to a ready-to-go secondary site which is in constant synchronization with the primary site and allows for a seamless failover to the secondary site.
As part of our Hybrid-Cloud strategy we have successfully implemented an industry-first common landing zone across leading cloud service providers (“CSPs”). This creates a secure and streamlined environment for all cloud deployments in the future by leveraging the scalability of cloud systems as needed. It facilitates distribution of workload across multiple CSPs by seamlessly switching between providers, which allows for an uninterrupted service. This streamlined environment also enhances our operations and management practices by providing a unified view of cloud resources which enable centralized governance, monitoring and tracking.
The capacity for UPIs has been tripled, net banking and mobile banking capacity has been doubled to manage 90,000 users concurrently. This has been a significant step as most of our customers now rely on our digital channels for banking needs. DR drills have been completed for all critical payment systems and upgrades in network and security have been carried out. In addition, we have intensified our DR drills for critical applications and intend to further strengthen our DR processes and capabilities through (a) a focus on reducing Recovery Time Objective (“RTO”) for key applications to 40-60 minutes, which has been completed for critical applications as planned, (b) deep automation to improve configuration drift management between primary and DR sites, (c) enrichment of existing automation tools for DR to cover all scenarios and further reduce RTO time, and (d) refactoring key applications into an “Active-Active” always available design.
Retail Business Banking
We address the borrowing needs of the community of small businessmen primarily located within the servicing range of our banking outlets by offering facilities such as credit lines, term loans for expansion or addition of facilities and discounting of receivables. We classify these business banking loans as a retail product. Such lending is typically secured with current assets as well as immovable property and fixed assets in some cases. We also offer letters of credit, guarantees and other basic trade finance products, foreign exchange and cash management services to such businesses.
Commercial Vehicles and Construction Equipment Finance
We have a strong market presence in the commercial vehicle and construction equipment financing businesses. We offer a wide range of banking products across the country which can be customized to the individual needs of our customers.
We provide secured financing for a full range of commercial vehicles and construction equipment along with working capital, trade advances, bank guarantees, and transaction banking products and services, among others, both traditional and digital, to companies active in the infrastructure, logistics and transportation industries. In addition to funding domestic assets, we also extend financing for imported assets for which we open foreign letters of credit and offer treasury services, including forex and forward exchange covers. We have an excellent relationship with most leading original equipment manufacturers, together with whom we collaborate to promote and market financing options.
Housing Loans
We provide home loans through an arrangement with our principal shareholder HDFC Limited. Under this arrangement, we source loans for HDFC Limited through our distribution channels. HDFC Limited approves and disburses the loans, which are kept on their books, and we receive a sourcing fee for these loans. We have a right, but not an obligation, to purchase up to 70 percent of the home loans sourced under this arrangement through either the issue of mortgage-backed pass through certificates (“PTCs”) or a direct assignment of the loans. The balance is retained by HDFC Limited.
Other Retail Loans
Two-Wheeler Loans
We offer loans for financing the purchase of mopeds, scooters and motorcycles, including electric vehicles, which have gained significant popularity in recent years. We market this product in ways similar to our marketing of automobile loans.
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Loans Against Securities
We offer loans against equity shares, mutual fund units, bonds and other securities that are on our approved list. We limit our loans against equity shares to Rs. 2.0 million per retail customer in line with regulatory guidelines and limit the amount of our total exposure secured by particular securities. We lend only against shares in book-entry (dematerialized) form, which ensures that we obtain perfected and first-priority security interests. The minimum margin for lending against shares is prescribed by the RBI. The collateral value of the security for these loans is dependent on the quoted price of the security.
Loan Assignments
We purchase loan portfolios, generally in India, from other banks, financial institutions and financial companies, which are similar to asset-backed securities, except that such loans are not represented by PTCs. Some of these loans also qualify toward our directed lending obligations.
Kisan Gold Card
Under the Kisan Gold Card (“KGC”) scheme, funds are extended to farmers in accordance with the RBI’s Kisan Credit Card scheme which is aimed at financing agricultural and related credit requirements. The KGC is a credit facility of a specified amount, which is offered to farmers to finance certain requirements, including the production of crops, post-harvest repair and maintenance expenses, miscellaneous consumption needs, and allied agricultural activities, such as, among others, animal husbandry (dairy and poultry) and fisheries. In addition to loans for recurring needs, long-term investment loans are granted for purposes including the purchase of farm machinery, establishing logistical facilities and land development activities, such as the digging of tube wells, installation of irrigation sprinklers, construction of post-harvest management infrastructure and community farming assets like storage facilities, packaging, assaying and sorting grading units, primary processing centers, and sheds for animals.
Depending on the requirements, various types of facilities are extended under the scheme. These include cash credit, overdrafts, term loans, farm development loans and drop line overdraft limits. The amount of cash credit funding is based on the farmer’s cropping pattern, the amount of land used and the scale of finance for specific crops. With respect to working capital for allied activities (e.g., cattle rearing, poultry, fishery), funding is based on the scale of finance and the number of units or acreage, while for term loans it is based on the unit cost of assets proposed to be financed. These facilities are extended to farmers based on the crop grown, harvest cycle and geography/region.
Through our knowledge of rural customers’ preferences, we have established a strong footprint in rural areas and we are able to impact the lives of thousands of rural people making banking accessible to areas which lack formal sources of financial services, including credit. Our focus in rural markets is not only to increase credit uptake, but also to strengthen relationships with rural customers by empowering them. In addition to advising farmers on their financial needs, we are increasingly focusing on educating them on the benefits of various governmental and regulatory schemes, such as crop insurance, interest subvention and agriculture infrastructure.
We also aim to cater to other financial needs of rural customers through appropriate banking products.
Loans Against Gold Jewelry
We offer loans against gold jewelry to all customer segments, including women, small and marginal farmers and MSME customers. Such loans are typically offered with different repayment modes, with repayment either at monthly intervals or at maturity. Collateral value is dependent on the market price of the gold and therefore these loans also have margin requirements in the event of a decrease in the value of the gold. Customers may avail themselves of an additional loan in case of an increase in the value of the gold. Loans against gold jewelry are also extended to existing customers of the bank in order to cater to their additional funding needs.
We also offer loans which primarily include loans/overdrafts against time deposits, health care equipment financing loans, tractor loans and loans to self-help groups.
Retail Deposit Products
Retail deposits provide us with a low-cost, stable funding base and have been a key focus area for us since commencing operations. Retail deposits represented approximately 82.8 percent of our total deposits as of March 31, 2023. The following chart shows the book value of our retail deposits by our various deposit products:
| At March 31, 2023 | ||||||||||||
| Value (in millions) | % of total | |||||||||||
| Savings |
Rs. | 5,553,877.1 | US$ | 67,573.6 | 35.6 | |||||||
| Current |
1,839,451.0 | 22,380.5 | 11.8 | |||||||||
| Time |
8,189,541.1 | 99,641.6 | 52.6 | |||||||||
| Total |
Rs. | 15,582,869.2 | US$ | 189,595.7 | 100.0 | |||||||
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Our retail account holders have access to the benefits of a wide range of direct banking services, including debit and ATM cards, access to internet, phone banking and mobile banking services, access to our growing branch and ATM network, access to our other distribution channels and eligibility for utility bill payments and other services. Our retail deposit products include the following:
| • | Savings accounts, which are demand deposits, primarily for individuals and trusts. |
| • | Current accounts, which are non-interest-bearing accounts designed primarily for business customers. Customers have a choice to select from a wide range of product offerings which are differentiated by basis minimum average quarterly account balance requirements and the nature of the transactions. |
| • | Time deposits, which pay a fixed return over a predetermined time period. |
As of March 31, 2023, 26 percent of our retail deposit customers (managed base) contributed 78 percent of our retail deposits.
We also offer special value-added accounts, which offer our customers added value and convenience. These include a time deposit account that allows for automatic transfers from a time deposit account to a savings account, as well as a time deposit account with an overdraft facility.
Other Retail Services and Products
Debit Cards
We had approximately 43.0 million and 50.7 million debit cards outstanding as of March 31, 2022 and March 31, 2023, respectively. The cards can be used at ATMs, point-of-sale terminals and payment gateways in India and in other countries across the world.
Merchant Acquiring
We provide offline and online acceptance solutions to small, medium and large enterprises for payment acceptance across all form factors like credit and debit cards (Visa/MasterCard/Diners Club/RuPay cards), UPI, multi bank equated monthly instalments (“EMI”), multi bank internet banking and wallets. We had approximately 4.4 million acceptance points as of March 31, 2023.
Individual Depositary Accounts
We provide depositary accounts to individual retail customers for holding debt and equity instruments. Securities traded on the Indian exchanges are generally not held through a broker’s account or in a street name. Instead, an individual has his or her own account with a depositary participant. Depositary participants, including us, provide services through the major depositaries established by the two major stock exchanges. Depositary participants record ownership details and effect transfers in book-entry form on behalf of the buyers and sellers of securities. We provide a complete package of services, including account opening, registration of transfers and other transactions and information reporting.
Mutual Fund Sales
We are a registered distributor with the Association of Mutual Funds in India (“AMFI”). We engage in distributing mutual fund products to our customers through our staff, who are AMFI certified. We offer units of most large and reputable mutual fund houses in India to our customers. We distribute mutual fund products primarily through our banking outlets and our wealth relationship managers. We receive trail income on the new business as well as on the existing assets under management.
Insurance
HDFC Bank is registered as a corporate agent for the solicitation of life, general and health insurance and agriculture insurance business under regulations prescribed by the Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority of India. Currently, we have arrangements with three life insurance companies, namely HDFC Life Insurance Company Limited, Tata AIA Life Insurance Company Limited and Aditya Birla Sun Life Insurance Company Limited, three general insurance companies, namely HDFC ERGO General Insurance Company Limited, Bajaj Allianz General Insurance Company Limited and ICICI Lombard General Insurance Company Limited and two health insurance companies, namely Aditya Birla Health Insurance Company Limited, Niva Bupa Health Insurance Company Limited and one agriculture insurance company named Agriculture Insurance Company of India Ltd (business is yet to commence with our Bank). We earn commissions on new premium collected as well as trail income in subsequent years in certain cases while the policy is still in force. Our commission income for fiscal year 2023 included fees of Rs. 18,993.1 million in respect of life insurance business and Rs. 2,757.0 million in respect of non-life insurance business.
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Bill Payment Services
We are a part of the Bharat Bill Payment System network and offer our customers bill payment services for all utility companies, including water, electricity, gas, telephone, direct-to-home, mobile recharge, Fastag, LPG cylinder, cable television, housing society, and internet service providers, financial products such as insurance and mutual funds as well as rent payment. We also offer Smartpay (auto pay functionality) for all these bills. We believe this is a valuable convenience that we offer our customers. We offer these services to customers through multiple distribution channels: internet banking, mobile banking and phone banking.
Corporate Salary Accounts
We offer Corporate salary accounts to employees of corporate and government entities, enabling employees’ salaries to be credited by the entity directly or via the Bank. A salary account is a type of savings account with no minimum balance requirement in lieu of regular salary credits. Benefits, including a premium debit card and complimentary personal accident cover are provided, amongst others. We also offer salary accounts tailored for employees of the defense and government sector. As of March 31, 2023, these accounts constituted 27.7 percent of our savings deposits by value.
Non-Resident Indian Services
Non-resident Indians (“NRIs”) are an important target market segment for us given their relative affluence and strong ties with family members in India. Our private and premium banking programs in India are also extended to NRI clients. Relationship managers in India facilitate the banking and investment transactions of our NRI clients. Through our overseas branch in Bahrain, we offer deposits, bonds, equity, mutual funds, treasury and structured products offered by third parties to our NRI clients. We also have referral arrangements with product/service providers for NRI clients. Our non-resident deposits amounted to Rs. 1,186.0 billion as of March 31, 2022 and Rs. 1,431.0 billion as of March 31, 2023.
Retail Foreign Exchange
We purchase foreign currency from and sell foreign currency to retail customers in the form of cash, traveler’s cheques, demand drafts, foreign exchange cards and other remittances. We also carry out foreign currency cheque collections.
Customers and Marketing
We identify and target distinct market customer segments for our retail financial services. Customers are at the core of all marketing initiatives of the Bank, and we rely on digital and analytics to improve their experience. Digital marketing relies on advanced analytics to identify and offer the right product and services to each customer based on their specific needs. Our investments in AI platforms help understand customer behavior and preferences in depth and deliver contextual personalized interventions at scale. We use modern marketing tools to reach customers at their preferred channels and provide frictionless digital journeys that allow customers to consume our financial products and services with minimum physical interface. We execute digital marketing plans at scale and in tandem with traditional marketing channels to provide our customers quick and easy access to all our financial solutions, including loans, deposits and payment solutions.
The “Infinite Smiles” program helps us establish customer-centric actions through improvements in products, services, processes and policies, and enables us to measure customer loyalty through a closed-loop customer feedback system. The insights we receive help us implement changes to further improve customer experiences and strengthen their loyalty.
We also have programs that target other specific segments of the retail market. For example, under our private and premium banking programs, the relationship managers distribute mutual funds and insurance products and provide incidental advice related to these products. Customers interested in alternate products (such as fixed income, private equity, alternate investment funds and structures) or services such as succession planning, tax planning, trust formation and will writing are referred directly to product/service providers where we have referral arrangements. Customers seeking investment advice on alternate products are referred to HSL (a registered investment adviser regulated by SEBI (Investment Advisers) Regulations 2013), where a team of certified investment advisers provide this service. In addition, we participate in the distribution of government bonds and have referral tie-ups with other corporates for customers desirous of availing their products and services that synergize with our businesses. Our commission income included income from marketing and distribution of Rs. 38,662.9 million for fiscal year 2023 and Rs. 30,590.5 million for fiscal year 2022, which comprised income for displaying publicity materials at our branches/ATMs, commissions on mutual funds, pension and other investment/saving products and sourcing and referral income.
We continue to be strongly committed to financial inclusion programs that extend banking services to underserved populations. Our Sustainable Livelihood Initiative caters to lower-income individuals to finance their economic activity, and also provides skills training, livelihood financing, credit counseling and market linkages in terms of access to, or contacts in, their local markets. Through these initiatives, we aim to reach the unbanked and underbanked segments of the Indian populations and to empower vulnerable and economically weaker sections of the society.
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Wholesale Banking
Overview
We provide our corporate and institutional clients with a wide range of commercial banking products and transactional services.
Our principal commercial banking products include a range of financing products, documentary credits (primarily letters of credit) and bank guarantees, foreign exchange and derivative products, investment banking services and corporate deposit products. Our financing products include loans, overdrafts, bill discounting and credit substitutes, such as commercial paper, debentures, preference shares and other funded products. Our foreign exchange and derivatives products assist corporations in managing their currency and interest rate exposures.
In terms of commercial banking products, our customers include companies that are part of private sector business houses, public sector enterprises and multinational corporations, as well as small and mid-sized businesses. Our customers also include suppliers and distributors of corporations to whom we provide credit facilities and with whom we thereby establish relationships as part of a supply chain initiative for both our commercial banking products and transactional services. We aim to provide our corporate customers with high-quality customized service. We have relationship managers who focus on particular clients and who work with teams that specialize in providing specific products and services, such as cash management and treasury advisory services.
Loans to small and medium enterprises, which are generally loans for commercial vehicles, construction equipment and business purposes, are included as part of our retail banking business. We group these loans as part of our retail banking business considering, among other things, the customer profile, the nature of the product, the differing risks and returns, our organization structure and our internal business reporting mechanism. Such grouping ensures optimal utilization and deployment of specialized resources in our retail banking business.
Our principal transactional services include cash management services, capital markets transactional services and correspondent banking services. We provide physical and electronic payment and collection mechanisms to a range of corporations, financial institutions and Government entities. Our capital markets transactional services include custodial services for mutual funds and clearing bank services for the major Indian stock exchanges and commodity exchanges. In addition, we provide correspondent banking services, including cash management services and funds transfers, to foreign banks and co-operative banks.
Commercial Banking Products
Commercial Loan Products and Credit Substitutes
Our principal financing products are working capital facilities and term loans. Working capital facilities primarily consist of cash credit facilities and bill discounting. Cash credit facilities are revolving credits provided to our customers that are secured by working capital such as inventory and accounts receivable. Bill discounting consists of short term loans which are secured by bills of exchange that have been accepted by our customers or drawn on another bank. In many cases, we provide a package of working capital financing that may consist of loans and a cash credit facility as well as documentary credits or bank guarantees. Term loans consist of short term loans and medium term loans which are typically loans of up to five years in duration. Over 90.0 percent of our loans are denominated in rupees with the balance being denominated in various foreign currencies, principally the U.S. dollar.
We also purchase credit substitutes, which typically comprise commercial paper and debentures issued by the same customers with whom we have a lending relationship in our wholesale banking business. Investment decisions for credit substitute securities are subject to the same credit approval processes as loans, and we bear the same customer risk as we do for loans extended to these customers. Additionally, the yield and maturity terms are generally directly negotiated by us with the issuer.
The following table sets forth the asset allocation of our commercial loans and financing products by asset type. For accounting purposes, we classify commercial paper and debentures as credit substitutes (which, in turn, are classified as investments).
| As of March 31, | ||||||||||||||||
| 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2023 | |||||||||||||
| (in millions) | ||||||||||||||||
| Gross commercial loans |
Rs. | 4,214,885.3 | Rs. | 5,099,009.3 | Rs. | 5,911,512.1 | US$ | 71,925.0 | ||||||||
| Credit substitutes: |
||||||||||||||||
| Commercial paper |
Rs. | 9,804.1 | Rs. | 1,468.2 | Rs. | — | US$ | — | ||||||||
| Non-convertible debentures |
537,472.8 | 581,551.5 | 503,187.6 | 6,122.3 | ||||||||||||
| Preferred shares |
— | 0.5 | 0.2 | 0.0 | ||||||||||||
| Total credit substitutes |
Rs. | 547,276.9 | Rs. | 583,020.2 | Rs. | 5,03,187.8 | US $ | 6,122.3 | ||||||||
| Gross commercial loans plus credit substitutes |
Rs. | 4,762,162.2 | Rs. | 5,682,029.5 | Rs. | 6,414,699.9 | US $ | 78,047.3 | ||||||||
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Whilst we generally lend on a cash flow basis, we also require collateral from a large number of our borrowers. As of March 31, 2023, approximately 57.0 percent of the aggregate principal amount of our gross wholesale loans was secured by collateral and Rs. 2,542.7 billion in aggregate principal amount of loans were unsecured. However, collateral securing each individual loan may not be adequate in relation to the value of the loan. All borrowers must meet our internal credit assessment procedures, regardless of whether the loan is secured. See “—Risk Management—Credit Risk—Wholesale Credit Risk.”
We price our loans based on a combination of our own cost of funds, market rates, tenor of the loan, our rating of the customer and the overall revenues from the customer and with reference to the applicable benchmark. An individual loan is priced on a fixed or floating rate and the pricing is based on a margin that depends on, among other factors, the credit assessment of the borrower. We are required to follow the system requirements related to the interest rate on advances, issued by the RBI from time to time, while pricing our loans. For a detailed discussion of these requirements, see “Supervision and Regulation—Regulations Relating to Making Loans.”
The RBI requires banks to lend to specific sectors of the economy. For a detailed discussion of these requirements, see “Supervision and Regulation—Directed Lending.”
Bill Collection, Documentary Credits and Bank Guarantees
We provide bill collection, documentary credit facilities and bank guarantees for our corporate customers. Documentary credits and bank guarantees are typically provided on an ongoing basis. The following table sets forth, for the periods indicated, the value of transactions processed with respect to our bill collection, documentary credits and bank guarantees:
| As of March 31, | ||||||||||||||||
| 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2023 | |||||||||||||
| (in millions) | ||||||||||||||||
| Bill collection |
Rs. | 5,863,622.6 | Rs. | 8,826,470.0 | Rs. | 11,526,616.0 | US$ | 140,243.5 | ||||||||
| Documentary credits |
1,410,029.3 | 2,543,661.3 | 2,766,993.2 | 33,665.8 | ||||||||||||
| Bank guarantees |
420,229.2 | 455,008.5 | 610,568.0 | 7,428.7 | ||||||||||||
| Total |
Rs. | 7,693,881.1 | Rs. | 11,825,139.8 | Rs. | 14,904,177.2 | US$ | 181,338.0 | ||||||||
Bill collection: We provide bill collection services for our corporate clients in which we collect bills on behalf of a corporate client from the bank of our client’s customer (i.e., import bill collection). Under the import bill collection system, we receive instructions from overseas banks, deal with necessary documents and effect remittances on behalf of our clients. We also provide export collection, where we receive documents from our corporate clients and send such documents to the overseas bank for collection. Once the export collection is realized, we credit our corporate clients’ accounts with the relevant amount.
Documentary credits: We issue documentary credit facilities on behalf of our customers for trade financing, sourcing of raw materials and capital equipment purchases.
Bank guarantees: We provide bank guarantees on behalf of our customers to guarantee their payment or performance obligations. A part of our guarantee portfolio consists of margin guarantees to brokers issued in favor of stock exchanges.
Foreign Exchange and Derivatives
Our foreign exchange and derivative product offering to our customers covers a range of products, including foreign exchange and interest rate transactions and hedging solutions, such as spot and forward foreign exchange contracts, forward rate agreements, currency swaps, currency options and interest rate derivatives. These transactions enable our customers to transfer, modify or reduce their foreign exchange and interest rate risks. A specified group of relationship managers from our treasury front office works on such product offerings in line with the customers’ risk and other requirements and within the framework of our Suitability and Appropriateness policy.
Forward exchange contracts are commitments to buy or sell fixed amounts of currency at a future date at the contracted rate. Currency swaps are commitments to exchange cash flows by way of interest in one currency against another and exchange of principal amounts at maturity based on predetermined rates. Rupee interest rate swaps are commitments to exchange fixed and floating rate cash flows in rupees without exchanging the notional principal. A forward rate agreement gives the buyer the ability to determine the underlying rate of interest for a specified period commencing on a specified future date (the settlement date) when the settlement amount is determined, being the difference between the contracted rate and the market rate on the settlement date. The underlying rate of interest could be an interest rate curve, interest rate index or bond yield. Currency options give the buyer the right, but not an obligation, to buy or sell specified amounts of currency at agreed rates of exchange on or before a specified future date.
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We enter into forward exchange contracts, currency options, forward rate agreements, currency swaps and rupee interest rate swaps in the inter-bank market, broadly to support our customers’ requirements and, to a limited extent, for our own account. The following table presents the aggregate notional principal amounts of our outstanding foreign exchange and derivative contracts with our customers as of March 31, 2021, 2022 and 2023, together with the fair values on each reporting date.
| As of March 31, | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2023 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Notional | Fair Value | Notional | Fair Value | Notional | Fair Value | Notional | Fair Value | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| (in millions) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Interest rate swaps and forward rate agreements |
Rs. | 1,684,294.2 | Rs. | 785.5 | Rs. | 3,163,571.7 | Rs. | 2,253.9 | Rs. | 3,325,893.2 | Rs. | 6,032.8 | US$ | 40,465.9 | US$ | 73.4 | ||||||||||||||||
| Forward exchange contracts, currency swaps, currency options |
Rs. | 1,490,543.6 | Rs. | 4,275.8 | Rs. | 1,892,709.0 | Rs. | (12,243.4 | ) | Rs. | 1,786,811.9 | Rs. | 5,327.2 | US$ | 21,740.0 | US$ | 64.8 | |||||||||||||||
Investment Banking
Our Investment Banking Group offers services in the debt and equity capital markets. The group has arranged project financing for clients across various sectors including telecommunication and road infrastructure, healthcare, energy, real estate, data centers and cement. The group advised on aggregate issuances of over Rs. 991.6 billion worth of rupee-denominated corporate bonds across public sector undertakings, financial institutions and our corporate clients, becoming the second-largest corporate bond arranger in the market for fiscal year 2023. In the equity capital markets business, the group concluded one initial public offering and one share buyback and in the advisory business, the group concluded four mergers and acquisition transactions across retail, manufacturing industry and energy sectors. In the advisory business, we advise clients from a variety of sectors, including infrastructure, retail, new economy, digital, financial services and manufacturing industry.
Wholesale Deposit Products
As of March 31, 2023, we had wholesale deposits aggregating to Rs. 3,243.8 billion, which represented 17.2 percent of our total deposits. We offer both non-interest-bearing current accounts and time deposits. We are permitted to vary the interest rates on our wholesale deposits based on the size of the deposit (for deposits greater than Rs. 20.0 million), provided the rates booked on a day are the same for all customers of that deposit size for that maturity. See “Selected Statistical Information” for further information about our total deposits.
Transactional Services
Cash Management Services
We believe that the Indian market is one of the most promising Cash Management Services (“CMS”) markets. However, it is also marked by some distinctive characteristics and challenges such as a vast geography, a large number of small business-intensive towns, a large unorganized sector in various business supply chains, and infrastructural limitations for accessibility to many parts of the country. Over the years, such challenges have made it a daunting task for CMS providers in the country to uncover the business potential and extend suitable services and product solutions to the business community.
We are a technology-driven bank and have been providing digital CMS solutions to our customers from diverse industry segments. We believe that we have been consistently aligning our product and services strategy to meet our customers’ needs. This, we believe, has helped us to keep ahead of competitors and retain a satisfied customer base that is growing by the year.
We offer traditional and new age digital banking products and experience an increasing demand for digital banking services. While we believe that we have been one of the leading banks in the traditional CMS market, we believe that we have also been able to forge a similar position in the new age CMS market, i.e., digital cash management, and we also believe that we have aligned our product offering with changing and dynamic customer needs. Currently, approximately 97 percent of our transactions are done on the electronic platform.
Today, we believe that we are a leading service provider of digital banking products with a large share of business across customer segments. We have, thus, been able to reduce our transaction costs while maintaining our fees and float levels.
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Clearing Bank Services for Stock and Commodity Exchanges
We are a clearing bank for the cash and derivatives (“FO”) segment, currency derivatives, commodity derivatives, securities lending and borrowing and other segments for the National Stock Exchange of India Limited (“NSE”), the BSE Limited, the Multi Commodity Exchange (“MCX”), National Commodity and Derivatives Exchange Limited (“NCDEX”), the Indian Energy Exchange (“IEX”), the Indian Gas Exchange (“IGX”) and Power Exchange India Limited (“PXI”) as well as the three exchanges set up in Gujarat International Finance Tec-City (“GIFT City”): NSE International Limited, the India International Exchange (“INX”) and India International Bullion Exchange IFSC Limited (“IIBX”).
As a clearing bank, we provide the exchanges/clearing corporations with a means for collecting and making payments as part of settlement obligations to investors through registered brokers and custodians. In addition to benefiting from the current account balances that help reduce our overall cost of funds, we also earn interest, transaction fees and commissions by offering various fund-based and non-fund-based facilities and transactional services to the stock brokers and clearing members.
Custodial Services
We are registered as a custodian with India’s securities market regulator, the Securities and Exchange Board of India (“SEBI”). As custodians, we provide custody services to domestic and foreign investors that include domestic mutual funds, portfolio managers, insurance companies, alternative investment funds and Foreign Portfolio Investors (“FPIs”). These services include safekeeping of securities, trade settlement, collection of dividends and interest payments on securities, fund accounting services and derivatives clearing services (including currency derivatives and interest rate futures). We are also registered as a designated depository participant (“DDP”) with SEBI to grant registration to foreign investors for portfolio investments in India as FPIs.
Our international banking unit, HDFC Bank-IBU, is registered as custodian at the GIFT International Financial Services Centre (“GIFT IFSC”) with the International Financial Services Centres Authority (“IFSCA”) and provides custody services to clients. Our IBU also acts as custodian for the NSE International Financial Services Centre (“NSE IFSC”) receipts issued against the underlying U.S. securities listed on NYSE or NASDAQ and admitted by the NSE IFSC exchange in GIFT City.
Correspondent Banking Services
We act as a correspondent bank for co-operative banks, foreign banks and certain private banks. We provide cash management services, funds transfer services, such as letters of credit, foreign exchange transactions and foreign cheque collection. We earn revenue on a fee-for-service basis and benefit from the cash float, which reduces our overall cost of funds.
We are well-positioned to offer this service to co-operative banks, foreign banks and select private banks in light of the structure of the Indian banking industry and our position within it. Cooperative banks are generally restricted to a particular state and foreign banks/some private banks have limited branch networks. The customers of these banks frequently need services in other areas of the country where their own banks do not operate. Because of our technology platforms, our geographical reach and the electronic connectivity of our branch network, we can provide these banks with the ability to provide such services to their customers.
Tax Collections and Distribution of Welfare Schemes
We have been appointed by the Government of India to collect direct taxes. In fiscal year 2022 and 2023, we collected Rs. 4,089 billion and Rs. 4,991 billion, respectively, of direct taxes for the Government of India. We are also appointed to collect Goods and Services Tax (“GST”) and other indirect taxes in India. In fiscal years 2022 and 2023 we collected Rs. 2,247 billion and Rs. 3,450 billion, respectively, of such indirect taxes for the Government of India and relevant state Governments. We earn a fee from the Government of India for each tax collection and benefit from the cash float.
We are also involved with distributing funds for the welfare programs to various Government entities, and the end beneficiaries. We have distributed funds aggregating to Rs. 6,500 billion for Government of India schemes through our accounts. We earn float income from the large deposits garnered for distribution across the various tiers of Government ranging from the state to local governments and the end beneficiaries. Participation in such programs also enables us to target acquisition of deposit accounts of end beneficiaries in semi-urban and rural areas. We hope to expand our range of transactional services by providing more services to Government entities.
Treasury
Overview
Our treasury group manages our balance sheet, including our maintenance of reserve requirements and the management of market and liquidity risk. Our treasury group also provides advice and execution services to our corporate and institutional customers with respect to their foreign exchange and derivatives transactions. In addition, our treasury group seeks to optimize profits from our proprietary trading, which is principally concentrated on Indian Government securities.
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Our client-based activities consist primarily of advising corporate and institutional customers and transacting spot and forward foreign exchange contracts and derivatives. Our primary customers are multinational corporations, large and medium sized domestic corporations, financial institutions, banks and public sector undertakings. We also advise and enter into foreign exchange contracts with some small companies and NRIs.
The following describes our activities in the foreign exchange and derivatives markets, domestic money markets and the debt securities desk and equities market. See also “—Risk Management” for a discussion of our management of market risk.
Foreign Exchange and Derivatives
Our treasury operations primarily include liquidity management and managing the interest rate risks in our investment portfolio along with limited proprietary trading.
Our treasury operations also include foreign exchange and derivative product offerings to our customers covering a range of products, including foreign exchange and interest rate transactions and hedging solutions, such as spot and forward exchange contracts, forward rate agreements and derivatives. Whilst “plain vanilla” products are offered to all customer segments, derivative products are offered mostly to our wholesale customers in accordance with the RBI guidelines. A specified group of relationship managers from our treasury front office works on such product offerings in line with the customers’ risk and other requirements and within the framework of our Suitability and Appropriateness policy.
We also enter into derivative contracts not denominated in rupees. Typically, the market risks arising out of such products are economically hedged in the interbank market. We also operate under a capped risk exposure to each interbank counterparty. In order to manage residual risks and for overall balance sheet management, we also undertake limited proprietary trading transactions, subject to limits approved by our board of directors (the “Board”).
The following table sets out the aggregate notional principal amounts of our outstanding foreign exchange and derivative inter-bank contracts as of March 31, 2021, 2022 and 2023, together with the fair values on each reporting date:
| As of March 31, | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2023 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Notional | Fair Value | Notional | Fair Value | Notional | Fair Value | Notional | Fair Value | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| (In millions) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Interest rate swaps and forward rate agreements |
Rs. | 1,492,003.7 | Rs. | (2,256.4) | Rs. | 2,029,651.4 | Rs. | 225.1 | Rs. | 2,788,819.0 | Rs. | (205.0) | US$ | 33,931.4 | US$ | (2.5 | ) | |||||||||||||||
| Forward exchange contracts, currency swaps, currency options |
Rs. | 3,913,667.3 | Rs. | (278.2 | ) | Rs. | 5,402,291.4 | Rs. | 15,147.5 | Rs. | 7,895,164.9 | Rs. | 11,810.9 | US$ | 96,059.9 | US$ | 143.7 | |||||||||||||||
Domestic Money Market and Debt Securities Desk
Our principal activity in the domestic money market and debt securities market is to ensure that we comply with our reserve requirements including Liquidity Coverage Ratio (“LCR”). These consist of a cash reserve ratio, which we meet by maintaining balances with the RBI, and a statutory liquidity ratio, which we meet by purchasing Indian Government securities. See also “Supervision and Regulation—Legal Reserve Requirements.” The Bank meets the LCR requirement by maintaining an adequate level of high-quality liquid assets, mainly government securities above its mandated statutory requirements. See also “Supervision and Regulation—Regulations on Asset Liability Management.” Our local currency desk primarily trades Indian Government securities for our own account. We also participate in the inter-bank call deposit market and engage in limited trading of other debt instruments.
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Equities Market
We trade a limited amount of equities of Indian companies for our own account as part of the equity trading portfolio of our treasury operations, which are specified in the approved list of equity universe that is reviewed at least on a quarterly basis or on a need-based basis as mandated in the Bank’s internal policy. As of March 31, 2023, we had an internal aggregate approved limit of Rs. 1,500 million for proprietary equity trading, which included Rs. 750 million (defined as a sub-limit of the aggregate approved limit) for primary purchases of equity investments for proprietary trading and Rs. 300 million (defined as a sub-limit of the aggregate approved limit) for investment in equity mutual funds for proprietary trading with requisite approvals. We set limits on the amount invested in any individual company as well as a stop-loss trigger level and a value-at-risk limit for the proprietary equity trading portfolio. Our exposure as of March 31, 2023 was within these limits.
In addition, we had long term and strategic investments in equities and equity-linked instruments within the board-approved quantum for such investments. All such investments are carried out after review and approval of the proposal by the investment committee and the board, if applicable.
Distribution Channels
We deliver our products and services through a variety of distribution channels, including banking outlets, direct sales agents, ATMs, phone banking, internet banking, mobile banking, SMS-based banking and WhatsApp banking.
Banking Outlets
Our banking outlets are comprised of branches and business correspondents. As of March 31, 2023, we had a total of 7,821 branches covering 3,811 cities and towns. In addition, we had 15,921 business correspondents, which were primarily manned by CSCs. The CSCs are instrumental in increasing our penetration in deeper geographies. Our comprehensive distribution network spanning the length and breadth of the country enables us to serve customers better while actively participating in India’s inclusive development agenda.
All of our banking outlets are electronically linked so that our customers can access their accounts from any banking outlet regardless of where they have their accounts. We offer various banking services to our customers through our arrangements with correspondent banks and exchange houses in overseas locations.
As part of its banking outlet licensing conditions, the RBI requires that at least 25.00 percent of all incremental banking outlets added during the year be located in unbanked rural centers/left wing extremism (“LWE”) affected districts / north eastern states and Sikkim. During fiscal year 2023, 286 of our banking outlets (including banking outlets manned by the CSCs) were in unbanked rural centers, LWE-affected districts, northeastern states and Sikkim. With the objective of liberalizing and rationalizing the branch licensing process, the RBI granted general permission, effective from October 2013, to banks like us to open banking outlets in Tier 1 to Tier 6 centers, subject to a requirement to report to the RBI and other prescribed conditions. In May 2017, the RBI further liberalized the branch authorization policy. See “Supervision and Regulation—Regulations Relating to the Opening of Banking Outlets.”
We have overseas banking outlets in Bahrain, Hong Kong and the Dubai International Finance Centre (“DIFC”). These banking outlets cater to the needs of our overseas clients, both corporate and individual. They offer banking, trade finance and wealth management (primarily to non-resident individual customers). In addition, we have representative offices in Abu Dhabi, Dubai and Nairobi. We also have a presence in the International Financial Service Centre Banking Unit at the GIFT City in Gandhinagar, Gujarat. This unit operates in a similar fashion to our foreign banking outlets and customers are able to purchase products such as trade credits and foreign currency term loans, including external commercial borrowings and derivatives to hedge loans. Our unit in GIFT City is regulated and supervised by the RBI.
Automated Teller Machines
As of March 31, 2023, we had 19,727 ATMs/CDMs, of which 10,301 were located at our banking outlets or extension counters and 9,426 were located off-site.
All our ATMs are equipped with a voice-guided system and a Braille keypad for the visually challenged. Customers can use our ATMs for a variety of functions, including withdrawing cash, monitoring bank balances, mobile recharge/top-up, and cardless cash withdrawals. Customers can access their accounts from any of the HDFC Bank ATMs or non-HDFC Bank ATMs. ATM cards issued by American Express or other banks in the Rupay, Visa, MasterCard, Maestro, JCB, UPI, Cirrus, Citrus or Discover Financial Services networks can be used in our ATMs and we receive a fee for each transaction. Our debit cards issued with respective networks (Rupay/VISA/MasterCard) can be used at ATMs of other banks for which we pay the acquiring bank a fee. Our customers can use our CDMs for a variety of functions, including cash deposits, cash withdrawals and monitoring bank balances.
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Phone Banking
We provide phone banking services to our customers in 3,811 cities and towns as at March 31, 2023. Customers can access their accounts over the phone through our 24-hour automated voice response system and can conduct balance and transaction inquiries, order cheque books and order stop payments of cheques. In certain cities, we also have staff available during select hours to assist customers who want to speak directly to one of our telephone bankers. In select cities, customers can also engage in financial transactions such as opening deposits.
Mobile Banking
Our mobile banking application intends to create a harmonious balance between traditional banking and digital evolution. Its intuitive and feature-rich design allows customers to easily access and manage their accounts, including transferring funds (via the national electronic funds transfer (“NEFT”)), making immediate payments using the UPI as well as managing bills and investments. Our mobile banking application is designed to meet evolving customer needs and technological advancements. Its customer-centric verbiage enhances the user experience and simplifies navigation, evolving in line with the needs and expectations of our customers. To provide enhanced security, a “runtime application self-protection” feature has been added which protects the mobile app against advanced security threats like screen sharing and remote access, thereby ensuring a safe and secure banking experience for our customers.
Internet Banking
Our internet banking facility provides customers with a convenient and safe way to manage their banking needs from the comfort of their home or office. With 24/7 access, users can perform almost all banking transactions online while being assured of the highest levels of security standards. Our internet banking platform offers a comprehensive range of services, including viewing balances and statements, transferring funds, paying bills, opening term and recurring deposit accounts, recharging mobile and direct to home recharges, ordering cheque books and even online shopping. This wide range of features allows our customers to enjoy a seamless and hassle-free banking experience providing a comprehensive, safe and convenient solution for all banking needs.
Payment Wallets
PayZapp aims to make digital payments safe. PayZapp provides a comprehensive solution for all payment, banking and financial requirements for our internal and external customers. It offers a platform for making different types of payments, including grocery, food delivery, shopping, mobile and direct-to-home recharges, rent payments, FASTag recharge and utility bills. Using PayZapp, customers can also apply for a credit card or a personal loan, send money to others and transfer money to a bank account.
Risk Management
Risk is inherent in our business and sound risk management is critical to our success. The major types of risk we face are credit risk, market risk, operational risk, liquidity risk, interest rate risk and IT and digital risk. We have developed and implemented comprehensive policies and procedures to identify, assess, monitor and manage our risk.
Credit Risk
Credit risk is defined as the possibility of losses associated with diminution in the credit quality of borrowers or counterparties. In a bank’s portfolio, losses stem from outright default due to the inability or unwillingness of a customer or counterparty to meet commitments in relation to lending, trading, settlement and other financial transactions. Alternatively, losses result from a reduction in portfolio value arising from actual or perceived deterioration in credit quality. Credit risk typically results from a bank’s dealings with an individual, corporate, bank, financial institution or a sovereign. The Board of Directors of the Bank is responsible for managing the comprehensive risks faced by the Bank, including credit risk. The Board endorses the credit risk strategy and approves the credit risk policies of the Bank. The Bank’s Risk Policy Monitoring Committee (“RPMC”), which is a Board-level committee, supports the Board by supervising the implementation of the credit risk strategy. It guides the development of policies, procedures and systems for managing credit risk. The RPMC ensures that these policies are adequate and appropriate to changing business conditions, the structure and needs of the Bank and the risk appetite of the Bank. It periodically reviews the portfolio composition and the status of impaired credits.
The Retail Credit Risk Management and Wholesale Credit Risk Management, which function within the Risk Management Group under the Chief Risk Officer (“CRO”), run the credit risk management centrally in the Bank. The risk management function is clearly demarcated and independent from the operations, credit and business functions of the Bank.
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Retail Credit Risk
Retail lending, given the granularity of individual exposures and diversity in borrower profiles, is managed largely on a portfolio basis across various products and customer segments. There are robust front-end and back-end systems in place to ensure credit quality and to minimize losses from defaults. The Retail Credit Risk team is responsible for establishing the risk appetite, ensuring adherence to the risk appetite limits approved by the Board, reviewing underwriting parameters as well as reviewing and monitoring the key risk indicators of the retail and SME portfolios of the Bank. It is also responsible for conducting product review, stress testing, formulating key risk indicators and portfolio analysis and distribution trends.
Retail Lending Master Policy (“RLMP”) and SME – Credit Policies Procedures Manual (“SME – CPPM”) are the governance frameworks for managing credit risk in the retail and SME portfolios.
Wholesale Credit Risk
The wholesale credit risk team is primarily responsible for implementing the wholesale credit risk strategy approved by the Board, developing procedures and systems for managing credit risk, periodically monitoring the overall portfolio quality, concentrations and risk-mitigating actions and conducting stress testing to ensure that portfolio composition and quality are within the Bank’s risk appetite.
The Bank’s Credit Policies Procedure Manual (the “Credit Policies”) are central in controlling credit risk in various activities and products. The Credit Policies articulate our credit risk strategy and thereby the approach for credit origination, approval and maintenance. Each credit proposal is evaluated by the business units against the credit standards prescribed in our Credit Policies. They are then subjected to a greater degree of credit analysis based on product type and customer profile by credit specialists in the Wholesale Credit Group headed by the Chief Credit Officer.
There is a framework for independent review and approval of credit ratings by specifically designated rating approvers in the ratings unit, which sits within the Credit Risk function independent of both the business and underwriting teams. The internal ratings team assigns internal ratings to corporate borrowers of the Bank on an internal ten grade scale using various models which score the borrowers on various quantitative and qualitative risk parameters related to business risk, financial risk, management risk and industry risk. The Credit Risk team is also responsible for generation and dissemination of early warning signals (“EWS”) as well as for putting in place the governance structure to review, monitor and report the adherence of the EWS framework to our senior executive level Fraud Monitoring Group (“FMG”). As part of the Internal Capital Adequacy Assessment Process (“ICAAP”), the Bank has established a risk indicator-based framework for assessing the level of risk in the wholesale portfolio. This assessment is discussed in the Senior Management ICAAP Review Committee on a quarterly basis.
To ensure adequate diversification of risk, concentration limits have been set up in terms of:
| (a) | Borrower/business group: Based on the RBI guidelines on the Large Exposure Framework (“LEF”), exposure ceilings are established for exposures to single borrowers, borrower groups, NBFCs, connected NBFC groups or a group of connected counterparties, which include an NBFC in the group. See also “Supervision and Regulation—Large Exposures Framework.” |
| (b) | Industry: We have established ceilings on aggregate exposure to an industry. For this purpose, advances and investments as well as non-fund-based exposures are aggregated. Retail advances are exempt from this exposure limit. |
| (c) | Risk grading: In addition to the exposure ceilings described above, we have set quantitative ceilings on aggregate funded and non-funded exposure (excluding retail assets) specific to each risk rating category at the portfolio level. |
The Bank follows RBI guidelines with regard to restrictions on loans and advances to the companies with common directors. In addition, the RBI requires that we direct a portion of our lending to certain specified sectors (“Priority Sector Lending” or “PSL”). See also “Supervision and Regulation—Directed Lending.”
Information Technology and Digital Risk
The Bank operates in a highly automated environment in terms of information technology and communication systems. The Bank makes extensive use of technology to deliver its services and products to clients and manage its operations both effectively and efficiently. This dependence on technology exposes the Bank to technology risk emanating from failure of technology or failure to adopt new technologies and hence losing business to competition. We have taken, and continue taking, various measures to identify, assess and effectively manage such risks.
The Bank has set up an independent IT and Digital Risk Management function within the Risk Management Group under the Chief Risk Officer (“CRO”). This IT and Digital Risk Management function caters to risk assessment of technology solutions and applications, business continuity management (“BCM”), risk controls self-assessment (“RCSA”), and other areas. The function has also defined the Board-approved IT Digital Third-Party Risk Management Policy (“IT-TPRM Policy”).
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The Bank’s technology risk management encompasses the following:
| • | A three lines of defense model is based on roles and responsibilities articulated in the IT-TPRM Policy. |
| • | The IT governance framework assesses various process-related risks which are covered in the Bank’s IT policies and procedures. |
| • | The IT Strategy Committee of the Board assesses IT strategy risk and the alignment of IT strategy and business strategy as detailed in the Bank’s IT Framework Procedure. |
| • | The Apex IT Steering Committee assesses the project-specific risks and IT continuity-related risks. |
| • | Risks related to the IT system capacity are assessed in accordance with the IT Capacity Management Policy and Procedure. |
| • | Vendor risk is assessed in accordance with the IT Supplier Management, IT Contract Management and IT Outsourcing Policies and procedures. |
As part of the ICAAP framework, the Bank assesses the overall level and direction of IT risks on the basis of key risk indicators pertaining to IT systems availability, DR/business continuity planning (“BCP”) drills, software coding errors, changes in data records (changes to financial and non-financial data), unsuccessful releases, budget, capacity management, change management, physical/environmental security of data centers, end point security, firewall security, human resources, interface security, IT projects, obsolescence management, open audit observations, patch management, supplier risk management, user access management and vulnerability management. The assessment is reviewed by the ICAAP Review Committee on a quarterly basis.
Credit Management
The Credit Group, under the Chief Credit Officer (“CCO”), consists of the Retail Credit Group and the Wholesale Credit Group. The CCO reports directly to the Managing Director and is responsible for leading and overseeing the implementation of the overall credit strategy and the management of the retail and wholesale credit portfolios of the Bank. The credit underwriting and portfolio management under the retail and wholesale credit functions are aligned with the Board-approved credit appetite thereby maintaining credit quality of the portfolio. The Credit Group is not assigned any business target. No official in the Retail Credit Group or Wholesale Credit Group has any business responsibility or association, thereby assuring compliance to the four pillars, namely, independence (total independence and freedom to operate without any influence which may compromise risk acceptance), knowledge base (specialization and experience over a period of time), absence of conflict of interest (absolute separation from any business targets or responsibilities, ensuring the quality of risk management) and regulatory compliance (ensuring continuous operation within a low-risk environment).
Retail Credit
We offer a range of retail products, such as auto loans, personal loans, credit cards, mortgage loans, two-wheeler loans, loans against securities and commercial vehicle loans. Our retail credit programs and approval processes are designed to accommodate the high volumes of relatively homogeneous, small-value transactions in retail loans. There are product programs for each of these products, which define the target markets, credit philosophy and process, detailed underwriting criteria for evaluating individual credits, exception reporting systems and individual loan exposure caps.
For individual customers to be eligible for a loan, minimum credit parameters, so defined, are to be met for each product. Any deviation needs to be approved at the designated levels. The product parameters have been selected based on the perceived risk characteristics specific to the product. The quantitative parameters considered include income, residence stability and the nature of the employment/business, while the qualitative parameters include accessibility and profile. Our credit and product programs are based on a statistical analysis of our own experience and industry data, in combination with the judgment of our senior officers.
The retail credit team manages credit in retail assets and has the following constituents:
| (a) | Retail Credit Strategy and Control Unit: This unit drives credit portfolio management centrally for retail assets. It is responsible for formulating credit product programs and evaluating proposals for the launch of new products and entering into new geographies. The unit also conducts periodic reviews that cover our portfolio management information system, credit management information system and post-approval reviews. The credit program teams conduct detailed studies on portfolio performance in each customer segment. |
| (b) | Retail Underwriting: This unit is primarily responsible for approving credit exposures and ensuring portfolio composition and quality. It ensures implementation of all policies and procedures, as applicable. |
| (c) | Credit Intelligence and Control: This unit is responsible for the sampling of documents to ensure prospective borrowers with fraudulent intent are prevented from availing themselves of loans. It initiates, among other things, market reference checks to avoid a recurrence of fraud and financial losses. |
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| (d) | Retail Collections Unit: This unit is responsible for the remedial management of problem exposures in retail assets. It uses specific strategies for various segments and products for remedial management. |
We mine data on our borrower account behavior as well as static data regularly to monitor the portfolio performance of each product segment, and use these as inputs in revising our product programs, target market definitions and credit assessment criteria to meet our twin objectives of combining volume growth and preservation of asset quality.
Our vehicle loans, loan against gold, mortgage loan and loan against securities are generally secured on the asset financed. If the customer fails to pay, we would, as applicable, liquidate collateral and/or set off accounts. In most cases, we obtain direct debit instructions or post-dated cheques from the customer. It is a criminal offense in India to issue a bad cheque.
Wholesale Credit
For our wholesale banking products, we target leading private businesses and public-sector enterprises in the country, as well as subsidiaries of multinational corporations. We consider the credit risk of our counterparties comprehensively. Accordingly, our credit policies and procedures apply not only to credit exposures but also to credit substitutes and contingent exposures.
The Wholesale Credit Group is primarily responsible for implementing the credit strategy approved by the Board, developing procedures and systems for managing credit originated by the wholesale business groups, carrying out an independent assessment of credit, approving individual credit appetite by specifically appointed credit approvers as well as monitoring and ensuring portfolio composition and quality.
Based on what we believe is an adequately comprehensive credit assessment, credit appetite is set on individual counterparties. This appetite takes into account the overall potential risk on the counterparty, be it on balance sheet or off-balance sheet, across the banking book and the trading book, including foreign exchange and derivatives exposures. This appetite is reviewed in detail at annual or more frequent intervals.
We primarily make our credit decisions on a cash flow basis. We also obtain security for a significant portion of credit facilities extended by us as a second potential remedy. This can take the form of a floating charge on the movable assets of the borrower or a (first or residual) charge on the fixed assets and properties owned by the borrower. We may also require guarantees and letters of support from the flagship companies of the group in cases where facilities are granted based on our comfort level or relationship with the parent company.
We do not extend credit on the judgment of one officer alone. Our credit approval process is based on a three-tier approval system that combines credit approval authorities and discretionary powers. The required three approvals are provided by credit approvers who derive their authority from their credit skills and experience. The level for approval of a credit varies depending upon the grading of the borrower, the quantum of facilities required and whether we have been dealing with the customer by providing credit facilities in the past. As such, initial approvals would typically require a higher level of approval for a borrower with the same grading and for sanctioning the same facility.
We have a process for regular monitoring of all accounts at several levels. These include periodic calls on the customer, plant visits, credit reviews and monitoring of secondary data. These are designed to detect any early warning signals of deterioration in credit quality so that we can take timely corrective action.
SME Credit
In order to manage credit in SME assets, the “wholesale credit-SME function” draws from the wholesale and retail credit functions. The SME policy and strategy is broadly aligned with the wholesale credit function with suitable amendments to make it appropriate for SME customers. It incorporates certain procedures and systems for managing credit, which have been taken from the retail credit function.
Market Risk
Market risk refers to the potential loss on account of adverse changes in market variables or other risk factors which affect the value of financial instruments that we hold. The financial instruments may include investment in money market instruments, debt securities (such as gilts, bonds and PTCs), equities, foreign exchange products and derivative instruments (both linear and non-linear products).
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The market variables which affect the valuation of these instruments typically include interest rates, credit spreads, equity prices, net asset values (“NAVs”), foreign exchange rates, implied volatilities (including the foreign exchange volatility surface, cap/floor volatility and volatility smiles), exchange derivative prices, and bullion prices. Any change in the relevant market risk variable has an adverse or favorable impact on the valuation depending on the direction of the change and the type of position held (long or short). While the positions are taken with a view to earn from the upside potential, there is always a possibility of downside risk. Thus, the Bank must constantly review the positions to ensure that the risk on account of such positions is within our overall risk appetite. The risk appetite for trading risk is set through a pre-approved treasury limits package as well as through specific trading limits and trigger levels for a few product programs. In addition, the Bank’s risk limits with respect to interbank counterparties are guided by the interbank counterparty exposure limit while the Bank’s Asset Liability Management (“ALM”) limits prescribe the appetite for liquidity risk and interest rate risk in the banking book (“IRRBB”). The process for monitoring and reviewing risk exposure is outlined in the various risk policies.
The market risk department formulates procedures for risk valuation for market risk measures, assesses market risk factors impacting the trading portfolio and recommends various market risk controls/mitigants relating to limits and trigger levels for the treasury (including investment banking portfolios for primary undertaking and distribution) and non-treasury positions. The treasury mid-office is responsible for monitoring and reporting market risks arising from the trading desks and also carries out rate scans of the deals. The market data cell in the mid-office maintains market data, performs market data scans to check market data sanctity and verifies the rates submitted by the treasury front office for polling various benchmarks.
Our Board has delegated the responsibility for risk management of the balance sheet on an ongoing basis to the Asset Liability Committee (“ALCO”). This committee, which is chaired by the Managing Director and includes the heads of the business groups, generally meets fortnightly. The ALCO reviews the product pricing for deposits and assets as well as the maturity profile and mix of our assets and liabilities. It articulates the interest rate view and decides on future business strategy with respect to interest rates. It reviews and sets funding policy, and also reviews developments in the markets and the economy and their impact on the balance sheet and business along with a review of the trading levels. Moreover, it reviews the utilization of liquidity and interest rate risk limits set by the Board and decides on the inter-segment transfer pricing policy.
The financial control department is responsible for collecting data, preparing regulatory and analytical reports and monitoring whether the interest rate and other policies and limits established by the ALCO are being observed. The Balance Sheet Management desk, which is part of the treasury group, also assists in implementing our asset liability strategy and in providing information to the ALCO.
Policies and Procedures—Trading and Asset Liability Management Risks
The following sections briefly describe our policies and procedures with respect to trading risk (price risk) and ALM risk (interest rate risk in the banking book and liquidity risk).
I. Trading Risk
Trading risk is the risk arising from price fluctuations due to market factors, such as changes in interest rates, equity prices, NAVs, bullion prices, exchange rates, exchange derivative prices and the variations in their implied volatilities in respect of the trading portfolio held by the Bank. The trading portfolio includes holdings in the held-for-trading and available-for-sale portfolios, as per RBI guidelines and consists of positions in bonds, securities, currencies, interest rate swaps, forward rate agreements, interest rate options, cross-currency interest rate swaps and currency options.
The trading risk is managed by establishing a sound process for price validation and by setting various limits or trigger levels, such as value at risk limits, stop-loss trigger levels, price value per basis point (PV01) limits, option Greek limits and position limits, namely, intraday and net overnight forex open position. Additional controls such as order size and outstanding exposure limits are prescribed, wherever applicable, based on case-by-case review. Moreover, measures such as investment limits and deal size thresholds are prescribed as part of the investment policy for managing outstanding investment or trading positions.
The trading limits/trigger levels are reviewed by the market risk department and presented to the RPMC for its recommendation to the Board for approval. The limits/trigger levels are reviewed annually or more frequently (depending on market conditions) or upon introduction of new products.
The market risk policy sets the framework for market risk monitoring and includes the non-standard product policy which stipulates requirements for case-specific evaluation of risk exposure in respect of non-standard products (that is, products which are not part of the standard product list decided by treasury and the market risk department). Additionally, limits have been assigned to restrict the aggregate exposure in non-standard positions. Further, the stress testing policy prescribes the stress scenarios that are applied on the outstanding trading positions to recognize and analyze the impact of the stress conditions on the trading portfolio. Stress tests are based on historical scenarios as well as on sensitivity factors, such as an assessment based on hypothetical/judgmental scenarios, and include topical scenarios based on evolving risk themes.
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Models applied to trading products are governed by the Bank’s board-approved independent model validation policy. The market data of major interest rate curves, captured in the valuation systems, are compared against an independent market data source on a month-end basis for accurate valuation in accordance with the independent model validation policy of the Bank. Simultaneously, valuations of forex, derivatives and structured products in treasury systems are compared with valuations from the respective counterparty bank (with whom the Bank has a credit support annex (“CSA”) agreement) every month by the treasury analytics team along with validation of valuations from the Bank’s external independent model validator on an annual and an ad-hoc basis. The Valuation Committee is apprised of the results in its quarterly meetings. Further, internal independent validation of valuations of forex, derivative, bond and money market instrument is conducted monthly by the treasury analytics team.
An independent Model Validation Unit (“MVU”) has been set-up by the Bank in line with global best practices on model validation. The MVU shall, in a phased manner, take over the periodic validation activity of the risk models from the Treasury Analytics department. Going forward, MVU is expected to conduct a review of the risk models and the risk parameters that have been proposed by the Bank’s Market Risk department. The MVU is also expected to be responsible for the validation of the valuation models that are being proposed by the Treasury Analytics department.
II. Asset Liability Management
The ALM risk management process consists of management of liquidity risk and IRRBB. Liquidity risk is the risk that the Bank may not be able to fund increases in assets or meet obligations as they fall due without incurring unacceptable losses. IRRBB refers to the potential adverse financial impact on the Bank’s banking book from changes in interest rates. The banking book is comprised of assets and liabilities that are incurred to create a steady income flow or to fulfill statutory obligations. Such assets and liabilities are generally held to maturity. The Bank carries various assets, liabilities and off-balance sheet items across markets, maturities and benchmarks, exposing itself to risks from changing interest rates. The Bank’s objective is to maintain liquidity risk and IRRBB within certain tolerance limits. The ALM limits are reviewed by the market risk department and presented to the RPMC for its recommendation to the Board for approval. The limits are reviewed at least annually.
Structure and Organization
The ALM risk management process of the Bank operates in the following hierarchical manner:
Board of Directors
The Board has the overall responsibility for the management of liquidity and interest rate risk. The Board decides the strategy, policies and procedures of the Bank to manage liquidity and interest rate risk, including setting the Bank’s risk tolerance and limits.
Risk Policy and Monitoring Committee of the Board
The RPMC is a Board-level committee, which supports the Board by supervising the implementation of risk strategy. It guides the development of policies, procedures and systems for managing risk. It ensures that these are adequate and appropriate to changing business conditions, the structure and needs of the Bank and the risk appetite of the Bank. It ensures that frameworks are established for assessing and managing liquidity and interest rate risks faced by the Bank. The RPMC meets at least once every quarter. The RPMC’s role includes, inter alia:
| 1. | to review and recommend for Board approval the liquidity and interest rate risk policies and behavioral studies or any other amendment thereto; and |
| 2. | to ratify excess utilization of Board-approved limits except where delegated to the ALCO. |
Asset Liability Committee
The ALCO is the decision-making unit responsible for ensuring adherence to the risk tolerance and limits set by the Board, as well as implementing the Bank’s liquidity and interest rate risk management strategy in line with the Bank’s risk management objectives and risk tolerance. The ALCO is also responsible for balance sheet planning from a risk-return perspective, including strategic management of interest rate and liquidity risks. The detailed roles of the ALCO are mentioned in the Bank’s ALM Policy. These roles include, but are not limited to, the following:
| • | product pricing for deposits and customer advances; |
| • | deciding the desired maturity profile and mix of incremental assets and liabilities as well as investments in debt and liquid mutual funds; |
| • | articulating the Bank’s interest rate view and deciding on its future business strategy; |
| • | reviewing and articulating funding strategy and deciding on source and mix of liabilities or sale of assets; |
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| • | ensuring adherence to the liquidity and interest rate risk limits set by the Board and ratification of utilization, wherever applicable; |
| • | reviewing ALM stress test results and ensuring that a well-documented contingency funding plan is in place; |
| • | deciding on the transfer pricing policy of the Bank and considering liquidity costs and benefits as an integral part of the Bank’s strategic planning; |
| • | regularly reporting to the Board on the ALM risk profile of the Bank through ALCO minutes; and |
| • | overall responsibility for monitoring the Bank’s Liquidity Coverage Ratio (“LCR”) and Net Stable Funding Ratio (“NSFR”.) |
ALM Support Group
The ALM support group is responsible for analyzing, monitoring and reporting the relevant risk profiles to senior management and relevant committees. The ALM support group comprises the balance sheet management desk (Treasury), the market risk department, the treasury mid-office and financial control.
Risk Measurement Systems and Reporting
Liquidity Risk
Liquidity risk is measured using the flow approach and the stock approach. The flow approach involves comprehensive tracking of cash flow mismatches, whereas the stock approach involves the measurement of critical ratios in respect of liquidity risk.
For measuring and managing net funding requirements, the use of a maturity ladder and calculation of cumulative surplus or deficit of funds at selected maturity dates has been adopted as a standard tool. The time buckets for classification of assets and liabilities for the purposes of this statement is as per the RBI’s prescribed guidelines.
Stock approach involves measurement of certain critical ratios in respect of liquidity risk. Based on the RBI guidelines, a set of liquidity ratios under stock approach is monitored on a periodic basis.
In addition, the Bank is required to maintain a LCR and a NSFR. The minimum regulatory LCR has been stipulated at 100 percent from April 1, 2021, and the minimum regulatory requirement for NSFR at 100 percent has been introduced in October 2021. Analysis of liquidity risk also involves examining how funding requirements are likely to be affected under crisis scenarios. The Bank has a Board-approved liquidity stress test policy and framework guided by regulatory instructions. The Bank has an extensive intraday liquidity risk management framework for monitoring intraday positions during the day.
Interest Rate Risk in Banking Book
Interest rate risk is the risk where changes in market interest rates affect a bank’s financial position. Changes in interest rates impact a bank’s earnings through changes in its net interest income (“NII”). Changes in interest rates also impact a bank’s market value of equity (“MVE”) or net worth through changes in the economic value of its rate-sensitive assets, liabilities and off-balance sheet positions. The interest rate risk, when viewed from these two perspectives, is known as “earnings perspective” and “economic value perspective”, respectively.
The Bank measures and controls IRRBB using both the earnings perspective (measured using the traditional gap analysis method) and the economic value perspective (measured using the duration gap analysis method) as detailed below. These methods involve grouping of rate-sensitive assets (“RSA”) and rate-sensitive liabilities (“RSL”), including off-balance sheet items, based on the maturity or repricing dates. The Bank classifies an asset or liability as rate sensitive or non-rate sensitive in line with the RBI guidelines, as amended, from time to time.
A significant portion of non-maturing deposits are grouped in the “over 1 year to 3 year” category. Non-rate-sensitive liabilities and assets primarily comprise capital, reserves and surplus, other liabilities, cash and balances with the RBI, current account balances with banks, fixed assets and other assets.
The banking book is represented by excluding the trading book (i.e., on and off-balance sheet items) from the total book.
| • | Earnings Perspective (impact on net interest income) |
The traditional gap analysis (“TGA”) method measures the level of a bank’s exposure to interest rate risk in terms of sensitivity of its NII to interest rate movements over a one-year horizon. It involves bucketing of all RSA, RSL and off-balance sheet items maturing or getting repriced in the next year and computing changes of income under 200 basis points upward and downward parallel rate shocks over a year’s horizon.
| • | Economic Value Perspective (impact on market value of equity) |
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While the earnings perspective calculates the short term impact of the rate changes, the Economic Value Perspective calculates the long term impact on the MVE of the Bank through changes in the economic value of its rate-sensitive assets, liabilities and off-balance sheet positions. The Economic Value Perspective is measured using the duration gap analysis method (“DGA”). DGA involves computing the modified duration gap between RSA and RSL and thereby the Duration of Equity (“DoE”). The DoE is a measure of sensitivity of MVE to changes in interest rates. Using the DoE, the Bank estimates the change in MVE under 200 basis points upward and downward parallel rate shocks. The assumptions for coupons and yields used in the duration gap analysis stem from the RBI guidelines.
Operational Risk Management
Operational risk is the risk of loss resulting from inadequate or failed internal processes, people and systems or from external events and includes risk of loss as a result of legal risk. The Bank has put in place Board-approved governance and organizational structure with clearly defined roles and responsibilities to mitigate operational risk arising from the Bank’s business and operations.
Organizational Structure for Managing Operational Risk
The Board is primarily responsible for ensuring effective management of the operational risks of the Bank. The Board sets the overall strategy and direction for operational risk management (“ORM”) within the Bank. The responsibilities towards effective implementation of operational risk management have been given to RPMC of the Bank. The RPMC is also responsible for developing a strong ORM culture and sense of responsibility at every level in the organization. The operational risk management committee (“ORMC”), which is chaired by the Chief Risk Officer and consists of senior management functionaries, oversees the implementation of the operational risk management policy approved by the Board. An independent operational risk management department (“ORMD”) is responsible for implementation of the framework across the Bank. The operational risk management policy stipulates the roles and responsibilities of employees, business units, operations and support functions in managing operational risk.
Risk Measurement and Monitoring
The Bank’s organizational structure for managing operational risk consists of the following three lines of defense:
| • | Business, operations, support and other functions: These functions are primarily responsible for the implementation of sound risk management practices (including cost-benefit analyses) in the day-to-day operations and any resulting impact of operational risk losses in their units. Specifically, these functions are responsible for developing risk mitigation strategies for their units and the first line of defense against operational risk; |
| • | ORMD: The ORMD is responsible for implementing the operational risk management framework across the Bank. The department designs and develops tools required for implementing the framework, including policies and processes, and guidelines towards implementation and is also responsible for the maintenance of the framework. The ORMD represents the second line of defense against operational risk; and |
| • | Internal audit department: The internal audit department is the third line of defense in mitigating operational risk exposures. It evaluates the adequacy and effectiveness of the internal control systems and procedures in the risk management functions, as well as across the various business and support units of the Bank. |
The Bank applies a number of risk management techniques to effectively manage operational risks. These techniques include:
| • | risk control self-assessment to identify high-risk areas and let the Bank initiate timely remedial measures. This assessment is conducted annually to update senior management about the risk level across the Bank; |
| • | key risk indicators that are derived from various factors to provide an early warning of, or to monitor, the increasing risk or control failures in an activity. As these indicators are quantifiable, they can be measured continuously to identify trends in values; |
| • | operational risk loss management including the process of recognizing, recording and mitigating operational losses. Units or functions are required to report every operational risk loss event in a timely manner to the ORMD; |
| • | operational risk scenario analysis carried out annually to assess the impact of such risks based on hypothetical severe loss situations. The Bank uses this information for risk management purposes and any possible financial impact; and |
| • | periodic reporting on risk assessment and monitoring to the first line as well as to senior management to enable them to take timely action. |
Capital Requirement
The Bank currently follows the basic indicator approach for computing operational risk capital charge. BCBS published a document titled “Basel III: Finalizing post-crisis reforms” in December 2017, containing details of the standardized approach for estimating a minimum operational risk capital charge, which would replace all the existing methods for computation of operational risk capital. While the new guidelines have not yet been finalized, the RBI has released draft guidelines on the new standardized approach. The Bank will implement the revised approach once the RBI guidelines are notified.
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Competition
We face intense competition in all our principal lines of business. Our primary competitors are large public sector banks, other private sector banks, foreign banks and in some product areas, NBFCs. In addition, new entrants into the financial services industry, including companies in the financial technology sector, may further intensify competition in the business environments, especially in the digital business environment, in which we operate. In the last decade, the RBI issued guidelines for the entry of new banks in the private sector, licensing of payment banks and small finance banks in the private sector and “on-tap” licensing of universal banks in the private sector (moving from the previous “stop and go” licensing approach to a continuous or “on-tap” licensing regime). See “Supervision and Regulation—Entry of new banks in the private sector.” Since the introduction of the new rules, new banks, payment banks and small finance banks have been established and are operational pursuant to prescribed guidelines, which has increased competition in the markets in which we operate.
Within the public sector banking space, in August 2019, the Government implemented consolidated measures, announcing the merger of 10 public sector banks into four bigger banks. This led to a reduction in the number of public sector banks in the country. The consolidation became effective in April 2020.
Retail Banking
In retail banking, our principal competitors are large public sector banks, which have much larger deposit bases and branch networks than ours, other new generation private sector banks, old generation private sector banks, foreign banks and NBFCs in the case of retail loan products. The retail deposit share of foreign banks is small in comparison to the public sector banks. However, some foreign banks have a significant presence among NRIs and also compete for non-branch-based products. India’s digital payments market is dominated by the Government’s United Payment Interface, which continues to bring innovation to the industry, and other digital wallet platforms and online payment systems, offering contactless, in-app or online transactions. The Bank’s payment app, PayZapp, is the dominant mobile app amongst banks in India in the wallet space, with users across bank and non-bank customers for payments across offline and online merchants. In order to meet the competition’s offering, the Bank has recently transformed the existing app and launched PayZapp on a more robust platform with easy-to-use features and a multitude of payment options for its customers, including enabling credit card payments for merchants via UPI. See “—Our Business Strategy—Project Future Ready.”
Wholesale Banking
Our principal competitors in wholesale banking are public and new private sector banks as well as foreign banks. The large public sector banks have traditionally been market leaders in commercial lending. Foreign banks have focused primarily on serving the needs of multinational companies and Indian corporations with cross-border financing requirements, including trade and transactional services and foreign exchange products and derivatives, while the large public sector banks have extensive branch networks and large local currency funding capabilities.
Treasury
For our customer business in foreign exchange and derivative products, we compete principally with private sector banks, foreign banks and public sector banks in non-metro locations.
Employees
We had 173,222 employees as of March 31, 2023. Most of our employees are located in India. We consider our relationship with our employees to be positive. Further to our acquisition of CBoP in 2008, several employees of CBoP continue to be part of a labor union. These employees represent less than 1 percent of our total employee strength.
Our compensation structure has fixed as well as variable pay components. Our variable pay plans comprise periodic performance linked pay (“PLP”), annual performance linked bonus, employee stock option plans and restricted stock unit plans.
In addition to basic compensation, employees are eligible to participate in our provident fund and other employee benefit plans. The provident fund, to which both we and our employees contribute, is a savings scheme required by Government regulation under which the fund is required to pay to employees a minimum annual return, as declared by the provident fund authorities. If such return is not generated internally by the fund, we are liable for the difference. Our provident fund has generated sufficient funds internally to meet the annual return requirement since inception of the fund. We have also set up a superannuation fund to which we contribute defined amounts. Employees above certain seniority levels are given a choice to contribute to the national pension scheme. We also contribute specified amounts to a pension fund in respect of certain of our former CBoP employees. In addition, we contribute specified amounts to a gratuity fund set up pursuant to Indian statutory requirements.
Our learning and development team focuses on delivering leading and cutting-edge learning offerings to help our employees develop the skills that are necessary for purpose and growth. The team designs offerings based on the learning need analysis, and an appropriate delivery mode is selected to ensure learning effectiveness and an optimal learning experience. Both internal and external faculty is involved in facilitating these offerings, which are delivered through live instructor-led classroom and/or virtual sessions, self-paced learning, case studies, simulations, role plays, videos and activities or a combination of the foregoing.
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Properties
Our registered office and corporate headquarters is located at HDFC Bank House, Senapati Bapat Marg, Lower Parel, Mumbai 400 013. In addition to the corporate office, we have administrative offices in most of the metros and some other major cities in India.
As of March 31, 2023, we had a network consisting of 7,821 branches and 19,727 ATMs/CDMs, including 9,426 at non-branch locations. In addition, we had 15,921 business correspondents, which were primarily manned by CSCs. These facilities are located throughout India with the exception of three banking outlets which are located in Bahrain, Hong Kong and Dubai. We also have representative offices in the United Arab Emirates and Kenya. We set up and commenced business in an International Financial Service Centre Banking Unit at the Gujarat International Finance Tec-City in June 2017. This branch is treated as an overseas branch.
Intellectual Property
We utilize a number of different forms of intellectual property in our business including our HDFC Bank brand and the names of the various products we provide to our customers. We believe that we currently own, have licensed or otherwise possess the rights to use all intellectual property and other proprietary rights, including all trademarks, domain names, copyrights, patents and trade secrets used in our business.
Legal Proceedings
We are involved in a number of legal proceedings in the ordinary course of our business, including certain spurious or vexatious proceedings with significant financial claims present on the face of the complaint, but we believe that such spurious or vexatious proceedings lack any merit, based on the historical dismissal of similar claims.
A securities class action lawsuit, that had been filed against the Bank and certain of its current and former directors and officers in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of New York was dismissed on June 7, 2023 with prejudice, whereby the plaintiffs cannot refile the same claim before the Court. See “Risk Factors—Our business and financial results could be impacted materially by adverse results in legal proceedings.”
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Risk Factor Summary
| 1. | Economic and Political Risks |
| • | A slowdown in economic growth in India would cause us to experience slower growth in our asset portfolio and deterioration in the quality of our assets. |
| • | Our business is particularly vulnerable to interest rate risk, and volatility in interest rates could adversely affect our net interest margin, the value of our fixed income portfolio, our treasury income and our financial performance. |
| • | Financial and political instability in other countries may cause increased volatility in the Indian financial market. |
| • | Our and our customers’ exposure to fluctuations in foreign currency exchange rates could adversely affect our operating results. |
| • | We may not adequately assess, monitor and manage risks inherent in our business, and any failure to manage risks could adversely affect our business, financial position or results of operations. |
| • | In order to support and grow our business, we must maintain a minimum capital adequacy ratio, and a lack of access to the capital markets may prevent us from maintaining an adequate ratio. |
| • | We rely on third parties, including service providers, overseas correspondent banks and other Indian banks, who may not perform their obligations satisfactorily or in compliance with the law. |
| 2. | Risks Relating to Our Business |
| • | If we are unable to manage our growth, our operations may suffer and our performance may decline. |
| • | Our success depends in large part upon our management team and skilled personnel and our ability to attract and retain such persons. |
| • | Our funding is primarily short- and medium-term, and if depositors do not roll over deposited funds upon maturity, our net income may decrease. |
| • | Any increase in interest rates would have an adverse effect on the value of our fixed income securities portfolio and could have a material adverse effect on our net income. |
| • | We could experience a decline in our revenue generated from activities on the equity markets if there is a prolonged or significant downturn on the Indian stock exchanges, and we may face difficulties in getting regulatory approvals necessary to conduct our business if we fail to meet regulatory limits on capital market exposures. |
| • | Any failure or material weakness of our internal control system could cause significant errors, which may have a materially adverse effect on our reputation, business, financial position or results of operations. |
| • | Significant fraud, system failure or calamities would disrupt our revenue-generating activities in the short term and could harm our reputation and adversely impact our revenue-generating capabilities. |
| • | We may not successfully implement our sustainability strategies or satisfy our ESG commitments, or our performance may not meet investor or other stakeholder expectations or standards, which could adversely impact our reputation, access to capital, business and financial condition. |
| • | We are subject to climate change-related risks, including the physical risks of severe weather and water scarcity, as well as the risks of transitioning to a low carbon economy, which could have a significant negative impact on our industry, business and results of operations. |
| • | Negative publicity could damage our reputation and adversely impact our business and financial results. |
| • | Many of our branches have been recently added to our branch network and are not operating with the same efficiency as compared to the rest of our existing branches, which adversely affects our profitability. |
| • | Deficiencies in accuracy and completeness of information about customers and counterparties may adversely impact us. |
| • | We present our financial information differently in other markets or in certain reporting contexts. |
| • | Statistical, industry and financial data obtained from industry publications and other third-party sources may be incomplete or unreliable. |
| • | We may be unable to fully capture the expected value from acquisitions, which could materially and adversely affect our business, results of operations and financial condition. |
| 3. | Credit Risks |
| • | If the level of non-performing loans in our portfolio increases, we will be required to increase our provisions, which would negatively impact our income. |
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| • | We have high concentrations of exposures to certain customers and sectors, and if any of these exposures were to become non-performing, the quality of our portfolio could be adversely affected and our ability to meet capital requirements could be jeopardized. |
| • | We are required to undertake directed lending under RBI guidelines. Consequently, we may experience a higher level of non-performing loans in our directed lending portfolio, which could adversely impact the quality of our loan portfolio, our business and the price of our equity shares and ADSs. Further, in the case of any shortfall in complying with these requirements, we may be required to invest in deposits of Indian development banks as directed by the RBI. These deposits yield low returns, thereby impacting our profitability. |
| • | We may be unable to foreclose on collateral in a timely fashion or at all when borrowers default on their obligations to us, or the value of collateral may decrease, any of which may result in failure to recover the expected value of collateral security, increased losses and a decline in net income. |
| • | Our unsecured loan portfolio is not supported by any collateral that could help ensure repayment of the loan, and in the event of non-payment by a borrower of one of these loans, we may be unable to collect the unpaid balance. |
| 4. | Risks Relating to Our Industry |
| • | RBI guidelines relating to ownership in private banks could discourage or prevent a change of control or other business combination involving us, which could restrict the growth of our business and operations. |
| • | Foreign investment in our shares may be restricted due to regulations governing aggregate foreign investment in the Bank’s paid-up equity share capital. |
| • | Further competition and the development of advanced payment systems by our competitors would adversely impact our cash float and decrease fees we receive in connection with cash management services. |
| • | Our business is highly competitive, which makes it challenging for us to offer competitive prices to retain existing customers and solicit new business, and our strategy depends on our ability to compete effectively. |
| • | We may face increased competition as a result of revised guidelines that relax restrictions on foreign ownership and participation in the Indian banking industry, and the entry of new banks in the private sector, which could cause us to lose existing business or be unable to compete effectively for new business. |
| • | If the goodwill recorded in connection with our acquisitions becomes impaired, we may be required to record impairment charges, which would decrease our net income and total assets. |
| 5. | Risks Relating to Our Ownership Structure and the Proposed Transaction |
| • | The Scheme with HDFC Limited is not yet effective, and in accordance with the provisions of the Scheme, the Scheme may be terminated and the Proposed Transaction may not be completed. |
| • | Uncertainty about the Proposed Transaction may adversely affect the relationships of the parties with their respective investors, customers, business partners and employees, whether or not the Proposed Transaction is completed. |
| • | The implementation of the Scheme may fail to realize the anticipated benefits of the merger and will expose us to incremental regulatory requirements. |
| • | HDFC Limited holds a significant percentage of our share capital and can exercise influence over board decisions that could directly or indirectly favor the interests of HDFC Limited over our interests. We may face conflicts of interest relating to HDFC Limited, promoter and principal shareholder, which could cause us to forgo business opportunities and consequently have an adverse effect on our financial performance. |
| • | HDFC Limited may prevent us from using the HDFC Bank brand if they reduce their shareholding in us to below 5 percent. |
| 6. | Legal and Regulatory Risks |
| • | We have previously been subject to penalties imposed by the RBI. Any regulatory investigations, fines, sanctions and requirements relating to conduct of business and financial crime could negatively affect our business and financial results, or cause serious reputational harm. |
| • | Transactions with counterparties in countries designated as state sponsors of terrorism by the United States Department of State, the Government of India or other countries, or with persons targeted by United States, Indian, EU or other economic sanctions may cause potential customers and investors to avoid doing business with us or investing in our securities, harm our reputation or result in regulatory action which could materially and adversely affect our business. |
| • | Material changes in Indian banking regulations may adversely affect our business and our future financial performance. |
| • | Our business and financial results could be impacted materially by adverse results in legal proceedings. |
| • | We may breach third-party intellectual property rights. |
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| 7. | Technology Risks |
| • | We face cyber threats, such as hacking, phishing and trojans, attempting to exploit our network to disrupt services to customers and/or theft or leaking of sensitive internal Bank data or customer information. This may cause damage to our reputation and adversely impact our business and financial results. |
| • | A failure, inadequacy or security breach in our information technology and telecommunication systems may adversely affect our business, results of operations or financial condition. |
| 8. | Risks Relating to India |
| • | Any adverse change in India’s credit rating, or the credit rating of any country in which our foreign banking outlets are located, by an international rating agency could adversely affect our business and profitability. |
| • | If there is any change in tax laws or regulations, or their interpretation, such changes may significantly affect our financial statements for the current and future years, which may have a material adverse effect on our financial position, business and results of operations. |
| • | Any volatility in the exchange rate may lead to a decline in India’s foreign exchange reserves and may affect liquidity and interest rates in the Indian economy, which could adversely impact us. |
| • | Political instability or changes in the Government could delay the liberalization of the Indian economy and adversely affect economic conditions in India generally, which would impact the Bank’s financial results and prospects. |
| • | Terrorist attacks, civil unrest and other acts of violence or war involving India and other countries would negatively affect the Indian market where our shares trade and lead to a loss of confidence and impair travel, which could reduce our customers’ appetite for our products and services. |
| • | Natural calamities, including those exacerbated by climate change, and public health epidemics could adversely affect the Indian economy or the economies of other countries where we operate and, in turn, negatively impact our business and the price of our equity shares and ADSs. |
| • | Pandemics or similar public health crises may have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations. |
| • | Investors may have difficulty enforcing foreign judgments in India against the Bank or its management. |
| 9. | Risks Relating to the ADSs and Equity Shares |
| • | Historically, our ADSs have traded at a premium to the trading prices of our underlying equity shares, a situation which may not continue. |
| • | Investors in ADSs will not be able to vote. |
| • | Your ability to withdraw equity shares from the depositary facility is uncertain and may be subject to delays. |
| • | Restrictions on deposit of equity shares in the depositary facility could adversely affect the price of our ADSs. |
| • | There is a limited market for the ADSs. |
| • | Conditions in the Indian securities market may affect the price or liquidity of our equity shares and ADSs. |
| • | Settlement of trades of equity shares on Indian stock exchanges may be subject to delays. |
| • | You may be subject to Indian taxes arising out of capital gains. |
| • | You may be unable to exercise preemptive rights available to other shareholders. |
| • | Financial difficulty and other problems in certain financial institutions in India could adversely affect our business and the price of our equity shares and ADSs. |
| • | Because the equity shares underlying our ADSs are quoted in rupees in India, you may be subject to potential losses arising out of exchange rate risk on the Indian rupee and risks associated with the conversion of rupee proceeds into foreign currency. |
| • | There may be less information available on Indian securities markets than securities markets in developed countries. |
| • | HDFC Limited’s significant holdings could have an effect on the trading price of our equity shares and ADSs. |
| • | Investors may be subject to Indian taxes arising out of capital gains on the sale of equity shares. |
| • | Future issuances or sales of equity shares and ADSs could significantly affect the trading price of our equity shares and ADSs. |
| • | U.S. securities laws do not require the Bank to disclose as much information to investors as a U.S. issuer is required to disclose, and investors may receive less information about the Bank than they might otherwise receive from a comparable U.S. bank. |
| • | Foreign Account Tax Compliance Act withholding may affect payments on our equity shares and ADSs. |
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RISK FACTORS
You should carefully consider the following risk factors in evaluating us and our business.
Economic and Political Risks
A slowdown in economic growth in India would cause us to experience slower growth in our asset portfolio and deterioration in the quality of our assets.
Our performance and the quality and growth of our assets are dependent on the health of the overall Indian economy. High Inflation, high interest rates, external trade and capital flows have been an important driver for India’s growth trajectory in fiscal year 2023. While in the first quarter of fiscal year 2023, GDP growth had rebounded sharply with support from the reopening of the economy, year-on-year GDP growth began to moderate from the second quarter, primarily due to a fading base effect. Our gross non-performing loans as a percentage of our total loan portfolio decreased from 1.3 percent in fiscal year 2022 to 1.1 percent in fiscal year 2023. Looking forward, we expect India’s GDP growth to moderate in fiscal year 2024 to 6.0 per cent from 7.2 percent in fiscal year 2023, with major drag coming from the external sector.
In 2020, global GDP contracted by 2.8 percent, but in 2021, global GDP grew by 6.3 percent, as COVID-19-related disruptions eased. However, global growth slowed down again in 2022 to 3.4 percent due to increasing geo-political tensions and elevated inflation levels. In addition, interest rate hikes by central banks to control inflation affected growth and investment sentiments. For 2023, the International Monetary Fund (“IMF”) estimates global growth to moderate to 2.8 percent. In India, while gross FDI flows stood at US$ 71 billion in fiscal year 2023 compared to US$ 84.8 billion in fiscal year 2022, the portfolio segment recorded a net outflow of US$ 6.3 billion in fiscal year 2023.
We believe that overall bank credit growth is likely to decrease in fiscal year 2024 from 15.0 percent in fiscal year 2023 (end of period) and 8.6 percent in fiscal year 2022 (end of period), although there could be variations from segment to segment. Industry credit growth could hold up with revamped ECGLS (Emergency Credit Guarantee Line Scheme) and PLI (Production Linked Incentive) schemes. Additionally, the Government’s large Capex plan could provide support to ancillary industries. However, a slowdown in private and external demand could limit the fresh industrial credit offtake. Moreover, lending to the retail segment could slow due to a possible increase in urban unemployment rate and rising interest rates.
Since the second half of 2022 and into 2023, an era of high interest rates, high inflation, geopolitical uncertainty, turmoil in the U.S. banking sector and climate chaos is undermining economic confidence around the globe. Moving ahead, economic growth could continue to be negatively impacted if geo-political tensions remain or even escalate and the U.S. banking sector crisis deepens. A stronger than expected slowdown in the economy might lead to a more than expected slowdown in credit growth and increase the level of non-performing and restructured loans. If the Indian economy growth prospects deteriorate, our asset base may erode, which would result in a material decrease in our net profits and total assets which could materially adversely affect our business, results of operations and financial position. See also “—Pandemics or similar public health crises may have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations.”
Our business is particularly vulnerable to interest rate risk, and volatility in interest rates could adversely affect our net interest margin, the value of our fixed income portfolio, our treasury income and our financial performance.
Our results of operations depend to a great extent on our net interest revenue. During fiscal year 2023, net interest revenue after allowances for credit losses represented 74.2 percent of our net revenue. Changes in market interest rates affect the interest rates charged on our interest-earning assets differently from the interest rates paid on our interest-bearing liabilities and also affect the value of our investments. An increase in interest rates could result in an increase in interest expense relative to interest revenue if we are not able to increase the rates charged on our loans, which would lead to a reduction in our net interest revenue and net interest margin. Further, an increase in interest rates could negatively affect demand for our loans and credit substitutes, and we may not be able to achieve our volume growth, which could adversely affect our net income. A decrease in interest rates could result in a decrease in interest revenue relative to interest expense due to the repricing of our loans at a pace faster than the rates we pay on our interest-bearing liabilities. The quantum of the changes in interest rates for our assets and liabilities may also be different.
Headline inflation averaged below the RBI’s target zone during fiscal year 2018 and fiscal year 2019 due to a combination of global disinflationary pressures and better supply management of food items, including prudent food stock management, appropriate monetary policy action, fiscal consolidation and subdued global commodity prices. However, headline inflation rose to 5.8 percent in March 2020 and increased further to above the RBI’s upper tolerance limit of 6 percent between April and November 2020. In May and June 2021, headline inflation stood at 6.3 percent, rose to 6.95 percent in March 2022 and stood at 5.7 percent in March 2023. However, inflation started easing in fiscal year 2024. Headline inflation stood below 5 percent mark (and below the RBI’s upper tolerance limit of 6 percent) in both April and June 2023. Going forward, headline inflation is expected to ease further and average at 4.9 percent in the fiscal year 2024.
After years of monetary easing, the RBI announced an off-cycle rate hike in May 2022 of 40 basis points and a rate hike of 50 basis points in June 2022. To control rising inflationary pressures due to supply chain disruptions and geo-political tensions, the RBI raised the repo rate cumulatively by 250 basis points to 6.50 percent in fiscal year 2023. However, the central bank paused rate hikes in April 2023, as inflation began to show signs of moderation. Looking ahead and taking into account continuing core inflation, the possibility of a rebound in commodity prices due to China reopening post COVID-19 and weather-related increases of food prices, we expect the central bank to keep the policy rate unchanged in fiscal year 2024.
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To make the liquidity situation more comfortable, the RBI conducted net open market operations (“OMOs”) with net purchases of Rs. 3.0 trillion in fiscal year 2019. In addition to open market operations, the RBI injected liquidity using new instruments, such as FX swap operations, long-term repo auctions (“LTROs”) and targeted long-term repo auctions (“TLROs”) in fiscal year 2020. In fiscal year 2021, the RBI conducted net OMO purchases of Rs. 3.1 trillion, special OMO (simultaneous sale and purchase of government securities) of Rs. 1.9 trillion and TLROs of Rs. 5.5 billion. Furthermore, the RBI provided special credit lines for sectors hit by the pandemic. The RBI maintained adequate liquidity in the system in fiscal year 2022 and conducted net OMO purchases worth Rs. 2.1 trillion. In fiscal year 2023, the RBI conducted net OMO sales of Rs. 350 billion and hiked the CRR rate by 50 basis points to 4.5 percent in May 2022. For fiscal year 2024, we expect the RBI to keep rates on hold until the third quarter of fiscal year 2024. We see the possibility of a 25 basis points rate cut by the fourth quarter of fiscal year 2024.
Domestically, if the fiscal deficit, both federally and at state level, remains high, bond yields could be volatile and see upward pressure. While in fiscal year 2024, a reduction in the system liquidity surplus along with record borrowing plan of the Government is expected to keep yields high, any volatility in interest rates could adversely affect our net interest margin, the value of our fixed income portfolio, our treasury income and our financial performance.
Financial and political instability in other countries may cause increased volatility in the Indian financial market.
The Indian market and the Indian economy are influenced by the economic and market conditions in other countries, particularly the emerging market countries in Asia. Financial turmoil in Sri Lanka, Russia and elsewhere in the world in recent years has affected the Indian financial market as investor sentiment took a hit during such episodes. More recently, concerns around regional banks in the U.S. and uncertainty related to the revision of the U.S. debt ceiling has been impacting investors’ sentiment in the domestic market.
Although economic conditions are different in each country, investors’ reactions to developments in one country can have adverse effects on the securities of companies in other countries, including India. A loss of investor confidence in the financial systems of other markets may cause increased volatility in the Indian financial market and, more generally, in the Indian economy. Any financial instability or disruptions could also have a negative impact on the Indian economy and could harm the Bank’s business, its future financial performance and the prices of its equity shares and ADSs.
The macroeconomic, trade and regulatory environment has become increasingly fragmented, with continuing disruptions of global supply chains in several industries. Such disruptions have been and may be caused, among others, by cyber incidents, global health crises, political tensions, war, strikes, riots, civil commotion, violent weather conditions or other natural disasters. The mismatch between supply and demand has pushed up commodity and other prices, particularly in the energy sector, creating further challenges for monetary authorities and customers during 2022. Against the backdrop of both a vaccine-led economic recovery and, increasing inflationary pressures, interest rates rose significantly during 2022 and 2023. Central banks in developed markets raised benchmark rates significantly in order to help ease inflationary pressures while also curtailing quantitative easing and in some cases commencing quantitative tightening.
The global credit and equity markets have experienced substantial dislocations, liquidity disruptions and market corrections in the last few years, for example due to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and the Russia-Ukraine war. In Europe, the impacts of the European sovereign debt crisis, the withdrawal of the United Kingdom from the European Union, Italian political and economic developments, the Swiss bank crisis, protests in France, the refugee crisis and the increasing attractiveness to voters of populist and anti-austerity movements have all contributed to political and economic uncertainty. An escalation of political risks could have consequences both for the financial system and the greater economy as a whole, potentially leading to declines in business levels, write-downs of assets and losses across businesses in the United Kingdom, Switzerland and the European Union, which could lead to adverse consequences for global financial and foreign exchange markets. More recently, turmoil in the U.S. banking sector and political impasse over the U.S. debt ceiling have negatively affected credit conditions.
In connection with the United Kingdom’s withdrawal from the European Union, the United Kingdom Government concluded a Trade Cooperation Agreement with the European Union which came into effect on January 1, 2021. As the United Kingdom’s economy and those of the Eurozone countries are tightly linked as a result of EU integration projects (other than the Euro), any future trade disputes between the United Kingdom and the European Union as well as further uncertainty in relation to the regulation of cross-border business activities may have an adverse impact on global financial markets.
Heightened tensions across the geo-political landscape could also have implications for the Bank and its customers. Diplomatic tensions between China and the United States, and extending to the United Kingdom, the EU, India and other countries, may affect the Bank, creating regulatory, reputational and market risks. The United States, the United Kingdom, the EU, Canada and other countries have imposed various sanctions and trade restrictions on Chinese individuals and companies. In response, China has announced sanctions, trade restrictions and laws that could impact the Bank and its customers.
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In February 2022, Russia launched a large-scale military invasion of Ukraine, following which many governments enacted severe sanctions against Russia, Belarus, the Crimea, Zaporizhzhia and Kherson regions of Ukraine, the so-called Donetsk People’s Republic and the so-called Luhansk People’s Republic, including, among others, the removal of certain Russian financial institutions from the Society for Worldwide Interbank Financial Telecommunication (“SWIFT”) payment system, which can significantly hinder the ability to transfer funds in and out of Russia. The invasion and ongoing conflict have disrupted financial markets and have had adverse impacts on supply chains, prevailing levels of inflation and other macroeconomic conditions. The conflict could even spill over to neighboring countries, and due to political instability in Eastern Europe, it is possible that further sanctions, export controls or other measures against Russia or other countries, regions, officials, individuals or industries in the respective territories may be imposed. Failure to comply with those laws could expose the Bank to civil and criminal prosecution and penalties, the imposition of export or economic sanctions against the Bank and reputational damage, all of which could materially and adversely affect the Bank’s financial results. We are actively monitoring the situation in Ukraine and assessing its impact on our business. We have no way to predict the progress or outcome of the conflict in Ukraine or its impacts in Ukraine, Russia or Belarus as the conflict, and any resulting government reactions, are rapidly developing and beyond our control. The extent and duration of the military action, sanctions and resulting market disruptions could be significant and could potentially have substantial impact on the global economy and our business for an unknown period of time. To the extent Russia’s invasion of Ukraine adversely affects our business and financial results, it may also have the effect of heightening many of the other risks described in this “Risk Factors” section.
Looking ahead, disruptions related to the Russia-Ukraine crisis, elevated core inflation, slower than expected economic recovery in China and monetary tightening could hurt global growth, which could also adversely affect exports in India. The level of economic activity may slow further in the short term, due to changes in social norms, changes in customer and corporate client behavior and the macroeconomic business environment. India, where a substantial portion of our operations is located, continues to be subject to regulatory, social and political uncertainties. Recently, overall risk appetite has decreased as investors assessed risks associated with the U.S. banking sector crisis and the revision of the U.S. debt ceiling. While fears of a global slowdown weighed on sentiments, global liquidity withdrawal on account of balance sheet reduction, rate hikes and the turmoil in the U.S. financial sector have tightened financial conditions.
Actual events involving limited liquidity, defaults, non-performance or other adverse developments that affect financial institutions, transactional counterparties or other companies in the financial services industry or the financial services industry generally, or concerns or rumors about any events of these kinds or other similar risks, have in the past and may in the future lead to market-wide liquidity problems. For example, on March 10, 2023, Silicon Valley Bank (“SVB”) was closed by the California Department of Financial Protection and Innovation, which appointed the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (“FDIC”) as receiver. On March 13, 2023, the sale of Silicon Valley Bank UK Limited (“SVBUK”), the UK subsidiary of SVB, to HSBC UK Bank Plc (“HSBC”) was announced. Furthermore, on March 15, 2023, Credit Suisse’s share price dropped nearly 25 percent and investors and customers withdrew money out of Credit Suisse, with outflows topping 10 billion Swiss francs. As a result, on March 19, 2023, the Swiss National Bank and the Swiss government announced the fast-track acquisition of Credit Suisse by UBS.
Although we are not a borrower or party to any such instruments with SVB, SVBUK, if any of our lenders or counterparties to any such instruments were to be placed into receivership or a similar proceeding, we may be unable to access such funds. In this regard, counterparties to SVB or SVBUK credit agreements and arrangements, and third parties such as beneficiaries of letters of credit, among others, may experience direct impacts from the closure of SVB, the sale of SVBUK to HSBC and the acquisition of Credit Suisse by UBS, and uncertainty remains over liquidity concerns in the broader financial services industry. Similar impacts have occurred in the past, such as during the 2008-2010 financial crisis
Moving forward, recurrent or future waves of contagious diseases, such as COVID-19, or similar health crises across the globe, and prolonged geo-political tensions or a deepening of the U.S. banking sector crisis could adversely affect global financial markets leading to adverse follow-on consequences in India. There is also a risk that central banks could hike rates more, if inflation remains elevated. See also “—Pandemics or similar public health crises may have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations.” Both the elevated inflationary environment and higher interest rates are likely to adversely affect economic growth globally in 2023 and 2024, with the possibility of elevated unemployment as a result and potentially negative implications for the Bank’s performance, including through increased impairment allowances. In response to these developments as well as past financial and liquidity crises in these markets, legislators and financial regulators in the United States, Europe and other jurisdictions, including India, have implemented several policy measures designed to add stability to the financial markets. However, the overall impact of these and other legislative and regulatory efforts on the global financial markets is uncertain, and they may not have the intended stabilizing effects. In the event that the current adverse conditions in the global credit markets continue or if there is any significant financial disruption, this could cause increased volatility in the Indian financial market and have an adverse effect on our business, future financial performance and the trading price of our equity shares and ADSs.
Our and our customers’ exposure to fluctuations in foreign currency exchange rates could adversely affect our operating results.
Foreign currency exchange rates depend on various factors and can be volatile and difficult to predict. We enter into derivative contracts with inter-bank participants on our own account and for customers to manage foreign currency exchange risk exposure. Volatility in these exchange rates may lead to losses in derivative transactions for our borrowers. On maturity or on premature termination of the derivative contracts and under certain circumstances, we may have to bear these losses. The use of derivative financial instruments may also generate obligations for us to make additional cash payments, which would negatively affect our liquidity. Any losses suffered by our customers as a result of fluctuations in foreign currency exchange rates may have a materially adverse effect on our business, financial position or results of operations.
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We may not adequately assess, monitor and manage risks inherent in our business, and any failure to manage risks could adversely affect our business, financial position or results of operations.
We are exposed to a variety of risks, including liquidity risk, interest rate risk, credit risk, operational risk (including fraud) and legal risk (including actions taken by our own employees). The effectiveness of our risk management is limited by the quality and timeliness of available data and other factors outside of our control.
For example, our hedging strategies and other risk management techniques may not be fully effective in mitigating risks in all market environments or against all types of risk, including risks that are unidentified or unanticipated. Some methods of managing risks are based upon observed historical market behavior. As a result, these methods may not predict future risk exposures, which could be greater than the historical measures indicated. Other risk management methods depend upon an evaluation of information regarding markets, customers or other matters. This information may not in all cases be accurate, complete, up-to-date or properly evaluated. As part of our ordinary decision-making process, we rely on various models for risk and data analysis. These models are based on historical data and supplemented with managerial input and comments. There are no assurances that these models and the data they analyze are accurate or adequate to guide our strategic and operational decisions and protect us from risks. Any deficiencies or inaccuracies in the models or the data might have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition or results of operations.
Additionally, management of operational, legal or regulatory risk requires, among other things, policies and procedures to ensure certain prohibited actions are not taken and to properly record and verify a number of transactions and events. Although we believe we have established such policies and procedures, they may not be fully effective, and we cannot guarantee that our employees will follow these policies and procedures in all circumstances. Unexpected shortcomings in these policies and procedures or a failure to follow them may have a materially adverse effect on our business, financial position or results of operations.
Our future success will depend, in part, on our ability to respond to new technological advances and emerging banking and finance industry standards and practices on a cost-effective and timely basis. The development and implementation of such technology entails significant technical and business risks. There can be no assurance that we will successfully implement new technologies or adapt transaction-processing systems to customer requirements or emerging market standards. Failure to properly monitor, assess and manage risks could lead to losses which may have an adverse effect on our future business, financial position or results of operations.
In order to support and grow our business, we must maintain a minimum capital adequacy ratio, and a lack of access to the capital markets may prevent us from maintaining an adequate ratio.
As of March 31, 2023, the RBI requires a minimum capital adequacy ratio of 11.7 percent (including requirements for the capital conservation buffer and due to our Bank’s classification as a Domestic Systemically Important Bank (D-SIB)) of our total risk-weighted assets (“RWAs”). We adopted the Basel III capital regulations effective April 1, 2013. Our capital adequacy ratio, calculated in accordance with Indian GAAP, was 19.3 percent as of March 31, 2023. Our CET-I ratio was 16.4 percent as of March 31, 2023. Our ability to support and grow our business would be limited by a declining capital adequacy ratio. While we anticipate accessing the capital markets to offset declines in our capital adequacy ratio, we may be unable to access the markets at the appropriate time, or the terms of any such financing may be unattractive due to various reasons attributable to changes in the general environment, including political, legal and economic conditions.
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The Basel Committee on Banking Supervision issued a comprehensive reform package titled “Basel III: A global regulatory framework for more resilient banks and banking systems” in December 2010. In May 2012, the RBI released guidelines on implementation of the Basel III capital regulations in India, and in July 2015, the RBI issued a master circular on capital regulations (consolidated master circular issued in April 2022) and time-to-time amendments. The key items covered under these guidelines include: (i) improving the quality, consistency and transparency of the capital base; (ii) enhancing risk coverage; (iii) grading the enhancement of the total capital requirement; (iv) introducing a capital conservation buffer and countercyclical buffer; and (v) supplementing the risk-based capital requirement with a leverage ratio. One of the major changes in the Basel III capital regulations is that the Tier I capital will predominantly consist of common equity of the banks, which includes common shares, reserves and stock surplus. Perpetual debt instruments and perpetual non-cumulative preference shares will not be considered a part of CET-I capital. Basel III also defines criteria for instruments to be included in Tier II capital to improve their loss absorbency. The guidelines also set out criteria for loss absorption through the conversion or write-off of all non-common equity regulatory capital instruments at the point of non-viability. The point of non-viability is defined as a trigger event upon the occurrence of which non-common equity Tier I and Tier II instruments issued by banks in India may be required to be, at the option of the RBI, written off or converted into common equity. Additionally, the guidelines have set out criteria for loss absorption through the conversion or write-off of Additional Tier I capital instruments at a pre-specified trigger level. The RBI has implemented the last tranche of the capital conservation buffer from October 1, 2021. The minimum Common Equity Tier 1 capital of 5.5 percent of RWAs is required to be maintained by banks along with a capital conservation buffer of 2.5 percent of RWAs, in the form of Common Equity Tier 1 capital. D-SIBs are required to maintain additional CET-I capital requirements ranging from 0.2 percent to 1.0 percent of risk-weighted assets. We were classified as a D-SIB from April 1, 2018 onwards and were required to maintain additional CET-I of 0.2 percent with effect from April 1, 2019. See “Supervision and Regulation—Domestic Systemically Important Banks.” Banks will also be required to have an additional capital requirement towards countercyclical capital buffer (“CCCB”) varying between 0 percent and 2.5 percent of the RWAs as and when implementation is announced by the RBI. The RBI has not yet activated the CCCB, and in its press release dated April 5, 2022, has stated that it is not necessary to activate CCCB at this point. Additionally, the Basel III LCR, which is a measure of the Bank’s high-quality liquid assets compared to its anticipated cash outflows over a 30-day stressed period, commenced applying in a phased manner that started with a minimum requirement of 60 percent from January 1, 2015 and reached a minimum of 100 percent on January 1, 2019. In 2020, banks were permitted to avail themselves of funds under the marginal standing facility by dipping into the Statutory Liquidity Ratio (“SLR”) up to an additional 1.0 percent of their net demand and time liabilities (“NDTL”) (i.e., cumulatively up to 3.0 percent of their NDTL). With effect from January 1, 2022, banks were allowed to dip into the SLR up to 2 percent of NDTL instead of 3 percent for overnight borrowing under the MSF. Additionally, with effect from April 18, 2022, banks were permitted to categorize Government Securities as Level 1 High Quality Liquid Assets (“HQLA”) under the Facility to Avail Liquidity for Liquidity Coverage Ratio (“FALLCR”) within the mandatory requirement up to 16 percent (earlier 15 percent) of NDTL. See “—Pandemics or similar public health crises may have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations.” These various requirements, including requirements to increase capital to meet increasing capital adequacy ratios, could require us to forgo certain business opportunities. Since we have been classified as a D-SIB, pursuant to a circular issued by the RBI dated June 2019, under Basel III, we are required to maintain a minimum leverage ratio of 4.0 percent as compared to 3.5 percent required to be maintained by other scheduled commercial banks, with effect from October 1, 2019.
We believe that the demand for Basel III compliant debt instruments, such as Tier II capital eligible securities, may be limited in India. In the past, the RBI has reviewed and made amendments in its guidelines on Basel III capital regulations with a view to facilitating the issuance of non-equity regulatory capital instruments by banks under the Basel III framework. It is unclear what effect, if any, these amendments may have on the issuance of Basel III compliant securities or if there will be sufficient demand for such securities. It is also possible that the RBI could further amend the eligibility criteria of such instruments in the future if the objectives identified by the RBI are not met, which would create additional uncertainty regarding the market for Basel III compliant securities in India.
If we are unable to meet the new and revised requirements, including both requirements applicable to banks generally and requirements imposed on us as a D-SIB, our business, future financial performance and the price of our ADSs and equity shares could be adversely affected.
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We rely on third parties, including service providers, overseas correspondent banks and other Indian banks, who may not perform their obligations satisfactorily or in compliance with the law.
Our business leads us to rely on different types of third parties, which exposes us to risks. For example, we enter into outsourcing arrangements with third-party agencies/vendors, in compliance with the RBI guidelines on outsourcing. These entities provide services which include, among others, cash management services, software services, client sourcing, debt recovery services and call center services. However, we cannot guarantee that there will be no disruptions in the provision of such services or that these third parties will adhere to their contractual obligations. Additionally, we also rely on our overseas correspondent banks to facilitate international transactions, and the Indian banking industry as a whole is interdependent in facilitating domestic transactions. There is no assurance that our overseas correspondent banks or our domestic banking partners will not fail or face financial problems (such as financial problems arising out of or in relation to frauds uncovered in early 2018 at one of India’s public sector banks). If there is a disruption in the third-party services, or if the third-party service providers discontinue their service agreement with us, our business, financial condition and results of operations will be adversely affected. In case of any dispute with any of the foregoing parties, we cannot assure you that the terms of our arrangements with such parties will not be breached, which may result in costs such as litigation costs or the costs of entering into agreements with third parties in the same industry, and such costs may materially and adversely affect our business, financial condition and results of operations. We may also suffer from reputational and legal risks if one of these third parties acts unethically or unlawfully, and if any Bank in India, especially a private Bank, or any of our key overseas correspondent banks were to fail, this could materially and adversely affect our business, financial condition, growth prospects or the price of our equity shares.
Risks Relating to Our Business
If we are unable to manage our growth, our operations may suffer and our performance may decline.
We have grown consistently over the last years. Our loan growth rate has been significantly higher than that of the Indian banking industry. Our loans in the three-year period ended March 31, 2022 grew at a compounded annual growth rate of 16.5 percent. The compounded annual growth for the Indian Banking Industry for the same period was approximately 7.9 percent. The growth in our business is partly attributable to the expansion of our branch network. As at March 31, 2018, we had a branch network comprised of 4,787 branches, which increased to 7,821 branches as at March 31, 2023. Section 23 of the Banking Regulation Act 1949 (the “Banking Regulation Act”) provides that banks must obtain the prior approval of the RBI to open new banking outlets. Further, the RBI may cancel a license for violations of the conditions under which it was granted. The RBI issues instructions and guidelines to banks on branch authorization from time to time. With the objective of liberalizing the branch licensing process, the RBI, effective October 2013, granted general permission to banks, including us, to open banking outlets in Tier 1 to Tier 6 centers, subject to a requirement to report to the RBI and certain other conditions. In May 2017, the RBI liberalized the branch authorization policy further. See “Supervision and Regulation—Regulations Relating to the Opening of Banking Outlets.” If we are unable to perform in a manner satisfactory to the RBI in any of these centers or comply with the specified conditions, it may have an impact on the number of banking outlets we will be able to open, which would, in turn, have an impact on our future growth. In addition, our rapid growth has placed, and if it continues, will place, significant demands on our operational, credit, financial and other internal risk controls including:
| • | recruiting, training and retaining sufficient skilled personnel; |
| • | upgrading, expanding and securing our technology platform; |
| • | developing and improving our products and delivery channels; |
| • | preserving our asset quality as our geographical presence increases and customer profile changes; |
| • | complying with regulatory requirements such as the KYC norms; and |
| • | maintaining high levels of customer satisfaction. |
If our internal risk controls are insufficient to sustain our rapid rate of growth, if we fail to properly manage our rapid growth or if we fail to perform adequately in any of the above areas, our operations would suffer and our business, results of operations and financial position would be materially adversely affected.
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Our success depends in large part upon our management team and skilled personnel and our ability to attract and retain such persons.
We are highly dependent on our management team, including the efforts of our Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer, and our Executive Director, as well as other members of our senior management. Our future performance is dependent on the continued service of these persons or similarly skilled and qualified successors. In addition, we also face a continuing challenge to recruit and retain a sufficient number of skilled personnel, particularly if we continue to grow. Competition for management and other skilled personnel in our industry is intense, and we may not be able to attract and retain the personnel we need in the future. The loss of key personnel may restrict our ability to grow and achieve our ESG-related commitments and consequently have a material adverse impact on our results of operations and financial position. High voluntary employee turnover may also reduce organizational performance and productivity, which may have a further adverse impact on our results of operations and financial position and cause us to fail to deliver on our strategic growth plans.
Our funding is primarily short- and medium-term and if depositors do not roll over deposited funds upon maturity, our net income may decrease.
Most of our funding requirements are met through short-term and medium-term funding sources, primarily in the form of retail deposits. Short term deposits are those with a maturity not exceeding one year. Medium term deposits are those with a maturity of greater than one year but not exceeding three years. See “Selected Statistical Information—Funding.” However, a portion of our assets have long-term maturities, which sometimes causes funding mismatches. As of March 31, 2023, 27.3 percent of our loans are expected to mature within the next year and 48.9 percent of our loans are expected to mature in the next one to three years. As of March 31, 2023, 30.1 percent of our deposits are expected to mature within the next year and 42.6 percent of our deposits are expected to mature between the next one to three years. In our experience, a substantial portion of our customer deposits has been rolled over upon maturity and has been, over time, a stable source of funding. However, if a substantial number of our depositors do not roll over deposited funds upon maturity, our liquidity position will be adversely affected and we may be required to seek more expensive sources of funding to finance our operations, which would result in a decline in our net income and have a material adverse effect on our financial condition. We may also face a concentration of deposits by our larger depositors. Any sudden or large withdrawals by such large depositors may impact our liquidity position.
Any increase in interest rates would have an adverse effect on the value of our fixed income securities portfolio and could have a material adverse effect on our net income.
Any increase in interest rates would have an adverse effect on the value of our fixed income securities portfolio and could have a material adverse effect on our net income. Policy rates were successively increased from March 2010 to October 2011, during which period the bout of interest rate tightening in India was faster than in many other economies. The RBI raised key policy rates from 5.25 percent (repo rate) in April 2010 to 8.5 percent in October 2011. However, key policy rates were eased from 8.5 percent (repo rate) in March 2012 to 7.25 percent in May 2013.
After increases between September 2013 and January 2014, the RBI started reducing the policy repo rate again in January 2015. Between January 2015 and August 2017, the RBI reduced the policy rate by 200 basis points to 6.0 percent. After having raised rates briefly in 2018, the RBI again reduced rates between February 2019 and February 2020. Later, to address disruptions stemming from the COVID-19 pandemic, the RBI reduced the policy rate by 75 basis points in March 2020 and 40 basis points in May 2020. Thereafter, the RBI maintained the policy repo rate at 4.0 percent until April 2022. However, taking cognizance of rising inflationary pressures, partly due to the Russia-Ukraine war, the RBI hiked rates by 250 basis points to 6.50 percent in fiscal year 2023.
We are, however, more structurally exposed to interest rate risk than banks in many other countries because of certain mandated reserve requirements of the RBI. See “Supervision and Regulation—Legal Reserve Requirements.” These requirements result in Indian banks, such as ourselves, maintaining (as per RBI guidelines currently in force) a portion of our liabilities in approved securities issued by the Government (18.0 percent computed as per guidelines issued by the RBI. We are also required to maintain 4.5 percent of our liabilities (computed as per guidelines issued by the RBI) by way of a balance with the RBI. This, in turn, means that we could be adversely impacted by a rise in interest rates, especially if the rise were sudden or sharp. A rise in yields on fixed income securities, including government securities, will likely adversely impact our profitability. A rising interest rate environment acts as a headwind for economic growth and thus impacts our profitability. The aforementioned requirements would also have a negative impact on our net interest income and net interest margins since interest earned on our investments in government-issued securities is generally lower than that earned on our other interest earning assets.
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We could experience a decline in our revenue generated from activities on the equity markets if there is a prolonged or significant downturn on the Indian stock exchanges, and we may face difficulties in getting regulatory approvals necessary to conduct our business if we fail to meet regulatory limits on capital market exposures.
We provide a variety of services and products to participants involved with the Indian stock exchanges. These include working capital funding and margin guarantees to share brokers, personal loans secured by shares, initial public offering finance for retail customers, stock exchange clearing services, collecting bankers to various public offerings and depositary accounts. If there is a prolonged or significant downturn on the Indian stock exchanges, our revenue generated by offering these products and services may decrease, which would have a material adverse effect on our financial condition. We are required to maintain our capital market exposures within the limits as prescribed by the RBI. Our capital market exposures are comprised primarily of investments in equity shares, loans to share brokers and financial guarantees issued to stock exchanges on behalf of share brokers.
In accordance with RBI guidance, a bank’s capital market exposure is limited to 40 percent of its net worth under Indian GAAP as of March 31 of the previous year, both on a consolidated and non-consolidated basis. Our capital market exposure as of March 31, 2023 was 16.6 percent of our net worth on a non-consolidated basis and 19.6 percent on a consolidated basis, in each case, under Indian GAAP. See “Supervision and Regulation—Large Exposures Framework.” If we fail to meet these regulatory limits in the future, we may face difficulties in obtaining other regulatory approvals necessary to conduct our normal course of business, which would have a material adverse effect on our business and operations.
Any failure or material weakness of our internal control system could cause significant errors, which may have a materially adverse effect on our reputation, business, financial position or results of operations.
We are responsible for establishing and maintaining adequate internal measures commensurate with our size and complexity of operations. Our internal or concurrent audit functions are equipped to make an independent and objective evaluation of the adequacy and effectiveness of internal controls on an ongoing basis to ensure that business units adhere to our policies, compliance requirements and internal circular guidelines. While we periodically test and update, as necessary, our internal control systems, we are exposed to operational risks arising from the potential inadequacy or failure of internal processes or systems, and our actions may not be sufficient to guarantee effective internal controls in all circumstances. Given our high volume of transactions, it is possible that errors may repeat or compound before they are discovered and rectified. Our systems and internal control procedures that are designed to monitor our operations and overall compliance may not identify every instance of non-compliance or every suspicious transaction. If internal control weaknesses are identified, our actions may not be sufficient to fully correct such internal control weakness. We face operational risks in our various businesses and there may be losses due to deal errors, settlement problems, pricing errors, inaccurate reporting, breaches of confidentiality, fraud and failure of mission-critical systems or infrastructure. Any error tampering or manipulation could result in losses that may be difficult to detect.
For example, pursuant to the media reports during fiscal year 2018, certain unpublished price-sensitive information (“UPSI”) relating to our financial results for the quarters ended December 31, 2015 and June 30, 2017 had been leaked in a private “group” on the WhatsApp mobile app before such results were officially published. Following this leak, we received an order from the SEBI on February 23, 2018, directing us to (i) strengthen our processes, systems and controls relating to information security to prevent future leaks, (ii) submit a report on (a) the systems and controls, how they have been strengthened, and at what regular intervals they are monitored, and (b) the details of persons who are responsible for monitoring such systems, and (iii) conduct an internal inquiry into the leakage of UPSI relating to our financial results and submit a report in relation thereto. In accordance with the SEBI order, we filed both reports with SEBI on May 30, 2018. Any additional action by SEBI in connection with its investigation and our respective reports may subject us to further scrutiny or enforcement actions and have a material adverse effect on our reputation, business, financial position or results of operations. From time-to-time SEBI has asked for information on the above matter, which we have provided. On August 31, 2020, SEBI also passed an Adjudication Order against one of our customers in connection with the UPSI matter. Through a letter dated June 10, 2021, SEBI sought clarifications on the status of implementation of the recommendations provided by our legal counsels for strengthening our systems and controls. While we have responded to SEBI on June 23, 2021, confirming the status of implementation of the legal counsels’ suggestions, we believe that we have complied with the directions under SEBI’s letters dated February 23, 2018 and June 10, 2021 and we have not received further correspondence from SEBI in this regard, there can be no assurance that a failure of our internal control system may not occur in the future, which could adversely affect our business and results of operations.
In addition and as a result of any of the forgoing, we may come under additional regulatory scrutiny or be the target of enforcement actions, or suffer monetary losses or adverse reputation effects which, in each case, could be material, and could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial position or results of operations.
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Significant fraud, system failure or calamities would disrupt our revenue-generating activities in the short term and could harm our reputation and adversely impact our revenue-generating capabilities.
Our business is highly dependent on our ability to efficiently and reliably process a high volume of transactions across numerous locations and delivery channels. We place heavy reliance on our technology infrastructure for processing this data and therefore ensuring the security of this system, and its availability is of paramount importance. Our systemic and operational controls may not be adequate to prevent any adverse impact from frauds, errors, hacking and system failures. A significant system breakdown or system failure caused by intentional or unintentional acts would have an adverse impact on our revenue-generating activities and lead to financial loss. Our reputation could be adversely affected by fraud committed by employees, customers or outsiders, or by our perceived inability to properly manage fraud-related risks. Our inability or perceived inability to manage these risks could lead to enhanced regulatory oversight and scrutiny. Fraud or system failures by other Indian banking institutions (such as frauds uncovered in early 2018 at one of India’s public sector banks) could also adversely affect our reputation and revenue-generating activity by reflecting negatively on our industry more generally, and in certain circumstances we could be required to absorb losses arising from intentional or unintentional acts by third-party institutions. We have established a geographically remote disaster recovery site to support critical applications, and we believe that we would be able to restore data and resume processing in the event of a significant system breakdown or failure. However, it is possible the disaster recovery site may also fail or it may take considerable time to make the system fully operational and achieve complete business resumption using the alternate site. Therefore, in such a scenario where the primary site is also completely unavailable, there may be significant disruption to our operations, which would materially adversely affect our reputation and financial condition.
We may not successfully implement our sustainability strategies or satisfy our ESG commitments, or our performance may not meet investor or other stakeholder expectations or standards, which could adversely impact our reputation, access to capital, business and financial condition.
Modern customers and other stakeholders are increasingly favoring companies that are committed to addressing the social and environmental challenges we face as a society, and we seek to ensure that customers and other stakeholders are aware of our commitment to addressing ESG issues in our business strategy by developing products and services aligned with these new standards and ESG-related goals. We believe that we have been at the forefront of the banking industry transformation in India, and, as a large financial services organization with a high industry profile, our practices and commitments are subject to scrutiny by all our stakeholders.
Stakeholder expectations of our ESG performance are continually evolving. We may fail to have the appropriate internal standards, strategic plans and governance, monitoring and reporting mechanisms in place to ensure that we can identify emerging issues, meet external expectations and align with recognized international standards. Failure to uphold high standards of ESG management or provide transparent and consistent reporting could significantly impact the Bank’s reputation and reduce investor confidence. In addition, poor performance across any aspect of ESG, such as a failure to address climate change or human rights impacts across our business, could result in increased regulation, difficulty in attracting and retaining talent, criminal or civil prosecution, or decreases in consumer demand for our products. In addition, if we are not successful in implementing our ESG and other sustainability initiatives and commitments, or if we fail to satisfy investor or other stakeholder expectations or standards in the execution of our sustainability strategies, including as the result of non-successful investments in new technologies, changes in customer behavior and preferences with respect to sustainability, uncertainty about market signals with respect to sustainability matters including climate change and negative feedback on our sustainability strategies, our business, results of operations, financial condition and prospects, access to capital and our reputation may be adversely affected.
At present, we refer to ESG ratings provided by, among others, MSCI and CRISIL. However, we have not yet integrated such external ratings in our credit rating of clients. We are in the process of understanding our financed emissions for which we anticipate relying on third parties for climate related data and information in the future. We receive advisory support from third parties regarding our carbon footprint and, going forward, expect to seek support from third parties to purchase carbon credits. We participate in the SP Dow Jones Sustainability Index, BSE 100 ESG Index, NIFTY 100 ESG Index, carbon disclosure project (CDP) and we keep a track of progress year on year. We also monitor our ESG ratings provided by, among others, MSCI, Sustainalytics and CRISIL. None of these providers is subject to any regulatory or other governmental oversight in respect of its determination of ESG ratings or the underlying methodologies it uses to make such determinations and may revise or replace entirely the methodology it applied to derive its ESG ratings. The past or future issuance of any ESG ratings which reflect low performance on ESG matters or high ESG-related risk, or are not consistent with our own views of our commitment to implement ESG principles and standards throughout our business and our commitment to our business and local communities as an ESG-focused company, could harm our reputation, expose us to liability and could have a material adverse effect on our business, results of operations or financial condition.
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We are subject to climate change-related risks, including the physical risks of severe weather and water scarcity, as well as the risks of transitioning to a low carbon economy, which could have a significant negative impact on our industry, business and results of operations.
We are subject to physical and transition risks relating to climate change, which have the potential to result in adverse financial and non-financial impacts for the Bank. Physical risks relating to climate change include extreme weather events (such as hurricanes, extreme rainfall, earthquakes, flooding and forest fires); periods of abnormal, severe or unseasonal weather conditions (such as increased average temperature); rising sea levels; alteration or loss of biodiversity or impacts to marine ecosystems affecting tourist destinations; reduced availability of water resources; and insect plagues. In addition, the transition to a low carbon economy may result in new or stricter legal regulations (including new carbon taxes or greenhouse gas emissions restrictions or reporting requirements) and other related changes, including changes in customer behavior or preferences and changes in energy consumption practices or energy costs. Transition risks can impact the Bank’s operating costs as well as its credit portfolio, for example, in the event of regulatory or policy changes, or changing market practices, that shift demand among certain business sectors and result in loan defaults from certain industries like coal, thermal and infrastructure.
As climate change and circular economy-related legislation and reporting requirements further evolve, companies need to effectively identify, assess, monitor and mitigate associated transition risks; failure to do so adequately or less well than others could lead to the Bank scoring lower in ESG ratings and indices used by financial actors in making investment decisions. Material non-compliance with climate change or circular economy-related legislation or reporting requirements could reduce our ability to attract investors, result in reputational damage and potentially regulatory sanctions. Poor results in ESG ratings and indices used by financial actors may negatively impact their investment decision, and thereby increase the cost of capital or negatively impact share price. Failure to meet current and future employees’ expectations concerning the Bank’s actions to mitigate and adapt to climate change or address circular economy matters may negatively impact the retention and attraction of high-quality employees. See “—Our success depends in large part upon our management team and skilled personnel and our ability to attract and retain such persons.”
Negative publicity could damage our reputation and adversely impact our business and financial results.
Reputational risk, or the risk to our business, earnings and capital from negative publicity, is inherent in our business. The reputation of the financial services industry in general has been closely monitored as a result of the financial crisis and other matters affecting the financial services industry. Negative public opinion about the financial services industry generally or the Bank specifically could adversely affect our ability to attract and retain customers, and may expose us to litigation and regulatory action. Negative publicity can result from our actual or alleged conduct in any number of activities, including lending practices, mortgage servicing and foreclosure practices, corporate governance, regulatory compliance, mergers and acquisitions and related disclosure, sharing or inadequate protection of customer information, and actions taken by government regulators and community organizations in response to that conduct. For example, in the recent past, we have experienced outages in our internet banking, mobile banking and payment utilities, including an outage in our internet banking and payment system in November 2020 due to a power failure in the primary data center. See “—A failure, inadequacy or security breach in our information technology and telecommunication systems may adversely affect our business, results of operations or financial condition.”
Many of our branches have been recently added to our branch network and are not operating with the same efficiency as compared to the rest of our existing branches, which adversely affects our profitability.
As at March 31, 2018, we had 4,787 branches, and as at March 31, 2023, we had 7,821 branches, a significant increase in the number of branches. Some of the newly added branches are currently operating at a lower efficiency level as compared with our established branches. While we believe that the newly added branches will achieve the productivity benchmark set for our entire network over time, the success in achieving our benchmark level of efficiency and productivity will depend on various internal and external factors, some of which are not under our control. The sub-optimal performance of the newly added branches, if continued over an extended period of time, would have a material adverse effect on our profitability.
Deficiencies in accuracy and completeness of information about customers and counterparties may adversely impact us.
We rely on accuracy and completeness of information about customers and counterparties while carrying out transactions with them or on their behalf. We may also rely on representations as to the accuracy and completeness of such information. For example, we may rely on reports of independent auditors with respect to financial statements, and decide to extend credit based on the assumption that the customer’s audited financial statements conform to generally accepted accounting principles and present fairly, in all material respects, the financial condition, results of operations and cash flows of the customer. Our financial condition and results of operations could be negatively impacted by reliance on information that is inaccurate or materially misleading. This may affect the quality of information available to us about the credit history of our borrowers, especially individuals and small businesses. As a result, our ability to effectively manage our credit risk may be adversely affected.
We present our financial information differently in other markets or in certain reporting contexts.
In India, our equity shares are traded on the BSE Limited (the “BSE”) and the National Stock Exchange of India Limited (the “NSE”). BSE and NSE rules, in connection with other applicable Indian laws, require us to report our financial results in India in Indian GAAP. Because of the difference in accounting principles and presentation, certain financial information available in our required filings in the United States may be presented differently than in the financial information we provide under Indian GAAP.
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Additionally, we make available information on our website and in our presentations in order to provide investors with a view of our business through metrics similar to what our management uses to measure our performance. Some of the information we make available from time to time may be in relation to our unconsolidated or consolidated results under Indian GAAP or under U.S. GAAP. Potential investors should read any notes or disclaimers to such financial information when evaluating our performance to confirm how the information is being presented, since information that may have been prepared with a different presentation may not be directly comparable.
The Ministry of Corporate Affairs, in its press release dated January 18, 2016, had issued a roadmap for implementation of Indian Accounting Standards (“IND-AS”) converged with International Financial Reporting Standards as issued by the International Accounting Standards Board (“IFRS”) with certain carve-outs for scheduled commercial banks, insurance companies and non-banking financial companies (the “Roadmap”). This Roadmap required such institutions to prepare IND-AS-based financial statements for the accounting periods commencing on or after April 1, 2018, and to prepare comparative financial information for accounting periods beginning April 1, 2017 and thereafter. The RBI, in its circular dated February 11, 2016, required all scheduled commercial banks to comply with IND-AS for financial statements for the same periods stated above. The RBI did not permit banks to adopt IND-AS earlier than the above timelines. The RBI circular also stated that the RBI will issue instructions, guidance and clarifications, as and when required, on the relevant aspects of the implementation of IND-AS. In April 2018, the RBI deferred the effective date for implementation of IND-AS by one year, by which point the necessary legislative amendments were expected to have been completed. The legislative amendments recommended by the RBI are under consideration by the Government of India. Accordingly, the RBI, in its circular dated March 22, 2019, deferred the implementation of IND-AS until further notice.
In conjunction with the implementation of IND-AS for our local Indian results, we may adopt IFRS for the purposes of our filings pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of, and our reports pursuant to Rule 13a-16 or 15d-16 under, the Exchange Act. Should we choose to do so, our first year of reporting in accordance with IFRS would be the same as the accounting period for IND-AS, which is dependent on instructions to be issued by the RBI for the implementation of IND-AS. For our first year of reporting in accordance with IFRS, we would be permitted to file two years, rather than three years, of statements of income, changes in shareholders’ equity and cash flows prepared in accordance with IFRS.
The new accounting standards are expected to change, among other things, our methodologies for estimating allowances for probable loan losses and classifying and valuing our investment portfolio, as well as our revenue recognition policy. It is possible that our financial condition, results of operations and changes in shareholders’ equity may appear materially different under IND-AS or IFRS than under Indian GAAP or U.S. GAAP. Further, during the transition to reporting under the new standards, we may encounter difficulties in the implementation of the new standards and development of our management information systems. Given the increased competition for the small number of IFRS-experienced accounting personnel in India, it may be difficult for us to employ the appropriate accounting personnel to assist us in preparing IND-AS or IFRS financial statements. Moreover, there is no significant body of established practice from which we may draw when forming judgments regarding the application of the new accounting standards. There can be no assurance that the Bank’s controls and procedures will be effective in these circumstances or that a material weakness in internal control over financial reporting will not occur. Further, failure to successfully adopt IND-AS or IFRS could adversely affect the Bank’s business, financial condition and results of operations.
Statistical, industry and financial data obtained from industry publications and other third-party sources may be incomplete or unreliable.
We have not independently verified certain data obtained from industry publications and other third-party sources referred to in this document and therefore, while we believe them to be true, we cannot assure you that they are complete or reliable. Such data may also be produced on different bases from those used in the industry publications we have referenced. Therefore, discussions of matters relating to India, its economy and the industries in which we currently operate are subject to the caveat that the statistical and other data upon which such discussions are based may be incomplete or unreliable.
We may be unable to fully capture the expected value from acquisitions, which could materially and adversely affect our business, results of operations and financial condition.
We may from time to time undertake acquisitions as part of our growth strategy, which could subject us to a number of risks, such as: (i) the rationale and assumptions underlying the business plans supporting the valuation of a target business may prove inaccurate, in particular with respect to synergies and expected commercial demand; (ii) we may fail to successfully integrate any acquired business, including its technologies, products and personnel; (iii) we may fail to retain key employees, customers and suppliers of any acquired business; (iv) we may be required or wish to terminate pre-existing contractual relationships, which could prove costly and/or be executed at unfavorable terms and conditions; (v) we may fail to discover certain contingent or undisclosed liabilities in businesses that we acquire, or our due diligence to discover any such liabilities may be inadequate; and (vi) it may be necessary to obtain regulatory and other approvals in connection with certain acquisitions, and there can be no assurance that such approvals will be obtained, and even if granted, that there will be no burdensome conditions attached to such approvals. Additionally, we could be exposed to financial, legal or reputational risks if we fail to appropriately consider and address any compliance, antitrust or ESG aspects of a transaction or planned transaction. Any of the foregoing risks could result in increased costs, decreased revenues or a loss of opportunities and have an adverse effect on our business, results of operations and financial condition, and in the case of a breach of compliance or antitrust regulation, could lead to reputational damage, fines and potentially criminal sanctions and an adverse impact on our ESG agenda.
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The Banking Regulation Act 1949 gives powers to the RBI to undertake amalgamations of banking companies. In the past, the RBI has ordered mergers of riskier banks with banks that had larger balance sheets, primarily in the interest of the depositors. For example, the Government of India announced the amalgamation of 10 public sector banks into four larger banks in April 2020 as part of a consolidation measure to create fewer banks that would be individually larger in scale. More recently, Lakshmi Vilas Bank Ltd. was amalgamated with DBS Bank India Limited with effect from November 27, 2020. Any such direction by the RBI in relation to our Bank could have an adverse effect on our business or that of our subsidiaries.
Credit Risks
If the level of non-performing loans in our portfolio increases, we will be required to increase our provisions, which would negatively impact our income.
Our gross non-performing customer assets represented 1.12 percent of our gross customer assets as of March 31, 2023. Our management of credit risk involves having appropriate credit policies, underwriting standards, approval processes, loan portfolio monitoring, remedial management and the overall architecture for managing credit risk. In the case of our secured loan portfolio, the frequency of the valuation of collateral may vary based on the nature of the loan and the type of collateral. A decline in the value of collateral or an inappropriate collateral valuation increases the risk in the secured loan portfolio because of inadequate coverage of collateral. As of March 31, 2023, 67.9 percent of our loan book was partially or fully secured by collateral. Our risk mitigation and risk monitoring techniques may not be accurate or appropriately implemented, and we may not be able to anticipate future economic and financial events, leading to an increase in our non-performing loans. See Note 9 “Loans” in our consolidated financial statements. As a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Government and the RBI implemented various regulatory measures, including those aimed at alleviating financial pressure on borrowers. These measures included a moratorium on debt repayments and temporary permission to classify certain distressed loans as “Standard” if the cause of the distress was related to the pandemic. See “—Pandemics or similar public health crises may have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations.” In addition, borrowers in particular industries may be adversely affected by disruptions in commodity supply chains, changes in economic behavior, trade restrictions and other consequences of pandemics or other global health crises, geopolitical and geoeconomic conflicts, such as the war between Russia and Ukraine, increased use of protectionist measures, such as the United States and China implementing reciprocal trade tariffs, and other events that are beyond the control of those that are affected.
Provisions are created by a charge to expense and represent our estimate for loan losses and risks inherent in the credit portfolio. See “Selected Statistical Information—Non-performing Loans.” The determination of an appropriate level of loan losses and provisions required inherently involves a degree of subjectivity and requires that we make estimates of current credit risks and future trends, all of which may undergo material changes. Our provisions may not be adequate to cover any further increase in the amount of non-performing loans or any further deterioration in our non-performing loan portfolio. Further, as part of its supervision process, the RBI assesses our asset classification and provisioning requirements. In the event that additional provisioning is required by the RBI, our net income, balance sheet and capital adequacy could be affected, which could have a material adverse impact on our business, future financial performance, shareholders’ equity and the price of our equity shares. If we are not able to continue to reduce our existing non-performing loans, or if there is a significant increase in the amount of new loans classified as non-performing loans as a result of a change in the methodology of non-performing loans classification mandated by the RBI or otherwise, our asset quality may deteriorate, our provisioning for probable losses may increase and our business, future financial performance and the trading price of our equity shares and ADSs could be adversely affected.
A number of factors outside of our control affect our ability to control and reduce non-performing loans. These factors include developments in the Indian economy, domestic or global turmoil, global competition, changes in interest rates and exchange rates and changes in regulations, including with respect to regulations requiring us to lend to certain sectors identified by the RBI or the Government of India for example, a few years ago, certain state governments announced waivers of amounts due under agricultural loans provided by the banks. Demands for similar waivers have been raised by farmers in other states as well. Also, in the past, the central and state governments have waived farm loans from time to time to provide some respite to the debt-ridden agricultural sector. It is unclear when the governments will compensate the banks for the waivers so announced. Further, such frequent farm waivers may create expectations of future waivers among the farmers and lead to a delay in or cessation of loan repayments, which may lead to a rise in our non-performing loans. These factors, coupled with other factors such as volatility in commodity markets, declining business and consumer confidence and decreases in business and consumer spending, could impact the operations of our customers and in turn impact their ability to fulfill their obligations under the loans granted to them by us. In addition, the expansion of our business may cause our non-performing loans to increase and the overall quality of our loan portfolio to deteriorate. If our non-performing loans further increase, we will be required to increase our provisions, which would result in our net income being less than it otherwise would have been and would adversely affect our financial condition.
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We have high concentrations of exposures to certain customers and sectors, and if any of these exposures were to become non-performing, the quality of our portfolio could be adversely affected and our ability to meet capital requirements could be jeopardized.
As of March 31, 2023, our largest single customer exposure, based on the higher of the outstanding balances of, or limit on, funded and non-funded exposures, was Rs. 284.0 billion, representing 9.3 percent of our capital funds which comprised Tier I and Tier II capital. Similarly, our 10 largest customer exposures totaled Rs. 1,816.3 billion, representing 59.4 percent of our capital funds. None of our 10 largest customer exposures was classified as non-performing as of March 31, 2023. However, if any of our 10 largest customer exposures were to become non-performing, our net income would decline and, due to the magnitude of the exposures, our ability to meet capital requirements could be jeopardized. See “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations” for a detailed discussion on customer exposures. In 2019, the RBI released guidelines on the Large Exposures Framework (“LEF”), which are revised from time to time. The guidelines govern exposure of banks to a single counterparty and a group of connected counterparties. Under this framework, the sum of all the exposure values of a bank to a single counterparty must not be higher than 20 percent of the bank’s available eligible capital base at all times, and the sum of all the exposure values of a bank to a group of connected counterparties (as defined in the guidelines) must not be higher than 25 percent of the bank’s available eligible capital base at all times. The eligible capital base for this purpose is the effective amount of Tier I capital fulfilling the criteria mentioned in the Basel III guidelines issued by the RBI as per the last audited balance sheet. As of March 31, 2023, there were no exposures which exceeded the ceiling permitted under the LEF guidelines.
The RBI in its circular from February 2021, had exempted from the framework lending by foreign sovereigns or their central banks that are subject to a zero percent risk weight under the Basel III guidelines, and where such lending is denominated in the domestic currency of that sovereign and met out of resources of the same currency. Further, through its circular issued in March 2021, the RBI had determined that non-centrally cleared derivatives exposures will continue to be outside the purview of exposure limits until September 30, 2021. For further details on the LEF, see “Supervision and Regulation—Large Exposures Framework.”
In April 2023, the RBI had issued the master circular on prudential norms on income recognition, asset classification and provisioning pertaining to advances, which consolidates the guidelines for resolution of stressed assets. In 2019, the RBI had replaced the erstwhile framework for the resolution of stressed assets (including the framework for revitalizing distressed assets, joint lenders forum mechanism, strategic debt restructuring and the scheme of sustainable structuring of stressed assets). As per the existing guidelines, the lenders must recognize developing stress in loan accounts, immediately on default. Lenders must put in place policies approved by their board of directors for the resolution of stressed assets, including the timelines for such resolution, and they are expected to initiate implementation of the resolution plan even before default occurs. If a default occurs, however, lenders have a review period of 30 days within which their resolution strategy is to be decided. The RBI guidelines provide the timelines within which the banks are required to implement the resolution plan, depending on the aggregate exposure of the borrower to the lender. For large accounts with the aggregate exposure of the lenders being Rs. 20.0 billion or more, the RBI has specified that the resolution plan must be implemented within 180 days from the end of the review period. If there is a delayed implementation of the resolution plan, lenders are required to make an additional provision of 20 percent of the total amount outstanding, in addition to the provisions already held and provisions required to be made as per asset classification status of the borrower’s account, subject to a total provisioning of 100 percent of the total amount outstanding. Lenders are required to make appropriate disclosures of resolution plans implemented in their financial statements under “Notes on Accounts.”
As of March 31, 2023, our largest industry concentrations, based on RBI guidelines, were as follows: financial institutions (7.9 percent), retail trade (4.8 percent) NBFC (4.1 percent) and power (3.7 percent). In addition, as of March 31, 2023, 21.3 percent of our exposures were consumer loans. Industry-specific difficulties in these or other sectors may increase our level of non-performing customer assets. If we experience a downturn in an industry in which we have concentrated exposure, our net income will likely decline significantly and our financial condition may be materially adversely affected. As of March 31, 2023, our non-performing loans and credit substitutes as a percentage of total non-performing customer assets in accordance with U.S. GAAP were concentrated in the following industries: agriculture production-food (14.1 percent), retail trade (7.5 percent), agriculture-allied (6.7 percent) and consumer services (5.7 percent). In addition, 17.3 percent of our non-performing customer assets were consumer loans.
We are required to undertake directed lending under RBI guidelines. Consequently, we may experience a higher level of non-performing loans in our directed lending portfolio, which could adversely impact the quality of our loan portfolio, our business and the price of our equity shares and ADSs. Further, in the case of any shortfall in complying with these requirements, we may be required to invest in deposits of Indian development banks as directed by the RBI. These deposits yield low returns, thereby impacting our profitability.
The RBI prescribes guidelines on Priority Sector Lending (“PSL”) in India. Under these guidelines, banks in India are required to lend 40.0 percent of their adjusted net bank credit (“ANBC”) or the credit equivalent amount of off-balance sheet exposures (“CEOBE”), whichever is higher, as defined by the RBI and computed in accordance with Indian GAAP figures, to certain eligible sectors categorized as priority sectors. The priority sector requirements must be met with reference to the higher of the ANBC and the CEOBE as of the corresponding date of the preceding year. PSL achievement is to be evaluated at the end of the fiscal year based on the average of priority sector target/sub-target achievement as at the end of each quarter of that fiscal year. See “Supervision and Regulation—Directed Lending.” Under the guidelines, scheduled commercial banks having any shortfall in lending to the priority sector shall be allocated amounts for contribution to the Rural Infrastructure Development Fund (“RIDF”) established with the National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (“NABARD”) and other funds with NABARD, the National Housing Bank (“NHB”), the Small Industries Development Bank of India (“SIDBI”) or the Micro Units Development and Refinance Agency Limited (“MUDRA”), as decided by the RBI from time to time. The interest rates on such deposits may be lower than the interest rates which the Bank would have obtained by investing these funds at its discretion.
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Further, the RBI has directed banks to maintain direct lending to non-corporate farmers at the banking system’s average level for the last three years, which would be notified by the RBI at the beginning of each year. The target for fiscal year 2023 was 13.78 percent. If we fail to adhere to the RBI’s policies and directions, we may be subject to penalties, which may adversely affect our results of operations. Furthermore, the RBI can make changes to the types of loans that qualify under the PSL scheme. Changes that reduce the types of loans that can qualify toward meeting our PSL targets could increase shortfalls under the overall target or under certain sub-targets. In September 2020, the RBI issued new guidelines through which it increased the target for lending to small and marginal farmers and economically weaker sections in a phased manner through fiscal year 2024 to 10.0 percent and 12.0 percent, respectively.
Our total PSL achievement for fiscal year 2023 stood at 45.06 percent as against a requirement of 40 percent, and our achievement of direct lending to non-corporate farmers stood at 11.42 percent for fiscal year 2023 as against a requirement of 13.78 percent. Our achievement of lending to micro enterprises stood at 9.16 percent as against a target of 7.5 percent. Lending to the total agricultural sector stood at 15.62 percent as against a requirement of 18 percent, and lending to small and marginal farmers stood at 6.03 percent, against the requirement of 9.5 percent. Advances to sections termed “weaker” by the RBI were 8.11 percent against the requirement of 11.5 percent. The above achievements are subject to district weight adjustments wherein a higher weight (125 percent) would be assigned in the identified districts where the credit flow is comparatively lower, and a lower weight (90 percent) would be assigned in districts where the credit flow is comparatively higher. This is expected to be valid for up to fiscal year 2024 and is expected to be reviewed thereafter. The districts not further specified continue to have an existing weightage of 100 percent.
We may experience a higher level of non-performing assets in our directed lending portfolio, particularly in loans to the agricultural sector, small enterprises and weaker sections, where we are less able to control the portfolio quality and where economic difficulties are likely to affect our borrowers more severely. Our gross non-performing assets in the directed lending sector as a percentage to gross loans were 0.57 percent as of March 31, 2023 (0.56 percent as of March 31, 2022). Further increases in the above-mentioned targets of the specified PSL categories could result in an increase in non-performing assets due to our limited ability to control the portfolio quality under the directed lending requirements.
In addition to the PSL requirements, the RBI has encouraged banks in India to develop a financial inclusion plan for expanding banking services to rural and unbanked centers and to customers who currently do not have access to banking services. The expansion into these markets involves significant investments and recurring costs. The profitability of these operations depends on our ability to generate business volumes in these centers and from these customers. As described above, recent changes by the RBI in the directed lending norms may result in our inability to meet the PSL requirements as well as require us to increase our lending to relatively more risky segments, and may result in an increase in non-performing loans. In addition to the PSL requirements, the RBI has encouraged banks in India to have a financial inclusion plan for expanding banking services to rural and unbanked centers and to customers who currently do not have access to banking services. The expansion into these markets involves significant investments and recurring costs. The profitability of these operations depends on our ability to generate business volumes in these centers and from these customers. Future changes by the RBI in the directed lending norms may result in our inability to meet the PSL requirements as well as require us to increase our lending to relatively more risky segments, and may result in an increase in non-performing loans.
We may be unable to foreclose on collateral in a timely fashion or at all when borrowers default on their obligations to us, or the value of collateral may decrease, any of which may result in failure to recover the expected value of collateral security, increased losses and a decline in net income.
Although we typically lend on a cash flow basis, many of our loans are secured by collateral, which consists of liens on inventory, receivables and other current assets, and in some cases, charges on fixed assets, such as property, movable assets (such as vehicles) and financial assets (such as marketable securities). As of March 31, 2023, 67.9 percent of our loans were partially or fully secured by collateral. We may not be able to realize the full value of the collateral, due to, among other things, stock market volatility, changes in economic policies of the Indian government, obstacles and delays in legal proceedings, borrowers and guarantors not being traceable, our records of borrowers’ and guarantors’ addresses being ambiguous or outdated and defects in the perfection of collateral and fraudulent transfers by borrowers. In the event that a specialized regulatory agency gains jurisdiction over the borrower, creditor actions can be further delayed. In addition, the value of collateral may be less than we expect or may decline.
The RBI has introduced various mechanisms, from time to time, to enable the lenders to timely resolve and initiate recovery with regards to stressed assets. In April 2023, the RBI has issued the master circular on prudential norms on income recognition, asset classification and provisioning pertaining to advances, which consolidated the RBI’s (Prudential Framework for Resolution of Stressed Assets) Directions 2019. In 2019, the RBI had replaced the erstwhile framework for the resolution of stressed assets (including the framework for revitalizing distressed assets, joint lenders forum mechanism, strategic debt restructuring and the scheme of sustainable structuring of stressed assets). See “Supervision and Regulation—Resolution of Stressed Assets.”
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The Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code was introduced in 2016, with the aim to provide for the efficient and timely resolution of insolvency of all persons, including companies, partnership firms, limited liability partnerships and individuals. For further details, see “Supervision and Regulation—The Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code 2016.” Furthermore, in order to provide relief to corporate entities, which may be facing financial distress as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code was amended with effect from June 5, 2020. Pursuant to the amendment, no application for the initiation of a corporate insolvency resolution process of a corporate debtor can be filed under the Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code, in relation to a default arising on or after March 25, 2020, for a period of six months or such further period, not exceeding one year from such date, as may be notified The Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code (Amendment) Act 2021 provides, among other things, for a pre-packaged insolvency resolution process for corporate debtors which are classified as micro, small or medium enterprises. The objective of this amendment is to provide an efficient alternative insolvency resolution process for micro, small and medium enterprises which is efficient and cost effective. The inability to foreclose on such loans due or otherwise liquidate our collateral may result in failure to recover the expected value of such collateral security, which may, in turn, give rise to increased losses and a decline in net income. See also “—Pandemics or similar public health crises may have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations.”
Our unsecured loan portfolio is not supported by any collateral that could help ensure repayment of the loan, and in the event of non-payment by a borrower of one of these loans, we may be unable to collect the unpaid balance.
We offer unsecured personal loans and credit cards to the retail customer segment, including salaried individuals and self-employed professionals. In addition, we offer unsecured loans to small businesses and individual businessmen. Unsecured loans represent a greater credit risk for us than our secured loan portfolio because they may not be supported by realizable collateral that could help ensure an adequate source of repayment for the loan. Although we normally obtain direct debit instructions or postdated cheques from our customers for unsecured loan products, we may be unable to collect in part or at all in the event of non-payment by a borrower. Further, any expansion in our unsecured loan portfolio could require us to increase our provision for credit losses, which would decrease our earnings. Also see “Business—Retail Banking—Retail Loans and Other Asset Products.”
Risks Relating to Our Industry
RBI guidelines relating to ownership in private banks could discourage or prevent a change of control or other business combination involving us which could restrict the growth of our business and operations.
RBI guidelines prescribe a policy framework for the ownership and governance of private sector banks. Under Section 12 of the Banking Regulation Act 1949, as amended, no person holding shares in a financial institution shall, in respect of any shares held by such person, exercise voting rights in excess of 10 percent of the total voting rights of all the shareholders of such financial institution; provided that the RBI may increase, in a phased manner, such ceiling on voting rights from 10 to 26 percent. The notification dated July 21, 2016 issued by RBI and published in the Gazette of India dated September 17, 2016 stated that the ceiling for voting rights is at 26 percent.
In May 2016, RBI issued the RBI (Ownership in Private Sector Banks) Directions 2016. These guidelines prescribed requirements regarding shareholding and voting rights in relation to all private sector banks licensed by the RBI to operate in India. In June 2020, the RBI set up an internal working group to examine and review the extant licensing and regulatory guidelines relating to ownership and control, corporate structure of private sector banks and other related issues. The group submitted its report in October 2020, and some of the key recommendations were as follows: (i) the cap on promoters’ stakes over the course of 15 years may be raised from the current level of 15.0 percent to 26.0 percent of the paid-upvoting equity share capital of a bank; (ii) the RBI may introduce regulations in relation to the issuance of ADRs and GDRs by banks, which ensure that such issuances are not used by dominant shareholders to indirectly enhance their voting power, including mandating prior approval by the RBI before entering into agreements with depositories, requiring a provision in the depository agreement assigning no voting rights to depositories and a mechanism for disclosure of the details of the ultimate depository receipt holders so that indirect holdings can be disclosed along with direct holdings; (iii) large corporate/industrial houses may be allowed as promoters of banks only after necessary amendments to the Banking Regulations Act 1949; (iv) non-operative financial holding companies (“NOFHCs”) should continue to be the preferred structure for all new licenses to be issued for universal banks. However, NOFHC structures should be mandatory only in cases where the individual promoters, promoting entities and converting entities have other group entities; and (v) listing requirements for small finance banks, payments banks and universal banks.
On January 16, 2023, the RBI issued the Reserve Bank of India (Acquisition and Holding of Shares or Voting Rights in Banking Companies) Directions, 2023 to be read with the Guidelines on Acquisition and Holding of Shares or Voting Rights in Banking Companies (together, the “2023 Directions”). The object of the 2023 Directions is to ensure that the ultimate ownership and control of banking companies are well diversified and the “major shareholders” of banking companies are “fit and proper” on a continuing basis. For further details, see “Supervision and Regulation—Entry of New Banks in the Private Sector.”
Such restrictions could discourage or prevent a change in control, merger, consolidation, takeover or other business combination involving us, which might be beneficial to our shareholders.
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The RBI, when considering whether to grant an approval, may take into account all matters that it considers relevant to the application, including ensuring that shareholders whose aggregate holdings are above specified thresholds meet fitness and propriety tests, as prescribed by the RBI. The RBI has accorded its approval for HDFC Limited to hold more than 10 percent of our stock. HDFC Limited’s substantial stake in us could discourage or prevent another entity from exploring the possibility of a combination with us. These obstacles to potentially synergistic business combinations could negatively impact our share price and have a material adverse effect on our ability to compete effectively with other large banks and consequently our ability to maintain and improve our financial condition.
Additionally, under the Securities and Exchange Board of India (Listing Obligations and Disclosure Requirements) Regulations, 2015 (the “SEBI Listing Regulations”), all related party transactions, including any subsequent material modification, will require approval from the audit committee of the listed entity subject to the conditions mentioned in the SEBI Listing Regulations. Further, all material related party transactions (based on the threshold provided under the SEBI Listing Regulations), including any subsequent material modification, will require prior shareholders’ approval. In addition, pursuant to the SEBI Listing Regulations, no related party shall vote to approve such resolutions regardless of being a related party to the particular transaction or not. For transactions with HDFC Limited, shareholder approvals have been obtained for fiscal year 2023. However, if we are unable to obtain the necessary shareholder approvals for transactions with HDFC Limited in the future, we would be required to forego certain opportunities, which could have a material adverse effect on our financial performance.
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Foreign investment in our shares may be restricted due to regulations governing aggregate foreign investment in the Bank’s paid-up equity share capital.
Aggregate foreign investment from all sources in a private sector bank is permitted up to 49 percent of the paid-up capital under the automatic route. This limit can be increased to 74 percent of the paid-up capital with prior approval from the Government of India. Pursuant to a letter dated February 4, 2015, the Foreign Investment Promotion Board has approved foreign investment in the Bank up to 74 percent of its paid-up capital. The approval is subject to examination by the RBI for compounding on the change of foreign shareholding since April 2010. If the Bank is subject to any penalties or an unfavorable ruling by the RBI, this could have an adverse effect on the Bank’s results of operations and financial condition. The RBI had previously imposed a restriction on the purchase of equity shares of the Bank by foreign investors, under its circular dated March 19, 2012. On February 16, 2017, the RBI lifted such restriction since the foreign shareholding in the Bank was below the maximum prescribed percentage of 74 percent. Thereafter, the RBI notified by press release on February 17, 2017, and by separate letter to us dated February 28, 2017, that the foreign shareholding in all forms in the Bank crossed the said limit of 74 percent again. This was due to secondary market purchases of the Bank’s equity shares during this period. Consequently, the RBI re-imposed the restrictions on the purchase of the Bank’s equity shares by foreign investors. Further, SEBI also enquired regarding the measures that the Bank has taken and will take in respect of breaches of the maximum prescribed percentage of foreign shareholding in the Bank, by its letter dated March 9, 2018. As of March 31, 2023, foreign investment in the Bank, including the shareholdings of HDFC Limited and its subsidiaries, constituted 65.74 percent, respectively, of the paid-up capital of the Bank. The restrictions on the purchases of the Bank’s equity shares could negatively affect the price of the Bank’s shares and could limit the ability of investors to trade the Bank’s shares in the market. These limitations and any consequent regulatory actions may also negatively affect the Bank’s ability to raise additional capital to meet its capital adequacy requirements or to fund future growth through future issuances of additional equity shares, which could have a material adverse effect on our business and financial results. See “Supervision and Regulation—Foreign Ownership Restriction.”
Further competition and the development of advanced payment systems by our competitors would adversely impact our cash float and decrease fees we receive in connection with cash management services.
The Indian market for Cash Management Services (“CMS”) is marked by some distinctive characteristics and challenges such as a vast geography, a large number of small business-intensive towns, a large unorganized sector in various business supply chains and infrastructural limitations for accessibility to many parts of the country. Over the years, such challenges have made it a daunting task for CMS providers in the country to uncover the business potential and extend suitable services and product solutions to the business community.
We have been able to retain and increase our share of business in cash management services through traditional product offerings as well as by offering new age electronic banking services. However, with new entrants in the payment space such as new payment banks now being granted licenses to conduct business and certain financial technology companies, the competition in the payments landscape is likely to increase. Technological advances and the growth of e-commerce have made it possible for nonbanks to offer products and services that traditionally were banking products such as electronic securities trading, payments processing and online automated algorithmic-based investment advice. The introduction of Central Bank Digital Currencies could potentially have significant impacts on the banking system and the role of commercial banks within it by disrupting the current provision of banking products and services. It could allow new competitors, some previously hindered by banking regulation (such as FinTechs), to provide customers with access to banking facilities and increase disintermediation of banking services. New technologies have required and could require us to spend more to modify or adapt its products or make additional capital investments to attract and retain clients and customers or to match products and services offered by its competitors, including technology companies. Any increased competition within the payment space, any introduction of a more advanced payment system in India or an inability for us to sustain our technology investments, may have a material adverse effect on our financial condition.
Our business is highly competitive, which makes it challenging for us to offer competitive prices to retain existing customers and solicit new business, and our strategy depends on our ability to compete effectively.
We face strong competition in all areas of our business, and some of our competitors are larger than we are. We compete directly with large public and private sector banks, some of which are larger than we are based on certain metrics such as customer assets and deposits, branch network and capital. These banks are becoming more competitive as they improve their customer services and technology. In addition, we compete directly with foreign banks, which include some of the largest multinational financial companies in the world. See “—We may face increased competition as a result of revised guidelines that relax restrictions on foreign ownership and participation in the Indian banking industry, and the entry of new banks in the private sector which could cause us to lose existing business or be unable to compete effectively for new business.” In addition, new entrants into the financial services industry, including companies in the financial technology sector, may further intensify competition in the business environments, especially in the digital business environment, in which we operate, and as a result, we may be forced to adapt our business to compete more effectively. There can be no assurance that we will be able to respond effectively to current or future competition or that the technological investments we make in response to such competition will be successful. Regulation may also limit the use of the data necessary for our digital transformation. Due to competitive pressures, we may be unable to successfully execute our growth strategy and offer products and services (whether current or new offerings) at reasonable returns and this may adversely impact our business.
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If we are unable to retain and attract new customers, our revenue and net income will decline, which could materially adversely affect our financial condition. See “Business—Competition.”
We may face increased competition as a result of revised guidelines that relax restrictions on foreign ownership and participation in the Indian banking industry, and the entry of new banks in the private sector which could cause us to lose existing business or be unable to compete effectively for new business.
The Government of India regulates foreign ownership in private sector banks. Foreign ownership up to 49 percent of the paid-up capital is permitted in Indian private sector banks under the automatic route and this limit can be increased up to 74 percent with prior approval of the Government of India. However, under the Banking Regulation Act, read together with the 2023 Directions, no shareholder in a banking company can exercise voting rights on poll in excess of 26 percent of the total voting rights of all the shareholders of such banking company. The RBI has also from time to time issued various circulars and regulations regarding ownership of private banks and licensing of new private sector banks in India. See “Supervision and Regulation—Entry of new banks in the private sector.” Reduced restrictions on foreign ownership of Indian banks could lead to a higher presence of foreign banks in India and thus increase competition in the industry in which we operate.
In February 2013, the RBI released guidelines for the licensing of new banks in the private sector. The RBI permitted private sector entities owned and controlled by Indian residents and entities in the public sector in India to apply to the RBI for a license to operate a bank through a wholly owned NOFHC route, subject to compliance with certain specified criteria. Such a NOFHC was permitted to be the holding company of a bank as well as any other financial services entity, with the objective that the holding company ring-fences the regulated financial services entities in the group, including the bank, from other activities of the group. Pursuant to these guidelines, in fiscal year 2016, IDFC Bank and Bandhan Bank commenced banking operations.
In November 2014, the RBI released guidelines for the licensing of payments banks (“Payments Banks Guidelines”) and small finance banks (“Small Finance Banks Guidelines”) in the private sector. This led to the establishment of new payments banks and small finance banks, which have increased competition in the markets in which we operate. In December 2019, the RBI released guidelines for continuous licensing of small finance banks (the “December 2019 Guidelines”), lowering regulatory burdens for new market entrants, which may further increase competition in this segment of the market. The December 2019 Guidelines stated that a Standing External Advisory Committee (“SEAC”) comprising eminent persons with experience in banking, the financial sector and other relevant areas, will evaluate the applications and that the constituent members of the SEAC will be announced by the RBI. In March 2021, the RBI announced the constituent members of the SEAC, which will have a tenure of three years. The RBI in its circular dated March 28, 2020 issued modifications to Payments Bank Guidelines and the Small Finance Banks Guidelines to harmonize them with the December 2019 Guidelines.
In May 2016, the RBI had issued the Reserve Bank of India (Ownership in Private Sector Banks) Directions 2016, which have been repealed in the meantime. These guidelines prescribed requirements regarding shareholding and voting rights in relation to all private sector banks licensed by the RBI to operate in India. See “Supervision and Regulation—Entry of new banks in the private sector.”
In August 2016, the RBI released the guidelines for “on tap” licensing of Universal Banks in the Private Sector (the “2016 Guidelines”). The guidelines aim at moving from the “stop and go” licensing approach (wherein the RBI notifies the licensing window during which a private entity may apply for a banking license) to a continuous or “on-tap” licensing regime. Among other things, the new guidelines specify conditions for the eligibility of promoters, corporate structure and foreign shareholdings. One of the key features of the new guidelines is that, unlike the February 2013 guidelines (mentioned above), the new guidelines make the NOFHC structure non-mandatory in the case of promoters being individuals or standalone promoting/converting entities which do not have other group entities. In 2021, a few entities had applied for “on tap” licenses pursuant to the above-mentioned guidelines. The RBI has assessed the applications and, in May 2022, released the names of the applicants which were found not suitable for being granted in-principle approval. In January 2023, the RBI announced that it had received only one application under the 2016 Guidelines during the quarter ending December 31, 2022.
If the goodwill recorded in connection with our acquisitions becomes impaired, we may be required to record impairment charges, which would decrease our net income and total assets.
In accordance with U.S. GAAP, we have accounted for our acquisitions of business using the acquisition method of accounting. We recorded the excess of the purchase price over the fair value of the assets and liabilities of the acquired companies as goodwill. U.S. GAAP requires us to test goodwill for impairment at least annually, or more frequently if events or changes in circumstances indicate that goodwill may be impaired. Goodwill is tested by initially estimating fair value of the reporting unit and then comparing it against the carrying amount including goodwill. If the carrying amount of a reporting unit exceeds its estimated fair value, we are required to record an impairment loss. The amount of impairment and the remaining amount of goodwill, if any, is determined by comparing the implied fair value of the reporting unit as of the test date against the carrying value of the assets and liabilities of that reporting unit as of the same date. See Note 2v “Summary of Significant Accounting Policies—Business combination” and Note 2w “Summary of Significant Accounting Policies—Goodwill” in our consolidated financial statements.
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Risks Relating to Our Ownership Structure and the Proposed Transaction
The Scheme with HDFC Limited is not yet effective, and in accordance with the provisions of the Scheme, the Scheme may be terminated and the Proposed Transaction may not be completed.
On April 4, 2022, the Bank’s Board of Directors approved a composite scheme of amalgamation (the “Scheme”) for the amalgamation of: (i) HDFC Investments Limited and HDFC Holdings Limited, each a subsidiary of HDFC Limited, with and into HDFC Limited, and (ii) HDFC Limited with and into HDFC Bank, under Sections 230 to 232 of the Companies Act and other applicable laws including the rules and regulations (the “Proposed Transaction”). The Proposed Transaction is subject to the disclosure requirements, rules and practices applicable in India, which differ from those of the United States, in particular from the requirements of the U.S. proxy solicitation and tender offer rules of the Exchange Act. The Scheme was approved by the shareholders of the Bank at the National Company Law Tribunal (“NCLT”) convened meeting held on November 25, 2022. A joint company scheme petition was filed on December 7, 2022 with the NCLT seeking the sanction of the Scheme. The NCLT, vide its order dated March 17, 2023, sanctioned the Scheme. In accordance with Clause 42 of the Scheme, the effectiveness of the Scheme is inter alia subject to receipt of certain approvals and meeting various compliances under the applicable law and regulations. While the requisite approvals have been received by the parties, certain compliances are currently pending. The Scheme will be made effective shortly after completion of such compliances, including filing the NCLT Order with the Registrar of Companies, which is expected to occur on or about July 1, 2023.
There can be no assurance that an effect, event, development or change will not transpire that could delay or prevent the Scheme being made effective. If the Proposed Transaction is not completed in a timely manner or at all for any reason, the trading price of our equity shares and ADSs may decline to the extent that the market price of our equity shares and ADSs reflects positive market assumptions that the Proposed Transaction will be completed and the related benefits will be realized. In addition, if the Proposed Transaction is not completed for any reason before the expiry of 24 months from the last of the dates of approval of the Scheme by the respective Boards of each of the parties to the Scheme (the “Parties”), either we, HDFC Limited, HDFC Investments Limited or HDFC Holdings Limited may terminate this Scheme and upon such termination the Scheme shall stand revoked, cancelled and be of no effect; provided that, in case of non-satisfaction of any other conditions precedent, the Parties shall proceed in such manner as may be mutually agreed between them. We or HDFC Limited may also elect to terminate the Scheme in certain other circumstances, and the Parties, acting jointly and not individually, may withdraw the Scheme from the Tribunal at any time before the Scheme has become effective.
Uncertainty about the Proposed Transaction may adversely affect the relationships of the Parties with their respective investors, customers, business partners and employees, whether or not the Proposed Transaction is completed.
We have incurred, and will continue to incur, significant transaction expenses in connection with the Proposed Transaction, regardless of whether the Proposed Transaction is completed, such as legal, accounting, financial advisory, compliance, stamp duty and integration costs. The risks arising in connection with any failure to complete the Proposed Transaction may have an adverse effect on our business, operations, financial results and the price of our equity shares and ADSs.
We may also be subject to additional risks if the Proposed Transaction is not completed, including limitations on our ability to retain and hire key personnel; reputational harm, including relationships with investors, customers and business partners, due to the adverse perception of any failure to successfully complete the Proposed Transaction; and potential disruption to our business and distraction of our workforce and management team to pursue other opportunities that could be beneficial to us, in each case without realizing any of the benefits of having the Proposed Transaction completed. We could also be subject to litigation related to any failure to complete the Proposed Transaction or any related action that could be brought to enforce a party’s obligations under the Scheme.
In response to the announcement of the Proposed Transaction, existing or prospective customers or persons with whom we have business relationships, may delay or defer certain business decisions or might decide to seek to terminate, change or renegotiate their relationship with us in connection with the Proposed Transaction, which could negatively affect our revenues, earnings and cash available for distribution, as well as the price of our equity shares and ADSs, regardless of whether the Proposed Transaction is completed. Our current and prospective employees may experience uncertainty about their future roles with us following the Proposed Transaction, which may materially adversely affect our ability to attract, retain or motivate key management and other personnel during the pendency of the Proposed Transaction.
The implementation of the Scheme may fail to realize the anticipated benefits of the merger and will expose us to incremental regulatory requirements.
The success of the Proposed Transaction will depend, in part, on our ability to realize the anticipated cost savings from combining the businesses under the Scheme. To realize those anticipated benefits and cost savings, HDFC Bank and HDFC Limited must successfully integrate and combine their businesses without adversely affecting current revenues and future growth. If we do not successfully achieve these objectives, the anticipated benefits of the Proposed Transaction may not be realized fully or at all or may take longer to realize than expected. In addition, the actual cost savings of the Proposed Transaction could be less than anticipated, and integration may result in additional and unforeseen expenses.
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An inability to realize the full extent of the anticipated benefits of the Proposed Transaction, as well as any delays encountered in the integration process, could have an adverse effect upon our revenues, earnings, levels of expenses and results of operations following the completion of the Proposed Transaction, which may negatively affect the price of our equity shares and ADSs. Integrating entities of such size and complexity will require substantial resources including time, expense and effort from management. If management’s attention is diverted or there are any difficulties associated with integrating such businesses, our results of operations could be adversely affected during this transition period and for an undetermined period after completion of the Proposed Transaction. In particular, the Proposed Transaction increases the challenges involved in developing and improving our internal administrative and operational infrastructure, including our financial, technology and communications and other internal systems, obtaining any approvals that may be required in respect of our integrated operations, integrating the branch network, service, distribution and operations of the businesses, without impacting customer experience, recruiting, training and retaining sufficient skilled management and employees and developing and preserving a uniform culture and work environment in our operations.
Even if we are able to successfully combine the businesses and operations, it may not be possible to realize the full benefits of the integration opportunities, the synergies that we currently expect to result from the Proposed Transaction, or realize these benefits within the time frame that we currently expect. If we are unable to realize the anticipated benefits of the Proposed Transaction on time, or at all, our business, results of operations, financial condition and cash flows could be adversely affected.
Further, once the Scheme is effective, HDFC Banks’s net interest income, profitability and return on equity may all be lower, at least in the short term, than in past periods due to the merging of HDFC Limited’s higher capital cost, liabilities and large capital base.
Additionally, HDFC Bank is subject to various regulatory requirements, including capital and liquidity requirements prescribed by the RBI. Relatedly, certain of the regulatory approvals we have received with respect to the Scheme and the Proposed Transaction would subject us to certain requirements such as in relation to our shareholding in certain of HDFC Limited’s subsidiaries, a one-time mapping of all the borrowers of HDFC Limited for interest rate benchmarks and linking of such accounts to the appropriate benchmarks within six months of the effective date of the Scheme. Further, upon the Scheme becoming effective, HDFC Bank as a combined entity may have heightened requirements to meet in this regard, including meeting the incremental Statutory Liquidity Ratio (“SLR”), Cash Reserve Ratio (“CRR”) and priority sector lending requirements which may in turn adversely impact our profitability. While we have made applications with regulators and may make further representations in relation to such applications following the effective date of the Scheme, such as in relation to the grandfathering of some of HDFC Limited’s liabilities and certain assets, there can be no assurance that such approvals will be granted in a timely manner or at all and, if granted, will not impose additional conditions.
HDFC Limited holds a significant percentage of our share capital and can exercise influence over board decisions that could directly or indirectly favor the interests of HDFC Limited over our interests. We may face conflicts of interest relating to HDFC Limited, promoter and principal shareholder, which could cause us to forgo business opportunities and consequently have an adverse effect on our financial performance.
HDFC Group owned 20.9 percent of our equity as of March 31, 2023. As per our Articles, so long as HDFC Limited, any of its subsidiaries or any other company promoted by HDFC Limited, either singly or in the aggregate, holds not less than 20 percent of the paid-up equity share capital in the Bank, the Board of Directors of the Bank shall with the approval of the shareholders, appoint then on-retiring directors from persons nominated by HDFC Limited. HDFC Limited shall be entitled to nominate the part-time Chairman and the Managing Director or the full-time Chairman, as the case may be, subject to the approval of the Board of Directors of the Bank and the shareholders. While we have put in place appropriate measures to ensure the independence of the Board of Directors, HDFC Limited, as a shareholder, can vote such that it could directly or indirectly favor the interests of HDFC Limited over our interests.
Renu Karnad, the Managing Director of HDFC Limited, is a Non-Executive Director of the Bank and was nominated by HDFC Limited. While we are professionally managed and overseen by an independent board of directors, HDFC Limited can exercise influence over our Board of Directors and over matters subject to a shareholder vote, which could result in decisions that favor HDFC Limited or result in us foregoing opportunities to the benefit of HDFC Limited. Such decisions may restrict our growth or harm our financial condition.
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Additionally, HDFC Limited is primarily engaged in financial services, including home loans, property-related lending and deposit products. The subsidiaries and associated companies of HDFC Limited are also largely engaged in a range of financial services, including asset management, life and other insurance and mutual funds. Although we have no agreements with HDFC Limited or any other HDFC Group companies that restrict us from offering products and services that are offered by them, our relationship with these companies and pending amalgamation in terms of the Proposed Transaction, may cause us not to offer products and services that are already offered by other HDFC Group companies and may effectively prevent us from taking advantage of business opportunities. See Note 27 “Related Party Transactions” in our consolidated financial statements for a summary of transactions we have engaged in with HDFC Limited during fiscal year 2023. We currently distribute products of HDFC Limited and its group companies. If we stop distributing these products or forgo other opportunities because of our relationship with HDFC Limited, it could have a material adverse effect on our financial performance. See also “—The Scheme with HDFC Limited is not yet effective, and in accordance with the provisions of the Scheme, the Scheme may be terminated and the Proposed Transaction may not be completed” and “Business—Proposed Transaction.”
HDFC Limited may prevent us from using the HDFC Bank brand if they reduce their shareholding in us to below 5 percent.
As part of a shareholder agreement executed when HDFC Bank was formed, HDFC Limited has the right to prevent us from using “HDFC” as part of our name or brand if HDFC Limited reduces its shareholding in HDFC Bank to an amount below five percent of our outstanding share capital. If HDFC Limited were to exercise this right, we would be required to change our name and brand, which could require us to expend significant resources to establish new branding and name recognition in the market as well as undertake efforts to rebrand our banking outlets and our digital presence. This could have a material adverse effect on our financial performance. See also “—The Scheme with HDFC Limited is not yet effective, and in accordance with the provisions of the Scheme, the Scheme may be terminated and the Proposed Transaction may not be completed” and “Business—Proposed Transaction.”
Legal and Regulatory Risks
We have previously been subject to penalties imposed by the RBI. Any regulatory investigations, fines, sanctions and requirements relating to conduct of business and financial crime could negatively affect our business and financial results, or cause serious reputational harm.
The RBI is empowered under the Banking Regulation Act 1949 to impose penalties on banks and their employees in order to enforce applicable regulatory requirements. During 2019, we received two separate fines for non-compliance with certain RBI directives. In its order dated February 4, 2019, the RBI imposed a monetary penalty of Rs. 2.0 million on us for failing to comply with the RBI’s KYC and AML standards, as set out in their circulars dated November 29, 2004 and May 22, 2008. In its order dated June 13, 2019, the RBI imposed a monetary penalty of Rs. 10 million on us for failing to comply with the KYC, AML and fraud reporting standards, following an investigation into bills of entry submitted by certain importers. The penalties were imposed under Section 47A(1)(c) and Section 46(4)(i) of the Banking Regulation Act 1949. We have since implemented corrective action to strengthen our internal control mechanisms so as to ensure that such incidents will not repeat themselves. See “Supervision and Regulation—Penalties.”
In 2020, the Bank received one fine for non-compliance with RBI regulations. In its order dated January 29, 2020, the RBI imposed a monetary penalty in the amount of Rs. 10 million on the Bank for failure to undertake ongoing due diligence with respect to 39 current accounts which had been opened by customers of the Bank to participate in an initial public offering, but where the transactions effected were disproportionate to the declared income and profile of the customers. This penalty was imposed by the RBI using the powers conferred under the provisions of Section 47A(1)(c) read with Section 46(4)(i) of the Banking Regulation Act 1949. The Bank has since strengthened its internal control mechanisms so as to ensure that such incidents will not repeat themselves. The RBI, through its letter dated December 4, 2020, imposed a monetary penalty of Rs. 0.1 million on the Bank for the failure to settle transactions in Government securities in the Subsidiary General Ledger which led to a shortage in the balance of certain securities in the Bank’s Constituent Subsidiary General Ledger account on November 19, 2020. The Bank has since enhanced its review mechanism to ensure that such incidents do not recur.
SEBI, through its order dated January 21, 2021, levied a penalty of Rs. 10.0 million on the Bank for alleged noncompliance with a SEBI interim order dated October 7, 2019 issued against BRH Wealth Kreators Ltd. (“BRH”). The penalty was levied for the sale of securities pledged by BRH to the Bank, to recover amounts outstanding under recalled credit facilities which the Bank had extended to BRH. The Bank filed an appeal against the SEBI order in the Securities Appellate Tribunal (“SAT”) on February 8, 2021. The SAT through its interim order dated February 19, 2021, stayed the operation of the SEBI order dated January 21, 2021 and, through its final order dated February 18, 2022, allowed the Bank’s appeal and quashed SEBI’s order.
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On May 27, 2021, the RBI levied a penalty of Rs. 100 million against the Bank for the marketing and sale of third-party non-financial products to the Bank’s auto loan customers, after concluding that this was in contravention of Section 6(2) and Section 8 of the Banking Regulation Act 1949. The penalty, which was imposed by the RBI using the powers conferred under the provisions of Section 47A(1)(c) read with Section 46(4)(i) of the Banking Regulation Act 1949, has been paid by us. In May 2020, following an internal inquiry arising from a whistle-blower complaint, we had determined that certain employees received unauthorized commissions from a third-party vendor of GPS products, with whom we had an agreement to offer GPS devices to our auto loan customers. The personal misconduct of these employees was in violation of our code of conduct and governance standards. We have taken disciplinary action against the employees involved, including separation of services of certain employees, discontinued sale of such third-party non-financial products, and taken certain other remedial actions.
We cannot predict the initiation or outcome of any further investigations by other authorities or different investigations by the RBI. The penalties imposed by the RBI have generated adverse publicity for our business. Such adverse publicity, or any future scrutiny, investigation, inspection or audit which could result in fines, public reprimands, damage to our reputation, significant time and attention from our management, costs for investigations and remediation of affected customers, may materially adversely affect our business and financial results.
Transactions with counterparties in countries designated as state sponsors of terrorism by the United States Department of State, the Government of India or other countries, or with persons targeted by United States, Indian, EU or other economic sanctions may cause potential customers and investors to avoid doing business with us or investing in our securities, harm our reputation or result in regulatory action which could materially and adversely affect our business.
We engage in business with customers and counterparties from diverse backgrounds. Countries or jurisdictions that are subject to economic sanctions and export controls currently imposed by the U.S. Office of Foreign Assets Control, the European Union, the United Nations, or other law enforcement agencies or sanctions authorities include the Crimea, Zaporizhzhia and Kherson regions of Ukraine, in each case to the extent that such areas of Kherson or Zaporizhzhia are under control of Russia, the so-called Donetsk People’s Republic, the so-called Luhansk People’s Republic, Cuba, Iran, North Korea and Syria. Such list of countries or jurisdictions may change from time to time. In light of these sanctions, it cannot be ruled out that some of our customers or counterparties may become the subject of sanctions. Such sanctions may result in our inability to gain or retain such customers or counterparties or receive payments from them. In addition, the association with such individuals or countries may damage our reputation and, if such association is not in compliance with relevant sanctions, could expose the Bank to civil and criminal prosecution and penalties or the imposition of sanctions against the Bank. This could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial results and the prices of our securities. These laws, regulations and sanctions or similar legislative or regulatory developments may further limit our business operations.
In June 2021, one of our individual customers was designated by the United States as a Specially Designated Global Terrorist (“SDGT”) under Executive Order 13224. We provided several banking, credit and brokerage products and services to this customer, which had been initiated prior to the customer’s designation. With respect to this customer, we blocked five accounts, a credit card, a brokerage account and an investment services account, and terminated two outstanding loans and access to a safe deposit box. We blocked this customer’s accounts and credit card and continued to do so while he remained designated as an SDGT. The said individual was removed from the SDGT list in April 2023. Revenue and net income generated in connection with the above-described products and services in the year ended March 31, 2023 were negligible relative to our overall revenue and net income.
Notwithstanding the above case, if we were determined to have engaged in activities targeted by certain U.S., Indian, EU or other statutes, regulations or executive orders, we could lose our ability to open or maintain correspondent or payable-through accounts with U.S. financial institutions, among other potential sanctions. In addition, depending on socio-political developments, even though we take measures designed to ensure compliance with applicable laws and regulations, our reputation may suffer due to our association with certain restricted targets. The above circumstances could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial results and the prices of our securities.
Material changes in Indian banking regulations may adversely affect our business and our future financial performance.
We operate in a highly regulated environment in which the RBI extensively supervises and regulates all banks. Our business could be directly affected by any changes in policies for banks in respect of directed lending, reserve requirements and other areas. For example, the RBI could change its methods of enforcing directed lending standards so as to require more lending to certain sectors, which could require us to change certain aspects of our business. In addition, we could be subject to other changes in laws and regulations, such as those affecting the extent to which we can engage in specific business, those that reduce our income through a cap on either fees or interest rates chargeable to our customers, or those affecting foreign investment in the banking industry, as well as changes in other government policies and enforcement decisions, income tax laws, foreign investment laws and accounting principles. Laws and regulations governing the banking sector may change in the future and any changes may adversely affect our business, our future financial performance and the price of our equity shares and ADSs.
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Our business and financial results could be impacted materially by adverse results in legal proceedings.
Legal proceedings, including lawsuits, investigations by regulatory authorities and other inspections or audits, could result in judgments, fines, public reprimands, damage to our reputation, significant time and attention from our management, costs for investigations and remediation of affected customers, or other adverse effects on our business and financial results. For example, on September 3, 2020, a securities class action lawsuit was filed against the Bank and certain of its current and former directors in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of New York (the “Court”). As amended, the complaint alleged that the Bank, its former managing director, Mr. Aditya Puri, and the present managing director and CEO, Mr. Sashidhar Jagdishan, made materially false and misleading statements regarding certain aspects of the Bank’s business and compliance policies, which the complaint alleged resulted in the Bank’s ADS price declining on July 13, 2020, thereby allegedly causing damage to the Bank’s investors. On June 7, 2023, the Court dismissed the lawsuit with prejudice, whereby the plaintiffs cannot refile the same claim before the Court.
The Bank establishes reserves for legal claims when payments associated with claims become probable and the costs can be reasonably estimated. The Bank may still incur legal costs for a matter even if it has not established a reserve. In addition, the actual cost of resolving a legal claim may be substantially higher than any amounts reserved for that matter. The ultimate resolution of any pending or future legal proceeding, depending on the remedy sought and granted, could materially adversely affect our results of operations and financial condition.
We may breach third-party intellectual property rights.
We may be subject to claims by third parties both inside and outside India, if we breach their intellectual property rights by using slogans, names, designs, software or other such rights, which are of a similar nature to the intellectual property these third parties may have registered. Any legal proceedings which result in a finding that we have breached third parties’ intellectual property rights, or any settlements concerning such claims, may result in interim or final injunctions, require us to provide financial compensation to such third parties or make changes to our marketing strategies or to the brand names of our products, which may have a materially adverse effect on our business prospects, reputation, results of operations and financial condition. In addition, litigation (even where successful) results in an intensive use of resources and management time leading to potential disruption.
Technology Risks
We face cyber threats, such as hacking, phishing and trojans, attempting to exploit our network to disrupt services to customers and/or theft or leaking of sensitive internal Bank data or customer information. This may cause damage to our reputation and adversely impact our business and financial results.
The Bank offers internet banking services to its customers. The internet banking channel includes multiple services such as electronic funds transfer, bill payment services, usage of credit cards online, requesting account statements, requesting check books etc. The Bank is therefore exposed to various cyber threats related to these services or to other sensitive information, including (i) phishing and trojans targeting our customers (ii) hacking, whereby attackers may hack the Bank’s website with the primary intention of causing reputational damage by disrupting services (iii) data theft whereby cyber criminals attempt to intrude the Bank’s network with the intention of stealing data or information or to extort money and (iv) data leakage, whereby sensitive internal data or customer information is inappropriately disclosed by parties entitled to access it. For instance, in March 2023, there was a data breach at a third-party service provider, who processes some customers’ and potential customers’ information for one of our subsidiaries.
As a result of this breach, personal data, including phone numbers, email addresses and physical addresses of such customers, were posted on the dark web, following which immediate steps have been taken by our subsidiary to secure the third-party service provider’s system to prevent any further unauthorized access. While the sophistication of cyber incidents continues to evolve and the Bank continues to enhance its protective measures, investigate and remediate any vulnerability due to cyber incidents, any such cyber incident could damage our reputation and have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations.
The financial services industry, including the Bank, is particularly at risk because of the use of and reliance on digital banking and other digital services, including mobile banking products, such as mobile payments and other web-and cloud-based products and applications and the development of additional remote connectivity solutions, which increase cyber security risks and exposure. We help protect our customers and organization by investing in our cybersecurity capabilities, helping us to execute our business priorities and grow safely. While we focus on controls to prevent, detect and mitigate the impacts of persistent and increasingly advanced cyber threats, we will likely be required to expend additional resources to continue to modify or enhance our protective measures or to investigate and remediate any vulnerability to cyber incidents as the sophistication of cyber incidents continues to evolve. In addition, cyber incidents may remain undetected for an extended period. If, as a result of such cyber incident, our information technology systems were to fail and we were unable to recover in a timely way, we may be unable to fulfil critical business functions, which could damage our reputation and have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition, and results of operations.
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There is also the risk of our customers incorrectly blaming us and terminating their accounts with us for a cyber incident which might have occurred on their own system or with that of an unrelated third party. Any cyber security breach could also subject us to additional regulatory scrutiny and expose us to civil litigation and related financial liability.
A failure, inadequacy or security breach in our information technology and telecommunication systems may adversely affect our business, results of operations or financial condition.
Our ability to operate and remain competitive depends in part on our ability to maintain and upgrade our information technology systems and infrastructure on a timely and cost-effective basis, including our ability to process a large number of transactions on a daily basis. Our operations also rely on the secure processing, storage and transmission of confidential and other information in our computer systems and networks. Our financial, accounting or other data processing systems and management information systems or our corporate website may fail to operate adequately or become disabled as a result of events that may be beyond our control or may be vulnerable to unauthorized access, computer viruses or other attacks. See “—We face cyber threats, such as hacking, phishing and trojans, attempting to exploit our network to disrupt services to customers and/or theft or leaking of sensitive internal Bank data or customer information. This may cause damage to our reputation and adversely impact our business and financial results.”
In the recent past, we have experienced outages in our internet banking, mobile banking and payment utilities, including an outage in our internet banking and payment system in November 2020 due to a power failure in the primary data center. In response to these outages, the RBI issued an order on December 2, 2020, (the “December 2020 Order”), advising us to temporarily stop (a) all launches of the digital business-generating activities under our planned Digital 2.0 program and other proposed business-generating IT applications and (b) the sourcing of new credit card customers. In addition, the RBI appointed a third-party auditor to conduct an audit of the Bank’s systems. After completion of that audit, our progress against regulatory commitments has resulted in the partial lifting of the restrictions imposed by the December 2020 Order in August 2021, followed by the full removal of the embargo on the Digital 2.0 program in March 2022.
Furthermore, the information available to, and received by, our management through its existing systems may not be timely and sufficient to manage risks or to plan for and respond to changes in market conditions and other developments in our operations. If any of these systems are disabled or if there are other shortcomings or failures in our internal processes or systems, including further outages in our digital business in the future, it may disrupt our business or impact our operational efficiencies, and render us liable to regulatory intervention or damage to its reputation. The occurrence of any such events may adversely affect our business, results of operations and financial condition.
Risks Relating to India
Any adverse change in India’s credit rating, or the credit rating of any country in which our foreign banking outlets are located, by an international rating agency could adversely affect our business and profitability.
While the Bank is rated BBB- by Standard Poor’s (“SP”), Moody’s downgraded the Bank’s rating to Baa3 from Baa2, in line with the downgrade in India’s sovereign rating in fiscal year 2021. However, the outlook for HDFC Bank was revised by Moody’s in October 2021, to Stable from Negative - in line with the change in the sovereign outlook for India. International rating agencies have pegged the ratings of all Indian banks at the sovereign rating (that is, BBB- by SP and Baa3 by Moody’s). However, domestically the Bank is rated AAA by CRISIL, CARE, ICRA and India Ratings (the Indian arm of Fitch Ratings), which are the highest credit ratings assigned on the domestic scale.
A significant deterioration in the Bank’s existing financial strength and business position may pose a rating downgrade risk. The Bank’s rating may also be revised when the rating agencies undertake changes to their rating methodologies. For instance, in April 2015, Moody’s revised its Bank rating methodology and the assessment of government support to banks, following which the ratings of several banks globally, including Indian banks, were revised. Following this methodology change, the Bank’s rating was revised to Baa3 from Baa2 so as to cap it at the Indian sovereign rating at that time.
In addition, the rating of our foreign banking outlets may be impacted by the sovereign rating of the country in which those banking outlets are located, particularly if the sovereign rating is below India’s rating. Pursuant to applicable rating criteria published by SP, the rating of any bond issued in a jurisdiction is capped by the host country rating. Accordingly, any revision to the sovereign rating of the countries in which our banking outlets are located to below India’s rating could impact the rating of our foreign banking outlets and any securities issued by those banking outlets. For example, in fiscal year 2016, declining oil prices caused the credit ratings of many oil exporting countries to be downgraded and we had outstanding bonds issued by a branch in such a country which were negatively affected by such downgrade.
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Going forward, the risk of a sovereign rating downgrade remains low at present and is likely to remain stable, given India’s underlying growth potential is fundamentally strong, which is expected to support banks’ credit growth and asset quality but it is likely that the sovereign rating outlook may be revised down, given the slowdown in economic growth and high government debt. No assurance can be given that a further sovereign rating downgrade will not occur. However, any further downgrade in India’s credit rating, or the credit rating of any country in which our foreign banking outlets are located by international rating agencies may adversely impact our business financial position and liquidity, limit our access to capital markets, and increase our cost of borrowing.
If there is any change in tax laws or regulations, or their interpretation, such changes may significantly affect our financial statements for the current and future years, which may have a material adverse effect on our financial position, business and results of operations.
Any change in Indian tax laws, including the upward revision to the currently applicable normal corporate tax rate of 25 percent along with applicable surcharge and cess, could affect our tax burden. Other benefits such as an exemption for interest received in respect of tax-free bonds and a lower tax rate on long-term capital gains on equity shares, if withdrawn in the future, may no longer be available to us. Any adverse order passed by the appellate authorities, tribunals or courts would have an impact on our profitability.
As of July 1, 2017, Goods and Services Tax (“GST”) replaced most indirect taxes levied by the central government and state governments, providing a unified tax regime in respect of goods and services for all of India.
There continue to be some challenges to the implementation of GST which include variations in the tax rate, legal challenges, certain reconciliation issues and input tax credit issues. The GST law continues to evolve and the authorities have addressed public concerns by issuing a series of notifications, clarifications, press releases and FAQs to resolve a wide range of issues. We expect challenges to certain aspects of the GST law to continue until the remaining issues are settled. Any such changes and the related uncertainties with respect to GST may have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations.
The General Anti-Avoidance Rules (“GAAR”) have come into effect from April 1, 2017. The tax consequences of the GAAR being applied to an arrangement could result in denial of tax benefits, amongst other consequences. In the absence of any precedents on the subject, the application of these provisions is uncertain. If the GAAR are made applicable to us, it may have an adverse tax impact on the Bank.
The Finance Act 2018 withdrew an exemption previously granted in respect of payments of long-term capital gains tax and, as a result, such tax became payable by the investors from April 1, 2018. We cannot predict whether any tax laws or regulations impacting our products will be enacted, what the nature and impact of the specific terms of any such laws or regulations will be or whether, if at all, any laws or regulations would have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations.
Any volatility in the exchange rate may lead to a decline in India’s foreign exchange reserves and may affect liquidity and interest rates in the Indian economy, which could adversely impact us.
Capital flows increased substantially in recent years, reflecting a reassessment of investor expectations about future domestic growth prospects following the election of a pro-reform government in India in 2019. The rise in oil prices over the last few years has led to an increased current account deficit, which as a percentage of GDP was 2.1 percent in fiscal year 2019. The current account deficit narrowed to 0.9 percent in fiscal year 2020 as a result of an upturn in remittances and an improvement in the trade balance. In fiscal year 2021, due to the COVID-19 pandemic’s impact on global demand, exports declined by 7.5 percent compared to the prior year. However, due to an improvement in the balance for trade in goods and services later in the year, India recorded a rare current account surplus of 0.9 percent of GDP. For fiscal year 2022, India’s current account deficit stood at 1.2 percent of GDP and, for fiscal year 2023, it is estimated at 1.8 percent. For fiscal year 2024, we estimate India’s current account deficit to narrow to 1.3 percent of GDP, primarily due to a decline in import growth. Moderating domestic demand and weak commodity prices are likely to reduce India’s import bill in fiscal year 2024.
In fiscal year 2019, the rupee depreciated by 6.3 percent against the U.S. dollar as a result of rising oil prices, a slowdown in global trade volumes and a general risk aversion towards emerging market currencies (as a result of tariffs and trade war risks). The rupee depreciated further by 8.0 percent in fiscal year 2020, mainly due to investor risk aversion amid weak global demand, weak domestic growth and foreign investment outflows. In fiscal year 2020, the rupee ranged between a high of Rs. 76.37 per US$ 1.00 and a low of Rs. 68.40 per US$ 1.00. The rupee appreciated by 2.8 percent in fiscal year 2021, supported by a weakened U.S. dollar and robust foreign capital inflows. In fiscal year 2021, the rupee traded in the range of 75.08-73.14 per US$ 1.00. With foreign capital outflows and geo-political risks, the rupee depreciated by 3.8 percent against the U.S. dollar in fiscal year 2022. In fiscal year 2023, the rupee depreciated by 8.1 percent to 82.165, due to a strong U.S. dollar and foreign portfolio outflows.
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The U.S. dollar is expected to moderate going forward with monetary tightening expected to come to an end in the United States. However, currency markets could continue to face volatility if monetary tightening continues for longer than anticipated, recessionary fears rise for major economies and with the re-emergence of regional banking instability in the United States. The RBI could, in order to reduce extreme volatility, continue to intervene in the foreign exchange market and keep the rupee range bound against the U.S. dollar which could weigh on India’s foreign exchange reserves and liquidity.
Over the medium term, global recession risk, ongoing geo-political tensions between Russia and Ukraine as well as between China and Taiwan may lead to a shift of global fund flows from emerging markets to developed markets. Additionally, removal of global liquidity could reduce attractiveness of emerging market assets. In the domestic market, it remains a possibility that the RBI will intervene in the foreign exchange markets to remove excess volatility in the exchange rate in the event of potential shocks, such as a rise in protectionist tendencies creating panic in emerging market economies or excess financial market volatility. Any such intervention by the RBI may result in a decline in India’s foreign exchange reserves and, subsequently, reduce the amount of liquidity in the domestic financial system, which could, in turn, cause domestic interest rates to rise.
Further, any increased volatility in capital flows may also affect monetary policy decision-making. For instance, a period of net capital outflows might force the RBI to keep monetary policy tighter than optimal to guard against currency depreciation.
Political instability or changes in the Government could delay the liberalization of the Indian economy and adversely affect economic conditions in India generally, which would impact the Bank’s financial results and prospects.
Since 1991, successive Indian governments have pursued policies of economic liberalization, including significantly relaxing restrictions on the private sector. Nevertheless, the roles of the Indian central and state governments as producers, consumers and regulators remain significant factors in the Indian economy. The election of a pro-business majority government in May 2019 marked a distinct increase in expectations for policy and economic reforms among certain sectors of the Indian economy. There can be no assurance that the Government’s reforms will work as intended or that any such reforms would continue or succeed if there were a change in the current majority leadership in the Government or if a different government were elected in the future. Any future government may reverse some or all of the policy changes introduced by the current Government and may introduce reforms or policies that adversely affect the Bank. The speed of economic liberalization is subject to change and specific laws and policies affecting banking and finance companies, foreign investment, currency exchange and other matters affecting investment in the Bank’s securities continue to evolve. Other major reforms that have been implemented are a goods and services tax and the demonetization of certain banknotes. Any significant change in India’s economic liberalization plans, deregulation policies or other major economic reforms could adversely affect business and economic conditions in India generally and therefore adversely affect the Bank’s business, results of operation and financial condition. In this regard, the outcome of the state elections during fiscal year 2024 as well as the results of the 2024 general elections need to be closely observed.
Terrorist attacks, civil unrest and other acts of violence or war involving India and other countries would negatively affect the Indian market where our shares trade and lead to a loss of confidence and impair travel, which could reduce our customers’ appetite for our products and services.
Terrorist attacks, such as those in Mumbai in November 2008 and in Pulwama in February 2019, and other acts of violence or war may negatively affect the Indian markets on which our equity shares trade and adversely affect the worldwide financial markets. These acts may also result in a loss of business confidence, make travel and other services more difficult and, as a result, ultimately adversely affect our business. In addition, any deterioration in relations between India and Pakistan or between India and China might result in investor concerns about stability in the region, which could adversely affect the price of our equity shares and ADSs.
India has also witnessed civil disturbances in recent years and future civil unrest as well as other adverse social, economic and political events in India could have an adverse impact on us. In addition, such incidents create a greater perception that investments in Indian companies involve a higher degree of risk, which could have an adverse impact on our business and the price of our equity shares and ADSs.
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Natural calamities, including those exacerbated by climate change, and public health epidemics could adversely affect the Indian economy or the economies of other countries where we operate which, in turn, could negatively impact our business and the price of our equity shares and ADSs.
India has experienced natural calamities such as earthquakes, floods and droughts in the past few years. The extent and severity of these natural disasters determine the size and duration of their impact on the Indian economy. In particular, the agricultural sector, which constituted approximately 15.6 percent of India’s Gross Value Added (GVA) in fiscal year 2022 and 15.1 percent in fiscal year 2023 (in each case, in constant/real price terms), is particularly sensitive to certain climatic and weather conditions, such as the amount and timing of monsoon rainfall. Prolonged spells of below or above normal rainfall or other natural calamities, including those believed to be exacerbated by global or regional climate change, could adversely affect the Indian economy and, in turn, negatively impact our business, especially our rural portfolio. Similarly, global or regional climate change in India and other countries where we operate could result in changes to weather patterns and the frequency of severe weather like droughts, floods and cyclones, which could affect the local economies in the countries where we operate and negatively impact our operations in those countries.
Public health epidemics could also disrupt our business. In 2020, the COVID-19 outbreak was declared a pandemic by the WHO and the virus adversely affected business prospects in fiscal year 2021, and restrictions related to the second COVID-19 wave and emergence of the Omicron variant posed additional challenges to business operations, such as weekend restrictions, travel restrictions and social distancing. Although most such restrictions have been eased, in the event of another wave of COVID-19 or another contagious disease, economic growth may slow down more than expected. This could in turn adversely affect our business and the price of our equity shares and ADSs.
Pandemics or similar public health crises may have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations.
Public health crises such as the COVID-19 pandemic or similar outbreaks have, and may continue to, adversely impact our business. In 2020, the COVID-19 outbreak was declared a pandemic by the WHO and led to the implementation of various responses, including government-imposed quarantines, travel restrictions, “stay-at-home” orders and similar mandates for many individuals to substantially restrict daily activities and for many businesses to curtail or cease normal operations. India, our main place of business, was in the group of countries most affected by the COVID-19 pandemic.
To reduce the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on Indian borrowers and the banking system, the RBI introduced various relief measures such as (i) providing a regulatory moratorium for the repayment of loans, (ii) allowing restructuring of certain loans and (iii) providing guidelines in relation to the classification of borrowing accounts, to which the relief measures introduced by the RBI are available.
The adverse impacts we had due to COVID-19 or future contagious diseases or global health pandemics include, but are not limited to:
| • | infections and quarantining of our employees; |
| • | our customers or service providers experiencing financial distress, filing for bankruptcy protection or insolvency, going out of business, or suffering disruptions in their businesses; |
| • | increased risk of impairments as a result of the effects of the pandemic on our profitability; |
| • | liquidity challenges, including the inability to refinance debt or obtain additional financing on commercially reasonable terms, if at all, exhaustion of borrowing capacity and the need to implement liquidity preservation measures, as well as impacts related to delayed customer payments and payment defaults associated with customer liquidity issues and bankruptcies. |
| • | structural shifts in the global economy as a result of changes in the way people work, travel and interact, or in connection with a global recession or depression; and |
| • | cyber security issues, as digital technologies may become more vulnerable and experience a higher rate of cyber-attacks in the current environment of remote connectivity due to stay-at-home orders. |
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The COVID-19 pandemic has had significant impacts on the financial markets. The associated principal risks to us as a result of this volatility in the financial markets include weaker currencies and the liquidity risk associated with potential increases in borrowing costs and the availability of debt financing. The economic impact of any future contagious diseases will depend on the continuing spread of the outbreak and the responses of the authorities and the global community. Although the Bank has taken various measures to address the impacts of COVID-19, we can give no assurance that these or other measures implemented in the future will be sufficient. The extent to which pandemics or similar public health crises may impact our business, financial condition and results of operations, as well as our regulatory capital and liquidity ratios, will depend on future developments, including the duration, spread and intensity of the outbreak and other variants and the government measures implemented in response, or whether widespread shutdowns return, all of which are uncertain and difficult to predict considering the rapidly evolving landscape. To the extent the any future pandemic adversely affects our business, prospects, financial condition and results of operations, it may also have the effect of heightening other risks described other risks described in this “Risk Factors” section
Investors may have difficulty enforcing foreign judgments in India against the Bank or its management.
The Bank is a limited liability company incorporated under the laws of India. Substantially all of the Bank’s directors and executive officers and some of the experts named herein are residents of India and a substantial portion of the assets of the Bank and such persons are located in India. As a result, it may not be possible for investors to effect service of process on the Bank or such persons in jurisdictions outside of India, or to enforce against them judgments obtained in courts outside of India predicated upon civil liabilities of the Bank or such directors and executive officers under laws other than Indian Law.
In addition, India is not a party to any multilateral international treaty in relation to the recognition or enforcement of foreign judgments. Recognition and enforcement of foreign judgments is provided for under Section 13 and Section 44A of the Indian Code of Civil Procedure, 1908 (the “Civil Procedure Code”). Section 44A of the Civil Procedure Code provides that where a foreign judgment has been rendered by a superior court in any country or territory outside India that the Government has, by notification, declared to be a reciprocating territory, that judgment may be enforced in India by proceedings in execution as if it had been rendered by the relevant court in India. However, Section 44A of the Civil Procedure Code is applicable only to monetary decrees other than those in the nature of any amounts payable in respect of taxes or other charges of a like nature or in respect of a fine or other penalty and is not applicable to arbitration awards, even if such awards are enforceable as a decree or judgment. Furthermore, the execution of a foreign decree under Section 44A of the Civil Procedure Code is also subject to the exception under Section 13 of the Civil Procedure Code, as discussed below.
The United States has not been declared by the Government to be a reciprocating territory for the purposes of Section 44A of the Civil Procedure Code. However, the United Kingdom has been declared by the Government to be a reciprocating territory and the High Courts in England as the relevant superior courts. A judgment of a court in a jurisdiction which is not a reciprocating territory, such as the United States, may be enforced only by a new suit upon the judgment and not by proceedings in execution. Section 13 of the Civil Procedure Code provides that a foreign judgment shall be conclusive as to any matter thereby directly adjudicated upon except: (i) where it has not been pronounced by a court of competent jurisdiction; (ii) where it has not been given on the merits of the case; (iii) where it appears on the face of the proceedings to be founded on an incorrect view of international law or a refusal to recognize the law of India in cases where such law is applicable; (iv) where the proceedings in which the judgment was obtained were opposed to natural justice; (v) where it has been obtained by fraud; or (vi) where it sustains a claim founded on a breach of any law in force in India. A foreign judgment which is conclusive under Section 13 of the Civil Procedure Code may be enforced either by a new suit upon judgment or by proceedings in execution. The suit must be brought in India within three years from the date of the judgment in the same manner as any other suit filed to enforce a civil liability in India. It is unlikely that a court in India would award damages on the same basis as a foreign court if an action is brought in India. Furthermore, it is unlikely that an Indian court would enforce a foreign judgment if it viewed the amount of damages awarded as excessive or inconsistent with Indian practice. A party seeking to enforce a foreign judgment in India is required to obtain approval from the RBI to repatriate outside India any amount recovered pursuant to such execution. Any judgment in a foreign currency would be converted into Indian rupees on the date of the judgment and not on the date of the payment. The Bank cannot predict whether a suit brought in an Indian court will be disposed of in a timely manner or be subject to considerable delays.
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Risks Relating to the ADSs and Equity Shares
Historically, our ADSs have traded at a premium to the trading prices of our underlying equity shares, a situation which may not continue
Historically, our ADSs have traded on the New York Stock Exchange (the “NYSE”) at a premium to the trading prices of our underlying equity shares on the Indian stock exchanges. See “Certain Information About Our American Depositary Shares and Equity Shares” for the underlying data. We believe that this price premium has resulted from the relatively small portion of our market capitalization previously represented by ADSs, restrictions imposed by Indian law on the conversion of equity shares into ADSs, and an apparent preference for investors to trade dollar-denominated securities. Over time, some of the restrictions on issuance of ADSs imposed by Indian law have been relaxed and we expect that other restrictions may be relaxed in the future. It is possible that in the future our ADSs will not trade at any premium to our equity shares and could even trade at a discount to our equity shares.
Investors in ADSs will not be able to vote.
Investors in ADSs will have no voting rights, unlike holders of equity shares. Under the deposit agreement, the depositary will abstain from voting the equity shares represented by the ADSs. If you wish, you may withdraw the equity shares underlying the ADSs and seek to vote (subject to Indian restrictions on foreign ownership) the equity shares you obtain upon withdrawal. However, this withdrawal process may be subject to delays and additional costs and you may not be able to redeposit the equity shares. For a discussion of the legal restrictions triggered by a withdrawal of equity shares from the depositary facility upon surrender of ADSs, see “Restrictions on Foreign Ownership of Indian Securities” and “Description of American Depositary Shares—Voting Rights.”
Your ability to withdraw equity shares from the depositary facility is uncertain and may be subject to delays.
India’s restrictions on foreign ownership of Indian companies limit the number of equity shares that may be owned by foreign investors and generally require government approval for foreign investments. Investors who withdraw equity shares from the ADSs’ depositary facility for the purpose of selling such equity shares will be subject to Indian regulatory restrictions on foreign ownership upon withdrawal. The withdrawal process may be subject to delays. For a discussion of the legal restrictions triggered by a withdrawal of equity shares from the depositary facility upon surrender of ADSs, see “Restrictions on Foreign Ownership of Indian Securities.”
Restrictions on deposit of equity shares in the depositary facility could adversely affect the price of our ADSs.
Under current Indian regulations, an ADS holder who surrenders ADSs and withdraws equity shares may deposit those equity shares again in the depositary facility in exchange for ADSs. An investor who has purchased equity shares in the Indian market may also deposit those equity shares in the ADS program. However, the deposit of equity shares may be subject to securities law restrictions and the restriction that the cumulative aggregate number of equity shares that can be deposited as of any time cannot exceed the cumulative aggregate number represented by ADSs converted into underlying equity shares as of such time. These restrictions increase the risk that the market price of our ADSs will be below that of our equity shares.
There is a limited market for the ADSs.
Although our ADSs are listed and traded on the NYSE, any trading market for our ADSs may not be sustained, and there is no assurance that the present price of our ADSs will correspond to the future price at which our ADSs will trade in the public market. Indian legal restrictions may also limit the supply of ADSs. The only way to add to the supply of ADSs would be through an additional issuance. We cannot guarantee that a market for the ADSs will continue.
Conditions in the Indian securities market may affect the price or liquidity of our equity shares and ADSs.
The Indian securities markets are smaller and comparatively more volatile than securities markets in more developed economies. In the past the Indian stock exchanges have experienced substantial fluctuations in the prices of listed securities. The Indian stock market has primarily domestic companies listed on its exchanges. Currently, prices of securities listed on Indian exchanges are displaying no firm trends linked, among other factors, to the uncertainty in the global markets and the rising inflationary and interest rate pressures domestically. Any negative incremental macroeconomic trends could impact the markets significantly. The governing bodies of the Indian stock exchanges have from time to time imposed restrictions on trading in certain securities, limitations on price movements and margin requirements. Future fluctuations or trading restrictions could have a material adverse effect on the price of our equity shares and ADSs.
Settlement of trades of equity shares on Indian stock exchanges may be subject to delays.
The equity shares represented by our ADSs are listed on the NSE and the BSE. Settlement on these stock exchanges may be subject to delays and an investor in equity shares withdrawn from the depositary facility upon surrender of ADSs may not be able to settle trades on these stock exchanges in a timely manner.
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You may be subject to Indian taxes arising out of capital gains.
Generally, capital gains, whether short-term or long-term, arising on the sale of the underlying equity shares in India, are subject to Indian capital gains tax. Investors are advised to consult their own tax advisers and to carefully consider the potential tax consequences of an investment in ADSs. See also “Taxation.”
You may be unable to exercise preemptive rights available to other shareholders.
A company incorporated in India must offer its holders of equity shares preemptive rights to subscribe and pay for a proportionate number of shares to maintain their existing ownership percentages prior to the issuance of any new equity shares, unless these rights have been waived by at least 75 percent of the company’s shareholders present and voting at a shareholders’ general meeting. United States investors in our ADSs may be unable to exercise preemptive rights for our equity shares underlying our ADSs unless a registration statement under the Securities Act is effective with respect to those rights or an exemption from the registration requirements of the Securities Act is available. Our decision to file a registration statement will depend on the costs and potential liabilities associated with any registration statement as well as the perceived benefits of enabling United States investors in our ADSs to exercise their preemptive rights and any other factors we consider appropriate at the time. We do not commit to filing a registration statement under those circumstances. If we issue any securities in the future, these securities may be issued to the depositary, which may sell these securities in the securities markets in India for the benefit of the investors in our ADSs. There can be no assurance as to the value, if any, the depositary would receive upon the sale of these securities. To the extent that investors in our ADSs are unable to exercise preemptive rights, their proportional interests in us would be reduced.
Financial difficulty and other problems in certain financial institutions in India could adversely affect our business and the price of our equity shares and ADSs.
We are exposed to the risks of the Indian financial system by being a part of that system which may be affected by the financial difficulties faced by certain Indian financial institutions because the commercial soundness of many financial institutions may be closely related as a result of credit, trading, clearing or other relationships. Such “systemic risk” may adversely affect financial intermediaries, such as clearing agencies, banks, securities firms and exchanges with which we interact on a daily basis. Any such difficulties or instability of the Indian financial system in general could create an adverse market perception about Indian financial institutions and banks and adversely affect our business. Our transactions with these financial institutions expose us to various risks in the event of default by a counterparty, which can be exacerbated during periods of market illiquidity.
Because the equity shares underlying our ADSs are quoted in rupees in India, you may be subject to potential losses arising out of exchange rate risk on the Indian rupee and risks associated with the conversion of rupee proceeds into foreign currency.
Fluctuations in the exchange rate between the United States dollar and the Indian rupee may affect the value of your investment in our ADSs. Specifically, if the relative value of the Indian rupee to the United States dollar declines, each of the following values will also decline:
| • | the United States dollar equivalent of the Indian rupee trading price of our equity shares in India and, indirectly, the United States dollar trading price of our ADSs in the United States; |
| • | the United States dollar equivalent of the proceeds that you would receive upon the sale in India of any equity shares that you withdraw from the depositary; and |
| • | the United States dollar equivalent of cash dividends, if any, paid in Indian rupees on the equity shares represented by our ADSs. |
There may be less information available on Indian securities markets than securities markets in developed countries.
There is a difference between the level of regulation and monitoring of the Indian securities markets and the activities of investors, brokers and other participants and that of markets in the United States and other developed economies. The SEBI and the stock exchanges are responsible for improving disclosure and other regulatory standards for the Indian securities markets. The SEBI has issued regulations and guidelines on disclosure requirements, insider trading and other matters. There may, however, be less publicly available information about Indian companies than is regularly made available by public companies in developed economies.
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HDFC Limited’s significant holdings could have an effect on the trading price of our equity shares and ADSs.
HDFC Limited and its subsidiaries hold a significant portion of our equity, and are entitled to certain rights to appoint directors to our Board. While we are professionally managed and overseen by an independent board of directors, HDFC Limited, as a shareholder, can vote that could directly or indirectly favor the interests of HDFC Limited over our interests. See “—HDFC Limited holds a significant percentage of our share capital and can exercise influence over board decisions that could directly or indirectly favor the interests of HDFC Limited over our interests. We may face conflicts of interest relating to HDFC Limited, promoter and principal shareholder, which could cause us to forgo business opportunities and consequently have an adverse effect on our financial performance.” HDFC Limited’s concentration of ownership may adversely affect the trading price of our equity shares to the extent investors perceive a disadvantage in owning stock of a company with a significant shareholder. See “Business—Proposed Transaction.”
Investors may be subject to Indian taxes arising out of capital gains on the sale of equity shares.
Under current Indian tax laws and regulations, capital gains arising from the sale of shares in an Indian company are generally taxable in India. Until March 31, 2018, any gain realized on the sale of listed equity shares on a stock exchange held for more than 12 months was not subject to capital gains tax in India if securities transaction tax (“STT”) was paid on the transaction. STT is levied on and collected by a domestic stock exchange on which the equity shares are sold. However, with the enactment of the Finance Act , the exemption previously granted in respect of payment of long-term capital gains tax has been withdrawn and, with effect from April 1, 2018, such taxes are now payable by the investors. Further, any gain realized on the sale of listed equity shares held for a period of 12 months or less will be subject to short-term capital gains tax in India. Capital gains arising from the sale of equity shares will be exempt from taxation in India in cases where the exemption from taxation in India is provided under a treaty between India and the country of which the seller is resident.
Indian tax treaties, for example with the United States and the United Kingdom, do not limit India’s ability to impose tax on capital gains. The treaties provide that except as provided in case of taxation of shipping and air transport provisions, each contracting state may tax capital gains in accordance with the provisions of domestic law. As a result, residents of other countries may be liable for tax in India as well as in their own jurisdiction on a gain upon the sale of equity shares. However, credit for the same may be available in accordance with the provisions of the respective treaty and in accordance with the provisions under domestic law, if applicable.
Future issuances or sales of equity shares and ADSs could significantly affect the trading price of our equity shares and ADSs.
The future issuance of shares by us or the disposal of shares by any of our major shareholders, or the perception that such issuance or sales may occur, may significantly affect the trading price of our equity shares and ADSs. There can be no assurance that we will not issue further shares or that any of our major shareholders will not dispose of, pledge or otherwise encumber its shares.
U.S. securities laws do not require us to disclose as much information to investors as a U.S. issuer is required to disclose, and investors may receive less information about the Bank than they might otherwise receive from a comparable U.S. bank.
We are subject to the periodic reporting requirements of the SEC and NYSE that apply to “foreign private issuers.” While we make periodic frequent and prompt disclosure required under Indian securities laws, the periodic disclosure required of foreign private issuers under applicable rules is more limited than the periodic disclosure required of U.S. issuers. Accordingly, there may be less publicly available information concerning the Bank than there is for U.S. public companies. In addition, the Bank is not required to file periodic reports and financial statements with the SEC as frequently or as promptly as U.S. companies whose securities are registered under the Exchange Act. As a result, investors may also receive less timely financial reports under these rules, than they otherwise might receive from a comparable U.S. company. This may have an adverse impact on investors’ ability to make decisions about their investment in the Bank.
Foreign Account Tax Compliance Act withholding may affect payments on our equity shares and ADSs.
Sections 1471 through 1474 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the “Internal Revenue Code”) (provisions commonly known as “FATCA” or the Foreign Account Tax Compliance Act), impose (a) certain reporting and due diligence requirements on foreign financial institutions (“FFIs”) and (b) potentially require such FFIs to deduct a 30 percent withholding tax from (i) certain payments from sources within the United States and (ii) “foreign pass through payments” (which are not yet defined in current guidance) made to certain FFIs that do not comply with such reporting, and due diligence requirements or certain other payees that do not provide required information. We, as well as relevant intermediaries such as custodians and depositary participants, are classified as FFIs for these purposes. The United States has entered into a number of intergovernmental agreements (“IGAs”) with other jurisdictions which may modify the operation of this withholding. India has entered into a Model 1 IGA with the United States for giving effect to FATCA, and Indian FFIs, including us, are generally required to comply with FATCA based on the terms of the IGA and relevant rules made pursuant thereto.
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Under current guidance it is not clear whether or to what extent payments on ADSs or equity shares will be considered “foreign pass-thru payments” subject to FATCA withholding or the extent to which withholding on “foreign pass thru payments” will be required under the applicable IGA. However, under current guidance, even if withholding were required pursuant to FATCA with respect to payments on ADSs or equity shares, such withholding would not apply prior to two years after the date on which final regulations on this issue are published. Investors should consult their own tax advisers on how the FATCA rules may apply to payments they receive in respect of the ADSs or equity shares.
Should any withholding tax in respect of FATCA be deducted or withheld from any payments arising to any investor, neither we nor any other person will pay additional amounts as a result of the deduction or withholding.
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CERTAIN INFORMATION ABOUT OUR AMERICAN DEPOSITARY SHARES AND EQUITY SHARES
Our ADSs, each representing three equity shares, par value Rs. 1.0 per equity share, are listed on the NYSE under the symbol “HDB”. Our equity shares, including those underlying the ADSs, are listed on the NSE under the symbol “HDFCBANK” and the BSE Limited (formerly known as Bombay Stock Exchange Limited) under the trading code 500180. Our fiscal quarters end on June 30 of each year for the first quarter, September 30 for the second quarter, December 31 for the third quarter and March 31 for the fourth quarter.
As of March 31, 2023, there were 2,290,092 holders of record of our equity shares, including the shares underlying ADSs, of which 2,978 had registered addresses in the United States and held an aggregate of 7,533,402 equity shares representing 0.13 percent of our shareholders. In our records, only the depositary, JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A., is the shareholder with respect to equity shares underlying the ADSs.
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DESCRIPTION OF EQUITY SHARES
The Company
We are registered under Corporate Identity Number L65920MH1994PLC080618 with the Registrar of Companies, Maharashtra State, India. Our Memorandum of Association permits us to engage in a wide variety of activities, including all the activities in which we currently engage or intend to engage, as well as other activities in which we currently have no intention of engaging.
Our authorized share capital is Rs. 6,500,000,000 consisting of 6,500,000,000 equity shares of par value Rs. 1.0 each.
Dividends
Under Indian law and subject to the Banking Regulation Act, a company pays dividends upon a recommendation by its board of directors and approval by a majority of its shareholders at the annual general meeting of shareholders held within five months of the end of each fiscal year. The shareholders have the right to decrease but not increase the dividend amount recommended by the Board of Directors. Dividends are generally declared as a percentage of par value (on a per share basis) and distributed and paid to shareholders. The Companies Act provides that shares of a company of the same class must receive equal dividend treatment.
These distributions and payments are required to be deposited into a separate bank account within five days of the declaration of such dividend and paid to shareholders within 30 days of the annual general meeting where the resolution for declaration of dividends is approved.
The Companies Act states that any dividends that remain unpaid or unclaimed after that period are to be transferred to a special bank account. Any dividend amount that remains unclaimed for seven years from the date of the transfer is to be transferred by us to a fund, called the Investor Education and Protection Fund, created by the Government.
Our Articles of Association authorize our Board of Directors to declare interim dividends, the amount of which must be deposited in a separate bank account within five days and paid to the shareholders within 30 days of the declaration.
Under the Companies Act, final dividends payable can be paid only in cash to the registered shareholder at a record date fixed prior to the relevant annual general meeting, to his order or to the order of his banker.
Before paying any dividend on our shares, we are required under the Banking Regulation Act to write off all capitalized expenses (including preliminary expenses, organization expenses, share-selling commission, brokerage, amounts of losses incurred and any other item of expenditure not represented by tangible assets). We are permitted to declare dividends of up to 35.0 percent of net profit calculated under Indian GAAP without prior RBI approval subject to compliance with certain prescribed requirements. Further, upon compliance with the prescribed requirements, we are also permitted to declare interim dividends subject to the above-mentioned cap computed for the relevant accounting period.
Dividends may only be paid out of our profits for the relevant year arrived at after providing for depreciation or out of the profits of the company for any previous financial years arrived at after providing for depreciation and in certain contingencies out of the free reserves of the company, provided that in computing profits any amount representing unrealized gains, notional gains or revaluation of assets and any change in carrying amount of an asset or of a liability on measurement of the asset or the liability at fair value shall be excluded. Before declaring dividends, we are required by the RBI to transfer 25.0 percent of our net profits (calculated under Indian GAAP) of each year to a reserve fund.
Bonus Shares
In addition to permitting dividends to be paid out of current or retained earnings calculated under Indian GAAP, the Companies Act permits our Board of Directors, subject to the approval of our shareholders, to distribute to the shareholders, in the form of fully paid-up bonus equity shares, an amount transferred from the company’s free reserves, securities premium account or the capital redemption reserve account. Bonus equity shares can be distributed only with the prior approval of the RBI. These bonus equity shares must be distributed to shareholders in proportion to the number of equity shares owned by them.
Bonus shares can only be issued if the company has not defaulted in payments of the employees, such as contribution to provident fund, gratuity and bonus statutory dues or principal/interest payments on fixed deposits or debt securities issued by it. Bonus shares must not be issued in lieu of dividend. Further, listed companies are also required to follow the Securities and Exchange Board of India (“SEBI”) (Issue of Capital and Disclosure Requirements) Regulations, 2018 (the “SEBI ICDR Regulations”) for issuance of bonus shares.
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Pre-emptive Rights and Issue of Additional Shares
Subject to the Banking Regulation Act, and other applicable guidelines issued by the RBI, the Companies Act gives shareholders the right to subscribe for new shares in proportion to their existing shareholdings unless otherwise determined by a resolution passed by three-fourths of the shareholders present and voting at a general meeting. Under the Companies Act and our Articles of Association, in the event of an issuance of securities, subject to the limitations set forth above, we must first offer the new equity shares to the holders of equity shares on a fixed record date. The offer, required to be made by notice, must include:
| • | the right, exercisable by the shareholders of record, to renounce the shares offered in favor of any other person; |
| • | the number of shares offered; and |
| • | the period of the offer, which may not be less than 15 days from the date of the offer and shall not exceed 30 days. If the offer is not accepted, it is deemed to have been declined. |
Our Board of Directors is permitted to distribute equity shares not accepted by existing shareholders in the manner it deems beneficial for us in accordance with our Articles of Association. Holders of ADSs may not be able to participate in any such offer. See “Description of American Depositary Shares—Share Dividends and Other Distributions.”
General Meetings of Shareholders
There are two types of general meetings of shareholders: annual general meetings and extraordinary general meetings. We are required to convene our annual general meeting within five months after the end of each fiscal year. We may convene an extraordinary general meeting when necessary or at the request of the shareholders holding on the date of the request at least 10 percent of our paid-up capital. A general meeting is generally convened by our company secretary in accordance with a resolution of the Board of Directors. Written notice or notice via email or other permitted electronic means stating the agenda of the meeting must be given at least 21 clear days prior to the date set for the general meeting to the shareholders whose names are in the register at the record date. Shorter notice is permitted if consent is received from 95 percent of the members entitled to vote. Those shareholders who are not registered at the record date do not receive notice of this meeting and are not entitled to attend or vote at this meeting. The annual general meeting is held in Mumbai, the city in which our registered office is located. General meetings other than the annual general meeting may be held at any location if so determined by a resolution of our Board of Directors. In accordance with the General Circulars No. 20/2020 dated May 5, 2020 and No. 02/2022 dated May 5, 2022, issued by the Ministry of Corporate Affairs, and in accordance with Circular No. SEBI/HO/CFD/PoD-2/P/CIR/2023/4 dated May 13, 2022, issued by the SEBI, which provide for relaxations to the Securities and Exchange Board of India (Listing Obligations and Disclosure Requirements) Regulations, 2015 (collectively the “Applicable Circulars”), the Bank’s Annual General Meeting (“AGM”) in fiscal year 2022 was held remotely on July 16, 2022, using video conferencing (“VC”) and other audio-visual technology (“OAVM”).
On November 25, 2022, the Bank held an extraordinary general meeting, in accordance with the order of the NCLT, dated October 14, 2022, through two-way VC, in compliance with the applicable provisions of the Companies Act 2013 and Circulars issued by the Ministry of Corporate Affairs.
Voting Rights
Section 108 of the Companies Act and Rule 20 of the Companies (Management and Administration) Rules 2014 deal with the exercise of the right to vote by members by electronic means. In terms of Rule 20 of the Companies (Management and Administration) Rules 2014, every listed company (other than a company referred to in Chapters XB or XC of the SEBI ICDR Regulations) is required to provide to its members facility to exercise their right to vote at general meetings by electronic means. Section 110 of the Companies Act allows such a company to transact all items of business at a general meeting, provided the company offers to its members a facility to exercise their right to vote at general meetings by electronic means. The Ministry of Corporate Affairs has clarified that voting by show of hands would not be allowable in cases where Rule 20 is applicable.
A shareholder has one vote for each equity share and voting may be on a poll or through electronic means or postal ballot. Under Section 12 of the Banking Regulation Act 1949 as amended with effect from January 18, 2013 by the Banking Laws Amendment Act 2012, no person holding shares in a banking company shall, in respect of any shares held by such person, exercise voting rights on poll in excess of 10.0 percent of the total voting rights of all the shareholders of the banking company, provided that RBI may increase, in a phased manner, such ceiling on voting rights from 10.0 percent to 26.0 percent. On July 21, 2016 the RBI issued a notification, which was notified in the Gazette of India on September 17, 2016, which stated that the current ceiling on voting rights is at 26.0 percent. At a general meeting, upon a show of hands, every member holding shares and entitled to vote and present in person has one vote. Upon a poll, the voting rights of each shareholder entitled to vote and present in person or by proxy is in the same proportion as the capital paid-up on each share held by such holder bears to the company’s total paid-up capital, subject to the limits prescribed under the Banking Regulation Act. Voting is by a show of hands, unless a poll is ordered by the Chairman of the meeting. However, voting by show of hands is not permitted for listed companies. The Chairman of the meeting has a casting vote.
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Unless the Articles of Association provide for a larger number, the quorum for a general meeting is: (a) five members present (in person or by proxy) if the number of members as of the date of the meeting is not more than one thousand; (b) 15 members present (in person or by proxy) if the number of members as of the date of the meeting is more than one thousand but not more than five thousand; and (c) thirty members present (in person or by proxy) if the number of members as of the date of the meeting exceeds five thousand. Generally, resolutions may be passed by simple majority of the shareholders present and voting at any general meeting. However, resolutions such as an amendment to the organizational documents, commencement of a new line of business, an issue of additional equity shares (which is not a preemptive issue) and reductions of share capital, require that the votes cast in favor of the resolution (whether by show of hands or on a poll) are not less than three times the number of votes, if any, cast against the resolution. As provided in our Articles of Association, a shareholder may exercise his voting rights by proxy to be given in the form prescribed by us. This proxy, however, is required to be lodged with us at least 48 hours before the time of the relevant meeting. Since the AGM on July 16, 2022 was held in accordance with the Applicable Circulars through VC and OAVM, physical attendance by shareholders had been dispensed and, accordingly, the facility to appoint proxies by shareholders was not available for this AGM. A shareholder may, by a single power of attorney, grant general power of representation covering several general meetings. A corporate shareholder is also entitled to nominate a representative to attend and vote on its behalf at all general meetings. The Companies Act also provides for the passing of resolutions in relation to certain matters specified by the Government of India, by means of a postal ballot. A notice to all the shareholders must be sent along with a draft resolution explaining the reasons therefor and requesting the shareholders to send their assent or dissent in writing on a postal ballot within a period of 30 days from the date of dispatch of the notice. Shareholders may exercise their right to vote at general meetings, through postal ballot by sending their votes through the postal arrangements or through electronic means (e-voting), for which separate facilities are provided to the shareholders.
ADS holders have no voting rights with respect to the deposited shares.
Annual Report
At least 21 clear days before an annual general meeting, we must circulate either a detailed or abridged version of our Indian GAAP audited financial accounts, together with the Directors’ Report and the Auditor’s Report, to the shareholders along with a notice convening the annual general meeting. We are also required under the Companies Act to make available upon the request of any shareholder our complete balance sheet and profit and loss account. The above-mentioned documents must also be made available for inspection at its registered office during working hours for a period of 21 days before the date of the annual general meeting. A statement containing the salient features of these documents in a prescribed manner (or copies of these documents) is required to be sent to every member of the company and to every debenture trustee at least 21 days before the date of the annual general meeting. Under the Companies Act, we must file with the Registrar of Companies our Indian GAAP balance sheet and profit and loss account within 30 days in form AOC-4 of the conclusion of the annual general meeting and our annual return in form MGT-7 within 60 days of the conclusion of that meeting. We also upload the annual return in form MGT-7 to our website and include a web-link to the form MGT-7 in our annual report.
Register of Shareholders, Record Dates and Transfer of Shares
The equity shares are in registered form. We maintain a register of our shareholders in Mumbai. As set out in the SEBI directive, effective April 1, 2019, physical transfer of shares is prohibited in the case of listed Indian companies. Therefore, shareholders need to dematerialize the shares for transfer.
For the purpose of determining equity shares entitled to annual dividends, a record date is fixed prior to the annual general meeting. The Companies Act and the Securities and Exchange Board of India (Listing Obligations and Disclosure Requirements) Regulations, 2015 permit us, pursuant to a resolution of our Board of Directors and upon at least seven days’ advance notice to the stock exchanges, to set the record date in order for us to determine which shareholders are entitled to certain rights pertaining to their equity shares.
Transfer of Shares
Shares held through depositories are transferred in the form of book entries or in electronic form in accordance with the regulations laid down by the SEBI. These regulations provide the regime for the functioning of the depositories and the participants and set out the manner in which the records are to be kept and maintained and the safeguards to be followed in this system. Transfers of beneficial ownership of shares held through a depositary are exempt from stamp duty. We have entered into an agreement for such depository services with the National Securities Depository Limited and the Central Depository Services India Limited.
The SEBI requires that our equity shares for trading and settlement purposes be in book-entry form for all investors, except for transactions that are not made on a stock exchange and transactions that are not required to be reported to the stock exchange. Transfers of equity shares in book-entry form require both the seller and the purchaser of the equity shares to establish accounts with depositary participants appointed by depositories established under the Depositaries Act 1996. Charges for opening an account with a depositary participant, transaction charges for each trade and custodian charges for securities held in each account vary depending upon the practice of each depositary participant. Upon delivery, the equity shares shall be registered in the name of the relevant depositary on our books and this depositary shall enter the name of the investor in its records as the beneficial owner. The transfer of beneficial ownership shall be done through the records of the depositary. The beneficial owner shall be entitled to all rights and benefits and subject to all liabilities in respect of his securities held by a depositary.
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The requirement to hold the equity shares in book-entry form will apply to the ADS holders when the equity shares are withdrawn from the depositary facility upon surrender of the ADSs. In order to trade the equity shares in the Indian market, the withdrawing ADS holder will be required to comply with the procedures described above.
Our equity shares are freely transferable, subject to the provisions of the Companies Act under which, if a transfer of equity shares contravenes the provisions of Securities Contracts (Regulation) Act 1956, the Securities and Exchange Board of India Act, 1992 or the regulations issued under it or any other law in force at the time, the National Company Law Tribunal may, on application made by us, a depositary incorporated in India, an investor, the SEBI or certain other parties, direct a rectification of the register of records. It was a condition of our listing that we transfer equity shares and deliver share certificates duly endorsed for the transfer within 15 days of the date of lodgment of transfer. If a company without sufficient cause refuses to register a transfer of equity shares within 30 days from the date on which the instrument of transfer is delivered to the company, the transferee may appeal to the National Company Law Tribunal seeking to register the transfer of equity shares. The National Company Law Tribunal may, in its discretion, issue an interim order suspending the voting rights attached to the relevant equity shares before completing its investigation of the alleged contravention. However, effective from and on April 1, 2019, the SEBI decided that except in cases of transmission or transposition of securities, requests for effecting the transfer of securities shall not be processed unless the securities are held in dematerialized form with a depositary. Our Articles of Association provide for certain restrictions on the transfer of equity shares, including granting power to the Board of Directors in certain circumstances, to refuse to register or acknowledge transfer of equity shares or other securities issued by us. Furthermore, the RBI requires us to obtain its approval before registering a transfer of equity shares in favor of a person which together with equity shares already held by him represent more than five percent of our share capital.
Our transfer agent, Datamatics Business Solutions Limited, is located in Mumbai. Certain foreign exchange control and security regulations apply to the transfer of equity shares by a non-resident or a foreigner.
Disclosure of Ownership Interest
The provisions of the Companies Act generally require beneficial owners of equity shares of Indian companies that are not holders of record to declare to the company details of the holder of record and holders of record to declare details of the beneficial owner. While it is unclear whether these provisions apply to holders of an Indian company’s ADSs, investors who exchange ADSs for equity shares are subject to this provision. Failure to comply with these provisions would not affect the obligation of a company to register a transfer of equity shares or to pay any dividends to the registered holder of any equity shares in respect of which this declaration has not been made, but any person who fails to make the required declaration may be liable for an initial fine of up to Rs. 50,000 coupled with a further fine of up to Rs. 1,000 for each day this failure continues. However, under the Banking Regulation Act, a registered holder of any equity shares, except in certain conditions, shall not be liable to any suit or proceeding on the ground that the title to those equity shares vests in another person.
Acquisition by the Issuer of Its Own Shares
The Companies Act permits a company to acquire its own equity shares and reduce its capital under certain circumstances. Such reduction of capital requires compliance with buy-back provisions specified in the Companies Act and by the SEBI.
ADS holders will be eligible to participate in a buy-back in certain cases. An ADS holder may acquire equity shares by withdrawing them from the depositary facility and then sell those equity shares back to us. ADS holders should note that equity shares withdrawn from the depositary facility may only be redeposited into the depositary facility under certain circumstances.
There can be no assurance that the equity shares offered by an ADS investor in any buy-back of shares by us will be accepted by us. The position regarding participation of ADS holders in a buy-back is not clear. ADS investors are advised to consult their Indian legal advisers prior to participating in any buy-back by us, including in relation to any regulatory approvals and tax issues relating to the buy-back.
Liquidation Rights
Subject to the rights of depositors, creditors and employees, in the event of our winding-up, the holders of the equity shares are entitled to be repaid the amounts of capital paid up or credited as paid up on these equity shares. All surplus assets remaining belong to the holders of the equity shares in proportion to the amount paid up or credited as paid up on these equity shares, respectively, at the commencement of the winding-up.
Acquisition of the Undertaking by the Government
Under the Banking Regulation Act, the Government may, after consultation with the RBI, in the interest of our depositors or banking policy or better provision of credit generally or to a particular community or area, acquire our banking business. The RBI may acquire our business if it is satisfied that we have failed to comply with the directions given to us by the RBI or that our business is being managed in a manner detrimental to the interest of our depositors. Similarly, the Government of India may also acquire our business based on a report by the RBI.
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Takeover Code
Under the Securities and Exchange Board of India (Substantial Acquisitions of Shares and Takeovers) Regulations 2011, as amended (the “Takeover Code”), upon the acquisition of shares which taken together with the shares/voting rights already held aggregates 5 percent or more of the outstanding shares or voting rights of a publicly listed Indian company, a purchaser is required to notify the company and all the stock exchanges on which the shares of such company are listed. Such notification is also required when a person holds 5 percent or more of the outstanding shares or voting rights in a target company and there is a change in his holding either due to purchase or disposal of shares of 2 percent or more of the outstanding shares/voting rights in the target company or if such change results in shareholding falling below 5 percent, if there has been a change from the previous disclosure.
No acquisition of shares/voting rights by an acquirer in a target company which entitles the acquirer, together with persons acting in concert with them, to 25 percent or more of such shares or voting rights is permissible unless the acquirer makes a public announcement of an open offer for acquiring the shares of the target company in the manner provided in the Takeover Code. The public announcement of an open offer is also mandatory where an acquirer who, together with persons acting in concert with them, holds 25 percent of the shares/voting rights in the target company, but less than the maximum permissible non-public shareholding, seeks to acquire an additional 5 percent or more of the shares/voting rights in the target company during any fiscal year. However, the Takeover Code applies only to shares or securities convertible into shares which carry a voting right. This provision will apply to an ADS holder only once he or she converts the ADSs into the underlying equity shares.
In terms of the Takeover Code, the acquirer or holder of shares/voting rights in a target company shall in accordance with the “Continual Disclosure” requirements disclose to the target company and the stock exchanges the details of holdings of equity shares/voting rights if such holding of shares/voting rights is 25 percent or more of the outstanding shares/aggregate voting rights as at March 31 every year.
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DESCRIPTION OF AMERICAN DEPOSITARY SHARES
American Depositary Shares
JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A., as depositary, issues the American Depositary Shares, or ADSs. Each ADS represents an ownership interest in three equity shares, which we have deposited with the custodian, as agent of the depositary, under the deposit agreement among ourselves, the depositary and each ADR holder. In the future, each ADS will also represent any securities, cash or other property deposited with the depositary but which it has not distributed directly to an ADR holder. The ADSs are evidenced by what is known as American Depositary Receipts or ADRs.
The depositary’s office is located at J.P. Morgan Depositary Receipts, 383 Madison Ave, Floor 11, New York, NY 10179.
Investors may hold ADSs either directly or indirectly through their broker or other financial institution. If an investor holds ADSs directly, by having an ADR certificate evidencing a specific number of ADSs registered in his name on the books of the depositary, or by holding an ADS in the depositary’s direct registration system, he is an ADR holder. This description assumes that the investor holds his ADSs directly. If an investor holds the ADSs through his broker or financial institution nominee, he must rely on the procedures of such broker or financial institution to assert the rights of an ADR holder described in this section. Investors should consult with their broker or financial institution to find out what these procedures are.
Because the depositary’s nominee will actually be the registered owner and record holder of the shares, investors must rely on the depositary to exercise the rights of a shareholder on their behalf. The obligations of the depositary and its agents are set out in the deposit agreement. The deposit agreement and the ADSs are governed by New York law. Neither the depositary nor the custodian or any of their respective nominees are deemed to be the beneficial owner of the shares.
The following is a summary of the material terms of the deposit agreement. Because it is a summary, it does not contain all the information that may be important to investors. For more complete information, investors should read the entire deposit agreement and the form of ADR, which contains the terms of the ADSs. Investors can read a copy of the second amended and restated deposit agreement, which was filed as an exhibit to the registration statement on Form F-6 on November 9, 2022. Investors may also obtain a copy of the amended and restated deposit agreement at the Securities and Exchange Commission Office, Public Reference Room, which is located at 100 F Street, N.E., Washington, D.C. 20549. Investors may obtain information on the operation of the Public Reference Room by calling the SEC at 1-800-SEC-0330.
Share Dividends and Other Distributions
We may make various types of distributions with respect to our securities. The depositary has agreed to pay to the investor the cash dividends or other distributions it or the custodian receives on shares or other deposited securities, after deducting its charges and expenses. The investor will receive these distributions in proportion to the number of deposited securities that the investor’s ADSs represent. To the extent practicable, the depositary will deliver such distributions to ADR holders in proportion to their interests in the following manner:
Cash
The depositary will distribute any United States dollars available to it resulting from a cash dividend or other cash distribution if this is practicable and can be done in a reasonable manner. The depositary will distribute this cash in a practicable manner, and may deduct any taxes required to be withheld, any expenses of converting foreign currency and transferring funds to the United States and other expenses and adjustments. If exchange rates fluctuate during a time when the depositary cannot convert a foreign currency, investors may lose some or all of the value of the distribution.
Shares
In the case of a distribution in shares, the depositary will issue additional ADRs to evidence the number of ADSs representing such shares. Only whole ADSs will be issued. The depositary will sell any shares that would result in fractional ADSs and distribute the net proceeds to the ADR holders entitled to them.
Rights to Receive Additional Shares
In the case of a distribution of rights to subscribe for additional shares or other rights, if we provide satisfactory evidence that the depositary may lawfully distribute the rights, the depositary may arrange for ADR holders to instruct the depositary as to the exercise of the rights. However, if we do not furnish such evidence, the depositary may:
| • | sell the rights, if practicable, and distribute the net proceeds as cash. |
| • | if it is not practicable to sell the rights, allow the rights to lapse, in which case ADR holders will receive nothing. |
We have no obligation to file a registration statement under the Securities Act in order to make any rights available to ADR holders or furnish evidence that the depositary may lawfully make any rights available to ADR holders.
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Other Distributions
In the case of a distribution of securities or property other than those described above, the depositary may either:
| • | distribute such securities or property in any manner it deems equitable and practicable; or |
| • | to the extent the depositary deems distribution of such securities or property not to be equitable and practicable, sell such securities or property and distribute any net proceeds in the same way it distributes cash. |
Any United States dollars will be distributed by cheques drawn on a bank in the United States for whole dollars and cents (fractional cents will be withheld without liability for interest and handled by the depositary in accordance with its then current practices).
The depositary may choose any practical method of distribution for any specific ADR holder, including the distribution of foreign currency, securities or property, or it may retain those items, without paying interest on or investing them, on behalf of the ADR holder as deposited securities, in which case the ADSs will also represent the retained items.
The depositary is not responsible if it fails to determine that any distribution or action is lawful or reasonably practicable.
We cannot assure investors that the depositary will be able to convert any currency at a specified exchange rate or sell any property, rights, shares or other securities at a specified price, or that any of such transactions can be completed within a specified time period. All purchases and sales of securities will be handled by the depositary in accordance with its then current policies, which are currently set forth in the “Disclosures” section available at https://www.adr.com/Investors/FindOutAboutDRs (or a successor page), the location and contents of which the depositary shall be solely responsible for.
Deposit, Withdrawal and Cancellation
The depositary issues ADSs upon the deposit of shares or evidence of rights to receive shares with the custodian after payment of the fees and expenses owing to the depositary in connection with such issuance.
Except for shares that we deposit, no shares may be deposited by persons located in India, residents of India or for, or on the account of, such persons. Under current Indian laws and regulations, the depositary cannot accept deposits of outstanding shares and issue ADRs evidencing ADSs representing such shares without prior approval of the Government of India. However, an investor who surrenders an ADS and withdraws shares may be permitted to redeposit those shares in the depositary facility in exchange for ADSs and the depositary may accept deposits of outstanding shares purchased by a non-resident of India on the local stock exchange and issue ADSs representing those shares. However, in each case, the number of shares re-deposited or deposited cannot exceed the number represented by ADSs converted into underlying shares.
Shares deposited in the future with the custodian must be accompanied by certain documents, including instruments showing that such shares have been properly transferred or endorsed to the person on whose behalf the deposit is being made. To the extent delivery of certificates is impracticable, the shares may be deposited by any other delivery means reasonably acceptable to the depositary or custodian, including by way of crediting the shares to an account maintained by the custodian with us or an accredited intermediary acting as registrar for the shares.
We will inform the depositary if any of the shares permitted to be deposited do not rank pari passu with other deposited securities and the depositary will arrange for the issuance of temporary ADSs representing such shares until such time as the shares become fully fungible with the other deposited securities.
The custodian will hold all deposited shares for the account of the depositary. ADR holders thus have no direct ownership interest in the shares and only have such rights as are contained in the deposit agreement. The custodian will also hold any additional securities, property and cash received on or in substitution for the deposited shares. The deposited shares and any such additional items are referred to as “deposited securities”.
Upon each deposit of shares, receipt of related delivery documentation and compliance with the other provisions of the deposit agreement, including the payment of the fees and charges of the depositary and any taxes or other fees or charges owing, the depositary will issue an ADR or ADRs in the name of the person entitled thereto evidencing the number of ADSs to which such person is entitled. All ADSs issued will be evidenced by way of registration in the depositary’s direct registration system, unless certificated ADRs are specifically requested by the holder. Rather than receiving a certificate, registered holders will receive periodic statements from the depositary showing the number of ADSs to which they are entitled. Certificated ADRs will be delivered at the depositary’s designated transfer office.
When an investor turns in his ADR certificate at the depositary’s office, or provides proper instructions and documentation in the case of direct registration ADSs, the depositary will, upon payment of certain applicable fees, charges and taxes, deliver the underlying shares. Delivery of deposited securities in certificated form will be made at the custodian’s office or, at the investor’s risk and expense, the depositary may deliver such deposited securities at such other place as may be requested by the investor. A stamp duty will be payable by the relevant ADR holder in respect of any withdrawal of shares, unless the shares are held in dematerialized form. Any subsequent transfer by the holder of the shares after withdrawal will require the approval of the RBI, which approval must be obtained by the purchaser and us under the provisions of the Foreign Exchange Management Regulation Act, 1999 unless the transfer is on a stock exchange or in connection with an offer under the Indian takeover regulations.
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The depositary may only restrict the withdrawal of deposited securities in connection with:
| • | temporary delays caused by closing the Bank’s transfer books or those of the depositary or the deposit of shares in connection with voting at a shareholders’ meeting, or the payment of dividends; |
| • | the payment of fees, taxes and similar charges; or |
| • | compliance with any United States or foreign laws or governmental regulations relating to the ADRs or to the withdrawal of deposited securities. |
This right of withdrawal may not be limited by any other provision of the deposit agreement.
Voting Rights
Investors who hold ADRs have no voting rights with respect to the deposited equity shares. The depositary will abstain from exercising the voting rights of the deposited equity shares. The RBI examined the matter relating to the exercise of voting rights by the depositary and issued a circular dated February 5, 2007, pursuant to which the Bank furnished to the RBI a copy of its agreement with the depositary. We have given an undertaking to the RBI stating that we will not recognize voting by the depositary if the vote given by the depositary is in contravention of its agreement with us and that we or the depositary will not bring about any change in our depositary agreement without the prior approval of the RBI.
Equity shares which have been withdrawn from the depositary facility and transferred on our register of shareholders to a person other than the depositary or its nominee may be voted by that person. However, such shareholders may not receive sufficient advance notice of shareholder meetings to enable them to withdraw the underlying shares and vote at such meetings.
Record Dates
The depositary may, after consultation with us, if practicable, fix record dates for the determination of the ADR holders, who will be entitled or obligated (as the case may be) to receive any distribution on or in respect of deposited securities, or to pay the fee assessed by the depositary for administration of the ADR program and any expenses provided for in the ADR, subject to the provisions of the deposit agreement.
Reports and Other Communications
The depositary will make available for inspection by ADR holders at the offices of the depositary and at the transfer office any written communications from us which are both received by the custodian or its nominee as a holder of deposited securities and made generally available to the holders of deposited securities. The depositary will distribute copies of such communications, or English translations or summaries thereof, to ADR holders when furnished by us.
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Fees and Charges for Holders of American Depositary Shares
The depositary collects the following fees, charges and expenses from holders of ADRs or intermediaries acting on their behalf:
| Category |
Depositary actions |
Associated fee | ||||
| (a) |
Issuing ADSs | Issuing ADSs upon deposits of shares, issuances in respect of share distributions, rights and other distributions, stock dividends, stock splits, mergers, exchanges of securities or any other transaction or event or other distribution affecting the ADSs or the deposited securities. | US$ 5.00 for each 100 ADSs (or portion thereof) issued or delivered. | |||
| (b) |
Distributing dividends | Distribution of cash. | US$ 0.05 or less per ADS. | |||
| (c) |
Distributing or selling securities | Distribution to ADR holders of securities received by the depositary or net proceeds from the sale of such securities. | US$ 5.00 for each 100 ADSs (or portion thereof), the fee being in an amount equal to the fee for the execution and delivery of ADSs which would have been charged as a result of the deposit of such securities. | |||
| (d) |
Cancellation or reduction of ADSs | Acceptance of ADSs surrendered for withdrawal of deposited shares, or the cancellation or reduction of ADSs for any other reason. | US$ 5.00 for each 100 ADSs (or portion thereof) reduced, canceled or surrendered (as the case may be). | |||
| (e) |
General depositary services | Services performed by the depositary in administering the ADRs. | US$ 0.05 or less per ADS per calendar year (or portion thereof). | |||
| (f) |
Other | Fees, charges and expenses incurred on behalf of holders in connection with: | An amount for the reimbursement of such fees, charges and expenses incurred by the depositary and/or any of its agents. | |||
| • compliance with foreign exchange control regulations or any law or regulation relating to foreign investment; |
||||||
| • the servicing of shares or other deposited securities; |
||||||
| • the sale of securities; |
||||||
| • the delivery of deposited securities; |
||||||
| • the depositary’s or its custodian’s compliance with applicable laws, rules or regulations; |
||||||
| • stock transfer or other taxes and other governmental charges; |
||||||
| • cancellation requests (including through SWIFT, telex and facsimile transmission) and any applicable delivery expenses; |
||||||
| • transfer or registration fees for the registration or transfer of deposited securities on any applicable register in connection with the deposit or withdrawal of deposited securities; or |
||||||
| • the fees of any division, branch or affiliate of the depositary utilized by the depositary to direct, manage and/or execute any public or private sale of securities under the deposit agreement. |
||||||
To facilitate the administration of various depositary receipt transactions, including disbursement of dividends or other cash distributions and other corporate actions, the depositary may engage its foreign exchange desk or its affiliates in order to enter into spot foreign exchange transactions to convert foreign currency into U.S. dollars.
As provided in the second amended and restated deposit agreement, the depositary may collect its fees for making cash and other distributions to holders by deducting fees from distributable amounts or by selling a portion of the distributable property. The depositary may generally refuse to provide services until its fees for those services are paid.
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Fees Paid by the Depositary to Us
Direct and Indirect Payments
The depositary has agreed to contribute certain reasonable direct and indirect expenses related to our ADS program incurred by us in connection with the program. Under certain circumstances, we may be required to repay to the depositary amounts contributed by them.
The table below sets forth the contribution received by us from the depositary towards our direct and indirect expenses during fiscal year 2023.
| Category |
Contribution received | |
| Legal, accounting fees and other expenses incurred in connection with our ADS program |
US$ 9,406,306.81 (approximately Rs. 773.1 million) |
Payment of Taxes
ADR holders must pay any tax or other governmental charge payable by the custodian or the depositary on any ADS or ADR, deposited security or distribution, and by holding, owning, or having held or owned, this ADR or any ADSs evidenced thereby, the holder and all beneficial owners, and all prior holders and beneficial owners, jointly and severally, agree to indemnify, defend and hold harmless each of the depositary and its agents in respect of such tax or other governmental charge. If an ADR holder owes any tax or other governmental charge, the depositary may:
| • | deduct the amount thereof from any cash distributions; or |
| • | sell deposited securities and deduct the amount owing from the net proceeds of such sale. |
In either case the ADR holder remains liable for any shortfall. Additionally, if any tax or governmental charge is unpaid, the depositary may also refuse to effect any registration, registration of transfer, split-up or combination of deposited securities or withdrawal of deposited securities (except under limited circumstances mandated by securities regulations). If any tax or governmental charge is required to be withheld on any non-cash distribution, the depositary may sell the distributed property or securities to pay such taxes and distribute any remaining net proceeds to the ADR holders entitled to them.
Reclassifications, Recapitalizations and Mergers
If we take certain actions that affect the deposited securities, including (1) any change in par value, split-up, consolidation, cancellation or other reclassification of deposited securities or (2) any recapitalization, reorganization, merger, consolidation, liquidation, receivership, bankruptcy or sale of all or substantially all of our assets, then the depositary may choose to:
| • | amend the form of ADR; |
| • | distribute additional or amended ADRs; |
| • | distribute cash, securities or other property it has received in connection with such actions; |
| • | sell any securities or property received and distribute the proceeds as cash; or |
| • | take no action. |
If the depositary does not choose any of the above options, any of the cash, securities or other property it receives will constitute part of the deposited securities and each ADS will then represent a proportionate interest in such property.
Amendment and Termination
We may agree with the depositary to amend the deposit agreement and the ADSs without the consent of ADR holders for any reason. ADR holders must be given at least 30 days’ notice of any amendment that imposes or increases any fees, charges or expenses on a per ADS basis (other than stock transfer or other taxes and other governmental charges, transfer or registration fees, a transaction fee per cancellation request (including through SWIFT, telex or facsimile transmission), applicable delivery expenses or other such fees, charges or expenses), or prejudices any substantial existing right of ADR holders or beneficial owners of ADSs. If an ADR holder or a beneficial owner of ADSs, continues to hold an ADR or ADRs, or beneficially own ADSs, respectively, after being notified of these changes, the ADR holder or the beneficial owner of ADSs, is deemed to agree to, and be bound by, such amendment. Notwithstanding the foregoing, an amendment can become effective before notice is given if this is necessary to ensure compliance with a new law, rule or regulation.
No amendment will impair an ADR holder’s right to surrender its ADSs and receive the underlying securities, except in order to comply with mandatory provisions of applicable law. If a governmental or regulatory body adopts new laws, rules or regulations which require the deposit agreement or the ADS to be amended, the Bank and the depositary may make the necessary amendments, which could take effect before an ADR holder receives notice thereof.
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The depositary may terminate the deposit agreement by giving the ADR holders at least 30 days’ prior notice and it must do so at our request. After termination, the depositary’s only responsibility will be (i) to deliver deposited securities to ADR holders who surrender their ADRs and (ii) to hold or sell distributions received on deposited securities. As soon as practicable after the expiration of six months from the termination date, the depositary will sell the remaining deposited securities and hold the net proceeds of such sales, together with any other cash then held by it under the deposit agreement, in trust for the pro rata benefit of ADR holders who have not yet surrendered their ADRs. After making those sales, the depositary shall have no obligations except to account for such proceeds and other cash. The depositary will not be required to invest such proceeds or pay interest on them.
In addition, the depositary may terminate the deposit agreement without prior notice to us, but subject to giving 30 days’ notice to the ADR holders, under the following circumstances: (i) in the event of the Bank’s bankruptcy or insolvency; (ii) if the Bank effects (or will effect) a redemption of all or substantially all of the deposited securities, or a cash or share distribution representing a return of all or substantially all of the value of the deposited securities; or (iii) in case of certain transactions as a result of which securities or other property are delivered in exchange for or in lieu of deposited securities. The depositary may also terminate, immediately without prior notice to us, any ADR holder or any other person (i) if so required by any law, rule or regulation or any governmental authority or body, or (ii) if the depositary would be subject to liability, in each case as determined by the depositary in its reasonable discretion.
Limitations on Obligations and Liability to ADR Holders
The deposit agreement expressly limits the obligations and liability of the depositary, us and each of our or their respective directors, officers, employees, agents and affiliates. Neither we nor the depositary nor any such director, officer, employee, agent or affiliate will be liable (including, without limitation, to holders or beneficial owners of ADSs):
| • | if any present or future law, rule, regulation, fiat, order or decree of the Republic of India, the United States or any other country or jurisdiction, or of any governmental or regulatory authority or securities exchange or market or automated quotation system, the provisions of or regulation governing any deposited securities, any present or future provision of our charter, any act of God, war, terrorism, epidemic, pandemic, nationalization expropriation, currency restrictions, extraordinary market conditions, work stoppage, strike, civil unrest, revolutions, rebellions, explosions, cyber, ransomware or malware attack, computer failure or circumstance beyond its direct and immediate control shall prevent or delay, or shall cause it to be subject to any civil or criminal penalty in connection with any act which the deposit agreement or the ADRs provide shall be done or performed by it; |
| • | by reason of any non-performance or delay in the performance of any act or things which by the terms of the deposit agreement shall or may be done or performed or any exercise, or failure to exercise, any discretion under the deposit agreement or the ADR; |
| • | if it performs its obligations under the deposit agreement without gross negligence or willful misconduct (and the depositary shall not be a fiduciary or have any fiduciary duty to holders or beneficial owners of ADSs); |
| • | if it relies upon any written notice, request, direction, instruction or document believed by it to be genuine and to have been signed, presented or given by the proper party or parties; or |
| • | if it takes any action or inaction in reliance upon the advice of or information from legal counsel, accountants, any person presenting shares for deposit, any registered holder of ADRs, or any other person believed by it to be competent to give such advice or information. |
Neither the depositary nor its agents have any obligation to appear in, prosecute or defend any action, suit or other proceeding in respect of any deposited securities, the ADSs or the ADRs. We and our agents shall only be obligated to appear in, prosecute or defend any action, suit or other proceeding in respect of any deposited securities, the ADSs or the ADRs, which, in our opinion, may involve us in expense or liability, if indemnity satisfactory to us against all expense (including fees and disbursements of counsel) and liability is furnished as often as we require.
The depositary will not be liable for the price received in connection with any sale of securities or any delay or omission to act nor will the depositary be responsible for any error or delay in action, omission to act, default or negligence on the part of the party retained in connection with any sale or proposed sale of securities.
The depositary may own and deal in any class of securities and in ADSs.
While the depositary may use third-party delivery services and providers of information and use local agents to provide certain services, the depositary will not be responsible for any errors or omissions made by them in providing the relevant information or services.
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Disclosure of Interest in ADSs
From time to time, we may request ADR holders and beneficial owners of ADSs to provide information as to:
| • | the capacity in which they own or owned ADSs; |
| • | the identity of any other persons then or previously interested in such ADSs; and |
| • | the nature of such interest and various other matters. |
Investors in, including beneficial owners of, ADSs agree to provide any information requested by us or the depositary pursuant to the deposit agreement. The depositary has agreed to use reasonable efforts, without risk, liability or expense on the part of the depositary, to comply with written instructions received from us requesting that it forward any such requests to investors in ADSs and other holders and beneficial owners and to forward to us any responses to such requests to the extent permitted by applicable law.
We may restrict transfers of the shares where any such transfer might result in ownership of shares in contravention of, or exceeding the limits under, applicable law or our organizational documents. We may also instruct ADR holders that we are restricting the transfers of ADSs where such a transfer may result in the total number of shares represented by the ADSs beneficially owned by ADR holders contravening or exceeding the limits under the applicable law or our organizational documents. We reserve the right to instruct ADR holders to deliver their ADSs for cancellation and withdrawal of the shares underlying such ADSs and holders agree to comply with such instructions.
Requirements for Depositary Actions
We, the depositary, or the custodian may refuse to:
| • | issue, register or transfer an ADR or ADRs; |
| • | effect a split-up or combination of ADRs; |
| • | deliver distributions on any such ADRs; or |
| • | permit the withdrawal of deposited securities (unless the deposit agreement provides otherwise), until the following conditions have been met: |
| - | the holder has paid all taxes, governmental charges and fees and expenses as required in the deposit agreement; |
| - | the holder has provided the depositary with any information it may deem necessary or proper, including, without limitation, proof of identity and the genuineness of any signature, and information as to citizenship, residence, exchange control approval, beneficial ownership of any securities, compliance with applicable law, regulations, provisions of or governing deposited securities and terms of the deposit agreement and the ADRs; and |
| - | the holder has complied with such regulations as the depositary may establish consistent with the deposit agreement. |
The depositary may also suspend the issuance of ADSs, the deposit of shares, the registration, transfer, split-up or combination of ADRs, or the withdrawal of deposited securities (unless the deposit agreement provides otherwise), if the register for ADRs or any deposited securities is closed or if any such action is deemed advisable by the depositary.
Books of Depositary
The depositary or its agent will maintain a register for the registration, registration of transfer, combination and split-up of ADRs, which, in the case of registered ADRs, shall include the depositary’s direct registration system. ADR holders may inspect the depositary’s designated records at all reasonable times. Such register may be closed at any time from time to time, when deemed expedient by the depositary.
The depositary will maintain facilities for the delivery and receipt of ADRs.
The Depositary
The depositary is JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A., a commercial bank offering a wide range of banking services to its customers both domestically and internationally. JPMorgan Chase Bank, National Association is a wholly owned bank subsidiary of JPMorgan Chase Co., a Delaware corporation.
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DIVIDEND POLICY
We have paid dividends every year since fiscal year 1997. The following table sets forth, for the periods indicated, the dividend per equity share and the total amount of dividends declared on the equity shares, both exclusive of dividend tax. All dividends were paid in rupees.
| Dividend per equity share | Total amount of dividends declared | |||||||||||||||
| (in millions) | ||||||||||||||||
| Relating to Fiscal Year |
||||||||||||||||
| 2019 |
Rs. | 7.50 | US$ | 0.091 | Rs. | 40,849.6 | US$ | 497.0 | ||||||||
| 2020* |
2.50 | 0.030 | 13,664.1 | 166.3 | ||||||||||||
| 2021 |
6.50 | 0.079 | 35,833.0 | 436.0 | ||||||||||||
| 2022 |
15.50 | 0.189 | 85,955.9 | 1,045.8 | ||||||||||||
| 2023** |
19.00 | 0.231 | 106,015.1 | 1,289.9 | ||||||||||||
| * | i) | A special interim dividend was declared in a meeting of the Board held on July 20, 2019 to commemorate 25 years of HDFC Bank’s operations with the record date fixed as August 2, 2019. |
| ii) | The RBI, in its circular dated April 17, 2020, prohibited banks from making any further dividend pay-outs from the profits pertaining to fiscal year ended March 31, 2020 until further notice. This restriction was put in place to ensure that banks conserve capital and retain their ability to support the economy and absorb losses in an environment of heightened uncertainty caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. On December 4, 2020, the RBI repeated its view that in light of the ongoing stress and heightened uncertainty caused by the pandemic, banks should continue to conserve capital and maintained the prohibition on making dividend payments on equity shares from the profits pertaining to fiscal year ended March 31, 2020. |
| ** | On April 15, 2023, the Board recommended a dividend of Rs. 19.00 per share of the Bank for the fiscal year ended March 31, 2023 subject to approval of the shareholders at the Annual General Meeting to be held in 2023. |
Our dividends are generally declared and paid in the fiscal year following the fiscal year to which they relate. Under Indian law, a company pays dividends upon a recommendation by its board of directors and approval by a majority of the shareholders at the annual general meeting of shareholders held within five months of the end of each fiscal year. The shareholders have the right to decrease but not to increase the dividend amount recommended by the Board of Directors. As per the RBI guidelines, the dividend payout (excluding dividend tax) for the fiscal years ended March 31, 2023 cannot exceed 35 percent of the net income of Rs. 441,087.0 million as calculated under Indian GAAP.
In accordance with the Finance Act 2020, with effect from April 1, 2020, the dividend distribution tax payable by a company upon the distribution of dividends has been abolished. As a result, as of April 1, 2020, the Bank is no longer required to pay direct tax in respect of dividends paid by the Bank. Although no direct taxes are to be paid by the Bank on dividends distributed from and after April 1, 2020, under Section 115AC of the Finance Act 2020, such dividends are now taxable to ADR holders at the rate of 10 percent plus applicable surcharge and cess, and such amount of tax is required to be withheld or deducted from the amount of any dividends distributed to ADR holders after March 31, 2020.
Future dividends will depend on our revenues, cash flows, financial condition (including capital position) and other factors. ADS holders will be entitled to receive dividends payable in respect of the equity shares represented by ADSs. One ADS represents three equity shares. Cash dividends in respect of the equity shares represented by ADSs will be paid to the depositary in Indian rupees and, except in certain instances, will be converted by the depositary into United States dollars. The depositary will distribute these proceeds to ADS holders. The equity shares represented by ADSs will rank equally with all other equity shares in respect of dividends.
For a description of regulation of dividends, see “Supervision and Regulation—Special Provisions of the Banking Regulation Act—Restrictions on Payment of Dividends.”
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SELECTED FINANCIAL AND OTHER DATA
The following tables set forth our selected financial and other data. Our selected income statement data for the fiscal years ended March 31, 2021, 2022 and 2023 and the selected balance sheet data as of March 31, 2022 and 2023 are derived from our audited financial statements included in this report.
For the convenience of the reader, the selected financial data as of and for the year ended March 31, 2023 have been translated into U.S. dollars at the rate on such date of Rs. 82.19 per US$1.00. The U.S. dollar equivalent information should not be construed to imply that the real amounts represent, or could have been or could be converted into, U.S. dollars at such rates or at any other rate.
One ADS continues to represent three equity shares.
You should read the following data with the more detailed information contained in “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations” and our financial statements. Footnotes to the following data appear below the final table.
| Year ended March 31, | ||||||||||||||||
| 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2023 | |||||||||||||
| (in millions, except per equity share data and ADS data) | ||||||||||||||||
| Selected income statement data: |
||||||||||||||||
| Interest and dividend revenue |
Rs. | 1,275,967.6 | Rs. | 1,333,137.0 | Rs. | 1,689,526.7 | US$ | 20,556.4 | ||||||||
| Interest expense |
592,281.1 | 584,297.5 | 775,538.2 | 9,435.9 | ||||||||||||
| Net interest revenue |
683,686.5 | 748,839.5 | 913,988.5 | 11,120.5 | ||||||||||||
| Provisions for credit losses |
154,233.4 | 126,979.5 | 74,213.8 | 903.0 | ||||||||||||
| Net interest revenue after provisions for credit losses |
529,453.1 | 621,860.0 | 839,774.7 | 10,217.5 | ||||||||||||
| Non-interest revenue, net |
252,975.7 | 270,574.2 | 291,386.5 | 3,545.1 | ||||||||||||
| Net revenue |
782,428.8 | 892,434.2 | 1,131,161.2 | 13,762.6 | ||||||||||||
| Non-interest expense |
342,602.3 | 373,272.0 | 468,779.4 | 5,703.7 | ||||||||||||
| Income before income tax expense |
439,826.5 | 519,162.2 | 662,381.8 | 8,058.9 | ||||||||||||
| Income tax expense |
113,820.1 | 132,559.2 | 166,117.4 | 2,021.1 | ||||||||||||
| Net income before non-controlling interest |
326,006.4 | 386,603.0 | 496,264.4 | 6,037.8 | ||||||||||||
| Less: Net income attributable to shareholders of non-controlling interest |
29.3 | 602.6 | 817.5 | 9.9 | ||||||||||||
| Net income attributable to HDFC Bank Limited |
Rs. | 325,977.1 | Rs. | 386,000.4 | Rs. | 495,446.9 | US$ | 6,027.9 | ||||||||
| Per equity share data: |
||||||||||||||||
| Earnings per equity share, basic |
Rs. | 59.27 | Rs. | 69.76 | Rs. | 89.02 | US$ | 1.08 | ||||||||
| Earnings per equity share, diluted |
59.02 | 69.38 | 88.68 | 1.07 | ||||||||||||
| Dividends per share |
6.50 | 15.50 | 19.00 | 0.23 | ||||||||||||
| Book value(1) |
391.75 | 451.69 | 521.93 | 6.35 | ||||||||||||
| Equity share data: |
||||||||||||||||
| Equity shares outstanding at end of period |
5,512.8 | 5,545.5 | 5,579.7 | 5,579.7 | ||||||||||||
| Weighted average equity shares outstanding—basic |
5,499.6 | 5,533.1 | 5,565.6 | 5,565.6 | ||||||||||||
| Weighted average equity shares outstanding—diluted |
5,523.5 | 5,563.5 | 5,587.2 | 5,587.2 | ||||||||||||
| ADS data (where one ADS represents three shares): |
||||||||||||||||
| Earnings per ADS—basic |
177.81 | 209.28 | 267.06 | 3.24 | ||||||||||||
| Earnings per ADS—diluted |
177.06 | 208.14 | 266.04 | 3.21 | ||||||||||||
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| As of March 31, | ||||||||||||||||
| 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2023 | |||||||||||||
| (in millions) | ||||||||||||||||
| Selected balance sheet data: |
||||||||||||||||
| Cash and due from banks, and restricted cash |
Rs. | 930,694.7 | Rs. | 1,122,031.1 | Rs. | 1,387,395.2 | US$ | 16,880.3 | ||||||||
| Loans, net of allowance |
11,700,189.2 | 14,036,872.2 | 17,052,927.9 | 207,481.8 | ||||||||||||
| Investments: |
||||||||||||||||
| Investments held for trading |
99,620.2 | 53,199.5 | 135,831.1 | 1,652.6 | ||||||||||||
| Investments available for sale, debt securities |
4,275,449.9 | 4,388,563.1 | 4,878,844.0 | 59,360.6 | ||||||||||||
| Total |
4,375,070.1 | 4,441,762.6 | 5,014,675.1 | 61,013.2 | ||||||||||||
| Total assets |
Rs. | 17,979,782.0 | Rs. | 21,113,705.5 | Rs. | 25,755,624.0 | US$ | 313,366.9 | ||||||||
| Long term debt |
1,174,758.2 | 1,554,333.4 | 2,054,436.4 | 24,996.2 | ||||||||||||
| Short term borrowings |
239,264.1 | 554,167.6 | 1,089,897.5 | 13,260.7 | ||||||||||||
| Total deposits |
13,337,230.2 | 15,580,031.9 | 18,826,635.6 | 229,062.4 | ||||||||||||
| Of which: |
||||||||||||||||
| Interest-bearing deposits |
11,226,467.8 | 13,197,979.7 | 16,097,459.3 | 195,856.7 | ||||||||||||
| Non-interest-bearing deposits |
2,110,762.4 | 2,382,052.2 | 2,729,176.3 | 33,205.7 | ||||||||||||
| Total liabilities |
15,816,377.2 | 18,604,252.1 | 22,837,786.1 | 277,865.8 | ||||||||||||
| Noncontrolling interest |
3,776.4 | 4,615.0 | 5,637.2 | 68.6 | ||||||||||||
| HDFC Bank Limited shareholders’ equity |
2,159,628.4 | 2,504,838.4 | 2,912,200.7 | 35,432.5 | ||||||||||||
| Total liabilities and shareholders’ equity |
Rs. | 17,979,782.0 | Rs. | 21,113,705.5 | Rs. | 25,755,624.0 | US$ | 313,366.9 | ||||||||
| Year ended March 31, | ||||||||||||||||
| 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2023 | |||||||||||||
| (in millions) | ||||||||||||||||
| Period average(2) |
||||||||||||||||
| Interest-earning assets |
Rs. | 15,385,116.2 | Rs. | 17,476,144.8 | Rs. | 20,852,505.1 | US$ | 253,711.0 | ||||||||
| Loans, net of allowance |
10,589,490.6 | 12,175,749.9 | 15,037,546.2 | 182,960.8 | ||||||||||||
| Total assets |
16,396,029.4 | 18,648,153.1 | 22,354,795.1 | 271,989.2 | ||||||||||||
| Interest-bearing deposits |
10,628,807.9 | 11,951,645.0 | 14,149,631.8 | 172,157.6 | ||||||||||||
| Non-interest-bearing deposits |
1,430,913.3 | 1,769,880.8 | 2,009,410.5 | 24,448.4 | ||||||||||||
| Total deposits |
12,059,721.2 | 13,721,525.8 | 16,159,042.3 | 196,605.9 | ||||||||||||
| Interest-bearing liabilities |
12,287,815.7 | 13,945,086.1 | 16,993,341.0 | 206,756.8 | ||||||||||||
| Long term debt |
1,109,959.9 | 1,243,226.8 | 1,646,705.9 | 20,035.4 | ||||||||||||
| Short term borrowings |
549,047.9 | 750,214.3 | 1,197,003.3 | 14,563.9 | ||||||||||||
| Total liabilities |
14,368,425.0 | 16,347,325.5 | 19,711,755.2 | 239,831.6 | ||||||||||||
| Total shareholders’ equity |
2,027,604.4 | 2,300,827.6 | 2,643,039.9 | 32,157.7 | ||||||||||||
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| 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | ||||||||||
| (in percentage) | ||||||||||||
| Profitability: |
||||||||||||
| Net income attributable to HDFC Bank Limited as a percentage of: |
||||||||||||
| Average total assets |
2.0 | 2.1 | 2.2 | |||||||||
| Average total shareholders’ equity |
16.1 | 16.8 | 18.7 | |||||||||
| Dividend payout ratio(3) |
11.0 | 22.3 | 21.4 | |||||||||
| Spread(4) |
4.0 | 3.9 | 4.0 | |||||||||
| Net interest margin(5) |
4.4 | 4.3 | 4.4 | |||||||||
| Cost-to-net revenue ratio(6) |
43.8 | 41.8 | 41.4 | |||||||||
| Cost-to-average assets ratio(7) |
2.1 | 2.0 | 2.1 | |||||||||
| Capital: |
||||||||||||
| Total capital adequacy ratio(8) |
18.79 | 18.90 | 19.26 | |||||||||
| Tier I capital adequacy ratio(8) |
17.56 | 17.87 | 17.13 | |||||||||
| Tier II capital adequacy ratio(8) |
1.23 | 1.03 | 2.13 | |||||||||
| Average total shareholders’ equity as a percentage of average total assets |
12.4 | 12.3 | 11.8 | |||||||||
| Asset quality: |
||||||||||||
| Gross non-performing customer assets as a percentage of gross customer assets(9) |
1.7 | 1.3 | 1.1 | |||||||||
| (1) | Represents the difference between total assets and total liabilities, reduced by noncontrolling interests in subsidiaries, divided by the number of shares outstanding at the end of each reporting period. |
| (2) | Average balances are the average of daily outstanding amounts. |
| (3) | Represents the ratio of total dividends payable on equity shares relating to each fiscal year, as a percentage of net income of that year. Dividends declared each year are typically paid in the following fiscal year. |
| (4) | Represents the difference between yield on average interest-earning assets and cost of average interest-bearing liabilities. Yield on average interest-earning assets is the ratio of interest revenue to average interest-earning assets. Cost of average interest-bearing liabilities is the ratio of interest expense to average interest-bearing liabilities. For purposes of calculating spread, interest-bearing liabilities includes non-interest-bearing current accounts. |
| (5) | Represents the ratio of net interest revenue to average interest-earning assets. The difference in net interest margin and spread arises due to the difference in the amount of average interest-earning assets and average interest-bearing liabilities. If average interest-earning assets exceed average interest-bearing liabilities, the net interest margin is greater than the spread. If average interest-bearing liabilities exceed average interest-earning assets, the net interest margin is less than the spread. |
| (6) | Represents the ratio of non-interest expense to the sum of net interest revenue after provision for credit losses and non-interest revenue. |
| (7) | Represents the ratio of non-interest expense to average total assets. |
| (8) | Calculated in accordance with RBI guidelines (Basel III Capital Regulations, generally referred to as “Basel III”). See also “Supervision and Regulation”. |
| (9) | Gross Customer assets consist of loans and credit substitutes. |
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SELECTED STATISTICAL INFORMATION
The following information should be read together with our financial statements included in this report as well as “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations”. Certain amounts presented in this section are in accordance with U.S. GAAP and certain figures are presented according to RBI guidelines where noted. Footnotes appear at the end of each related section of tables.
Average Balance Sheet
The table below presents the average balances for our assets and liabilities together with the related interest revenue and expense amounts, resulting in the presentation of the average yields and cost for each period. The average balance is the daily average of balances outstanding. The average yield on average interest-earning assets is the ratio of interest revenue to average interest-earning assets. The average cost of average interest-bearing liabilities is the ratio of interest expense to average interest-bearing liabilities. The average balances of loans include non-performing loans and are net of allowance for credit losses.
| Year ended March 31, | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Average balance |
Interest revenue/ expense |
Average yield/ cost |
Average balance |
Interest revenue/ expense |
Average yield/ cost |
Average balance |
Interest revenue/ expense |
Average yield/ cost |
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| (in millions, except percentages) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Assets: |
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Interest-earning assets: |
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Due from banks |
Rs. | 147,708.6 | Rs. | 1,019.5 | 0.7 | % | Rs. | 108,184.0 | Rs. | 1,090.9 | 1.0 | % | Rs. | 152,848.2 | Rs. | 6,308.7 | 4.1 | % | ||||||||||||||||||
| Investments available for sale debt securities |
3,751,942.6 | 226,690.9 | 6.0 | 4,132,605.2 | 240,943.0 | 5.8 | 4,875,942.8 | 304,566.7 | 6.2 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Investments held for trading |
81,621.3 | 3,373.8 | 4.1 | 81,809.4 | 1,647.5 | 2.0 | 71,944.9 | 2,964.6 | 4.1 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Loans, net: |
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Retail loans |
6,975,006.4 | 7,53,857.1 | 10.8 | 8,014,536.7 | 8,07,146.1 | 10.1 | 9,863,886.2 | 9,87,975.9 | 10.0 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Wholesale loans |
3,614,484.2 | 2,63,190.7 | 7.3 | 4,161,213.2 | 2,50,779.5 | 6.0 | 5,173,660.0 | 3,63,842.1 | 7.0 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Securities purchased with agreement to resell |
674,912.0 | 23,149.6 | 3.4 | 699,778.0 | 25,101.0 | 3.6 | 52,860.0 | 2,222.7 | 4.2 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Other assets |
139,441.1 | 4,686.0 | 3.4 | 278,018.3 | 6,429.0 | 2.3 | 661,363.0 | 21,646.0 | 3.3 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Total interest-earning assets: |
Rs. | 15,385,116.2 | Rs. | 1,275,967.6 | 8.3 | % | Rs. | 17,476,144.8 | Rs. | 1,333,137.0 | 7.6 | % | Rs. | 20,852,505.1 | Rs. | 1,689,526.7 | 8.1 | % | ||||||||||||||||||
| Non-interest-earning assets: |
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Cash and due from banks, and restricted cash |
474,736.0 | 668,669.0 | 878,597.0 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Property and equipment |
50,822.3 | 57,591.1 | 72,436.9 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Other assets |
485,354.9 | 445,748.2 | 551,256.1 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Total non-interest earning assets |
1,010,913.2 | 1,172,008.3 | 1,502,290.0 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Total assets |
Rs. | 16,396,029.4 | Rs. | 1,275,967.6 | 7.8 | % | Rs. | 18,648,153.1 | Rs. | 1,333,137.0 | 7.1 | % | Rs. | 22,354,795.1 | Rs. | 1,689,526.7 | 7.6 | % | ||||||||||||||||||
| Liabilities: |
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Interest-bearing liabilities: |
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Savings account deposits |
Rs. | 3,392,406.0 | Rs. | 108,107.0 | 3.2 | % | Rs. | 4,348,242.0 | Rs. | 137,400.0 | 3.2 | % | Rs. | 5,021,031.0 | Rs. | 158,795.0 | 3.2 | % | ||||||||||||||||||
| Time deposits |
7,236,401.9 | 393,153.2 | 5.4 | 7,603,403.0 | 351,610.1 | 4.6 | 9,128,600.8 | 456,313.9 | 5.0 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Short term borrowings |
239,096.7 | 3,359.4 | 1.4 | 403,780.3 | 6,537.1 | 1.6 | 870,879.3 | 42,473.5 | 4.9 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Long term debt |
1,109,959.9 | 78,361.5 | 7.1 | 1,243,226.8 | 77,456.3 | 6.2 | 1,646,705.9 | 101,587.8 | 6.2 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Securities sold with agreement to repurchase |
309,951.2 | 9,300.0 | 3.0 | 346,434.0 | 11,294.0 | 3.3 | 326,124.0 | 16,368.0 | 5.0 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Total interest-bearing liabilities |
Rs. | 12,287,815.7 | Rs. | 592,281.1 | 4.8 | % | Rs. | 13,945,086.1 | Rs. | 584,297.5 | 4.2 | % | Rs. | 16,993,341.0 | Rs. | 775,538.2 | 4.6 | % | ||||||||||||||||||
| Non-interest-bearing liabilities: |
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Non-interest-bearing deposits |
1,430,913.3 | 1,769,880.8 | 2,009,410.5 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Other liabilities |
649,696.0 | 632,358.6 | 709,003.7 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Total non-interest-bearing liabilities |
2,080,609.3 | 2,402,239.4 | 2,718,414.2 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Total liabilities |
Rs. | 14,368,425.0 | Rs. | 592,281.1 | 4.1 | % | Rs. | 16,347,325.5 | Rs. | 584,297.5 | 3.6 | % | Rs. | 19,711,755.2 | Rs. | 775,538.2 | 3.9 | % | ||||||||||||||||||
| Total shareholders’ equity |
2,027,604.4 | 2,300,827.6 | 2,643,039.9 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Total liabilities and shareholders’ equity |
Rs. | 16,396,029.4 | Rs. | 592,281.1 | 3.6 | % | Rs. | 18,648,153.1 | Rs. | 584,297.5 | 3.1 | % | Rs. | 22,354,795.1 | Rs. | 775,538.2 | 3.5 | % | ||||||||||||||||||
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Analysis of Changes in Interest Revenue and Interest Expense
The following table sets forth, for the periods indicated, the allocation of the changes in our interest revenue and interest expense between average balance and average rate.
| Fiscal Year 2022 vs. Fiscal Year 2021 Increase (decrease) (1) due to |
Fiscal Year 2023 vs. Fiscal Year 2022 Increase (decrease) (1) due to |
|||||||||||||||||||||||
| Net change | Change in Average balance |
Change in Average rate |
Net change | Change in Average balance |
Change in Average rate |
|||||||||||||||||||
| (in millions) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Interest revenue: |
||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Cash and due from banks, and restricted cash |
Rs. | 71.4 | Rs. | (272.8 | ) | Rs. | 344.2 | Rs. | 5,217.8 | Rs. | 450.4 | Rs. | 4,767.4 | |||||||||||
| Investments available for sale debt securities |
14,252.1 | 22,999.5 | (8,747.4 | ) | 63,623.7 | 43,338.8 | 20,284.9 | |||||||||||||||||
| Investments held for trading |
(1,726.3 | ) | 7.8 | (1,734.1 | ) | 1,317.1 | (198.7 | ) | 1,515.8 | |||||||||||||||
| Loans, net: |
||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Retail loans |
53,289.0 | 112,352.2 | (59,063.2 | ) | 180,829.8 | 186,248.5 | (5,418.7 | ) | ||||||||||||||||
| Wholesale loans |
(12,411.2 | ) | 39,810.4 | (52,221.6 | ) | 113,062.6 | 61,016.1 | 52,046.5 | ||||||||||||||||
| Securities purchased with agreement to resell |
1,951.4 | 852.9 | 1,098.5 | (22,878.3 | ) | (23,204.9 | ) | 326.6 | ||||||||||||||||
| Other assets |
1,743.0 | 4,657.0 | (2,914.0 | ) | 15,217.0 | 8,864.6 | 6,352.4 | |||||||||||||||||
| Total interest-earning assets |
Rs. | 57,169.4 | Rs. | 180,407.0 | Rs. | (123,237.6 | ) | Rs. | 356,389.7 | Rs. | 276,514.8 | Rs. | 79,874.9 | |||||||||||
| Interest expense: |
||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Savings account deposits |
Rs. | 29,293.0 | Rs. | 30,460.0 | Rs. | (1,167.0) | Rs. | 21,395.0 | Rs. | 21,259.4 | Rs. | 135.6 | ||||||||||||
| Time deposits |
(41,543.1 | ) | 19,939.1 | (61,482.2 | ) | 104,703.8 | 70,530.9 | 34,172.9 | ||||||||||||||||
| Short term borrowings |
3,177.7 | 2,313.9 | 863.8 | 35,936.4 | 7,562.2 | 28,374.2 | ||||||||||||||||||
| Long term debt |
(905.2 | ) | 9,408.4 | (10,313.6 | ) | 24,131.5 | 25,137.8 | (1,006.3 | ) | |||||||||||||||
| Securities sold with agreement to repurchase |
1,994.0 | 1,094.7 | 899.3 | 5,074.0 | (662.1 | ) | 5,736.1 | |||||||||||||||||
| Total interest-bearing liabilities |
Rs. | (7,983.6) | Rs. | 63,216.1 | Rs. | (71,199.7) | Rs. | 191,240.7 | Rs. | 123,828.2 | Rs. | 67,412.5 | ||||||||||||
| Net interest revenue |
Rs. | 65,153.0 | Rs. | 117,190.9 | Rs. | (52,037.9 | ) | Rs. | 165,149.0 | Rs. | 152,686.6 | Rs. | 12,462.4 | |||||||||||
| (1) | The changes in net interest revenue between periods have been reflected as attributed either to average balance or average rate changes. For purposes of this table, changes that are due to both average balance and average rate have been allocated solely to changes in average rate. |
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Yields, Spreads and Margins
The following table sets forth, for the periods indicated, the yields, spreads and interest margins on our interest-earning assets.
| Years ended March 31, | ||||||||||||
| 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | ||||||||||
| (in millions, except percentages) | ||||||||||||
| Interest and dividend revenue |
Rs. | 1,275,967.6 | Rs. | 1,333,137.0 | Rs. | 1,689,526.7 | ||||||
| Average interest-earning assets |
15,385,116.2 | 17,476,144.8 | 20,852,505.1 | |||||||||
| Interest expense |
592,281.1 | 584,297.5 | 775,538.2 | |||||||||
| Average interest-bearing liabilities |
12,287,815.7 | 13,945,086.1 | 16,993,341.0 | |||||||||
| Average total assets |
16,396,029.4 | 18,648,153.1 | 22,354,795.1 | |||||||||
| Average interest-earning assets as a percentage of average total assets |
93.8 | % | 93.7 | % | 93.3 | % | ||||||
| Average interest-bearing liabilities as a percentage of average total assets |
74.9 | % | 74.8 | % | 76.0 | % | ||||||
| Average interest-earning assets as a percentage of average interest-bearing liabilities |
125.2 | % | 125.3 | % | 122.7 | % | ||||||
| Yield |
8.3 | % | 7.6 | % | 8.1 | % | ||||||
| Cost of funds(1) |
4.1 | % | 3.6 | % | 3.9 | % | ||||||
| Spread(2) |
4.0 | % | 3.9 | % | 4.0 | % | ||||||
| Net interest margin(3) |
4.4 | % | 4.3 | % | 4.4 | % | ||||||
| (1) | Excludes total shareholders’ equity. |
| (2) | Represents the difference between the yield on average interest-earning assets and the cost of average interest-bearing liabilities. The yield on average interest-earning assets is the ratio of interest revenue to average interest-earning assets. The cost of average interest-bearing liabilities is the ratio of interest expense to average interest-bearing liabilities. For purposes of calculating spread, interest-bearing liabilities includes non-interest-bearing current accounts. |
| (3) | The net interest margin is the ratio of net interest revenue to average interest-earning assets. The difference in the net interest margin and spread arises due to the difference in the amount of average interest-earning assets and average interest-bearing liabilities. If average interest-earning assets exceed average interest-bearing liabilities, the net interest margin is greater than the spread. If average interest-bearing liabilities exceed average interest-earning assets, the net interest margin is less than the spread. |
Funding
Our funding operations are designed to ensure stability, low cost of funding and effective liquidity management. The primary source of funding is deposits raised from retail customers, which were 81 percent and 83 percent of total deposits as of March 31, 2022 and March 31, 2023, respectively. Wholesale banking deposits represented 19 percent and 17 percent of total deposits as of March 31, 2022 and March 31, 2023, respectively.
Total Deposits
The following table sets forth, for the periods indicated, our average outstanding deposits and the percentage composition by each category of deposits. The average cost (interest expense divided by the average of the daily balance for the relevant period) of savings deposits was 3.2 percent in fiscal year 2022 and 3.2 percent in fiscal year 2023. The average cost of time deposits was 4.6 percent in fiscal year 2022 and 5.0 percent in fiscal year 2023. The average deposits for the periods set forth are as follows:
| Years ended March 31, | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Amount | % of total | Amount | % of total | Amount | % of total | |||||||||||||||||||
| (in millions, except percentages) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Current deposits |
Rs. | 1,430,913.3 | 11.9 | % | Rs. | 1,769,880.8 | 12.9 | % | Rs. | 2,009,410.5 | 12.4 | % | ||||||||||||
| Savings deposits |
3,392,406.0 | 28.1 | 4,348,242.0 | 31.7 | 5,021,031.0 | 31.1 | ||||||||||||||||||
| Time deposits |
7,236,401.9 | 60.0 | 7,603,403.0 | 55.4 | 9,128,600.8 | 56.5 | ||||||||||||||||||
| Total |
Rs. | 12,059,721.2 | 100.0 | % | Rs. | 13,721,525.8 | 100.0 | % | Rs. | 16,159,042.3 | 100.0 | |||||||||||||
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Uninsured Deposits
Demand and time deposits of up to Rs. 0.5 million accepted by scheduled commercial banks in India have to be mandatorily insured with the Deposit Insurance and Credit Guarantee Corporation (“DICGC”), a wholly owned subsidiary of the RBI. As of March 31, 2022 and March 31, 2023, total deposits that exceed DICGC insurance limits, or are otherwise uninsured, were estimated to be Rs. 12,118.5 billion and Rs. 14,802.3 billion respectively. All the deposits outside India are treated for these purposes as uninsured. The below table presents the contractual maturities of estimated time deposits that exceed DICGC insurance limits, or are otherwise uninsured.
| At March 31, 2022 | At March 31, 2023 | |||||||
| (in billions) | (in billions) | |||||||
| Uninsured time deposits with a maturity of: |
||||||||
| Up to three months |
Rs. | 1,958.4 | Rs. | 2,165.7 | ||||
| Three to six months |
1,236.0 | 1,561.0 | ||||||
| Six to twelve months |
2,133.6 | 2,478.5 | ||||||
| More than one year |
1,667.6 | 2,870.8 | ||||||
Loan Portfolio and Credit Substitutes
As of March 31, 2023, our gross loan portfolio amounted to Rs. 17,418.1 billion. As of that date, our gross credit substitutes outstanding were Rs. 503.2 billion. Almost all our gross loans and credit substitutes are to borrowers in India and approximately 97 percent are denominated in rupees. For a description of our retail and wholesale loan products, see “Business—Retail Banking—Retail Loans and Other Asset Products” and “Business—Wholesale Banking—Commercial Banking Products—Commercial Loan Products and Credit Substitutes”.
The following table sets forth, for the periods indicated, our gross loan portfolio classified by product group:
| At March 31, | ||||||||
| 2022 | 2023 | |||||||
| (in millions) | ||||||||
| Retail loans |
Rs. | 9,310,534.7 | Rs. | 11,506,580.3 | ||||
| Wholesale loans |
5,099,009.3 | 5,911,512.1 | ||||||
| Gross loans |
Rs. | 14,409,544.0 | Rs. | 17,418,092.4 | ||||
| Credit substitutes (at fair value) |
583,020.2 | 503,187.8 | ||||||
| Gross loans plus credit substitutes |
Rs. | 14,992,564.2 | Rs. | 17,921,280.2 | ||||
Maturity and Interest Rate Sensitivity of Loans and Credit Substitutes
The following tables set forth, for the period indicated, the maturity and interest rate sensitivity of our loans and credit substitutes:
| At March 31, 2023 | ||||||||||||||||
| Due in one year or less |
Due in one to five years |
Due in five to fifteen years |
Due after fifteen years |
|||||||||||||
| (in millions) | ||||||||||||||||
| Retail loans |
Rs. | 2,863,235.5 | Rs. | 7,396,855.6 | Rs. | 967,530.6 | Rs. | 278,958.6 | ||||||||
| Wholesale loans |
1,790,721.1 | 2,966,781.3 | 1,133,083.7 | 20,926.0 | ||||||||||||
| Gross loans |
Rs. | 4,653,956.6 | Rs. | 10,363,636.9 | Rs. | 2,100,614.3 | 299,884.6 | |||||||||
| Credit substitutes (at fair value) |
297,818.6 | 182,529.8 | 22,839.2 | 0.2 | ||||||||||||
| Gross loans plus credit substitutes |
Rs. | 4,951,775.2 | Rs. | 10,546,166.7 | Rs. | 2,123,453.5 | Rs. | 299,884.8 | ||||||||
| At March 31, 2023 | ||||||||||||||||
| Due in one year or less |
Due in one to five years |
Due in five to fifteen years |
Due after fifteen years |
|||||||||||||
| (in millions) | ||||||||||||||||
| Interest rate classification of loans by maturity: |
||||||||||||||||
| Variable rates |
Rs. | 1,558,458.1 | Rs. | 5,651,033.5 | Rs. | 1,767,704.6 | 286,173.5 | |||||||||
| Fixed rates |
3,095,498.5 | 4,712,603.4 | 332,909.7 | 13,711.1 | ||||||||||||
| Gross loans |
Rs. | 4,653,956.6 | Rs. | 10,363,636.9 | Rs. | 2,100,614.3 | 299,884.6 | |||||||||
| Interest rate classification of credit substitutes by maturity: |
17,67,704.6 | 2,86,173.5 | ||||||||||||||
| Variable rates |
Rs. | 46,842.3 | Rs. | 5,422.6 | Rs. | 1,025.1 | — | |||||||||
| Fixed rates |
250,976.3 | 177,107.2 | 21,814.1 | 0.2 | ||||||||||||
| Gross credit substitutes |
Rs. | 297,818.6 | Rs. | 182,529.8 | Rs. | 22,839.2 | 0.2 | |||||||||
| Interest rate classification of loans and credit substitutes by maturity: |
||||||||||||||||
| Variable rates |
Rs. | 1,605,300.4 | Rs. | 5,656,456.1 | Rs. | 1,768,729.7 | 286,173.5 | |||||||||
| Fixed rates |
3,346,474.8 | 4,889,710.6 | 354,723.8 | 13,711.3 | ||||||||||||
| Gross loans and credit substitutes |
Rs. | 4,951,775.2 | Rs. | 10,546,166.7 | Rs. | 2,123,453.5 | 299,884.8 | |||||||||
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Directed Lending
The RBI has established guidelines requiring Indian banks to lend 40.0 percent of their ANBC, as computed in accordance with RBI guidelines, or the credit equivalent amount of off-balance sheet exposures, whichever is higher, as of the corresponding date of the preceding year, to certain sectors called “priority sectors”. Priority sectors are broadly comprised of agriculture, micro enterprises and other PSL, which includes small and medium enterprises, residential mortgages, education, renewable energy and social infrastructure, among others, subject to satisfying certain criteria.
We are required to comply with the PSL requirements as of March 31 of each fiscal year, a date specified by the RBI for reporting. The assessment of whether we have achieved the PSL requirements is made at the end of the fiscal year based on the average of priority sector target/sub-target achievement as at the end of each quarter. On the basis of the quarterly average, the Bank met its PSL requirement in fiscal year 2023. The Bank’s total PSL achievement for fiscal year 2023 stood at 45.06 percent. Lending to micro enterprises stood at 9.16 percent as against the requirement of 7.5 percent. Advances to the agriculture sector were 15.62 percent of ANBC compared to the requirement of 18.0 percent and agricultural advances made to small and marginal farmers were 6.03 percent of ANBC, compared to the requirement of 9.5 percent. The above achievements are subject to district weight adjustments wherein, a higher weight (125 percent) would be assigned in the identified districts where the credit flow is comparatively lower and a lower weight (90 percent) would be assigned in districts where the credit flow is comparatively higher. This will be valid for up to fiscal year 2024 and will be reviewed thereafter. The districts not further specified will continue to have an existing weightage of 100 percent. Adjustments for weights to incremental PSL credit by RBI are pending.
The PSL master directions mention that Scheduled Commercial Banks having any shortfall in lending to priority sectors shall be allocated amounts for contribution to the RIDF established with NABARD and other Funds with NABARD, NHB, SIDBI or MUDRA Ltd., as decided by the RBI from time to time.
We may be required by the RBI to deposit with the Indian Development Banks certain amounts as specified by the RBI in the coming year due to the shortfall in the above-mentioned sub-categories of priority sector lending targets. As of March 31, 2023, our total investments as directed by RBI in such deposits were Rs. 905.9 billion, yielding returns ranging from 2.3 percent to 5 percent.
The following table sets forth, for the periods indicated, our loans, broken down by sector, forming part of our directed lending:
| As of March 31, | ||||||||||||
| 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | ||||||||||
| (in millions) | ||||||||||||
| Directed lending: |
||||||||||||
| Agriculture |
Rs. | 929,039.3 | Rs. | 1,022,103.4 | Rs. | 1,394,654.4 | ||||||
| Micro, small and medium enterprises |
1,767,746.8 | 2,573,219.5 | 3,547,469.0 | |||||||||
| Other |
326,168.7 | 352,350.5 | 442,703.0 | |||||||||
| Total directed lending |
Rs. | 3,022,954.8 | Rs. | 3,947,673.4 | Rs. | 5,384,826.4 | ||||||
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Non-Performing Loans
The following table sets forth, for the periods indicated, information about our non-performing loan portfolio:
| As of March 31, | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2022 | 2023 | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| Retail | Wholesale | Total | Retail | Wholesale | Total | |||||||||||||||||||
| (in millions, except percentages) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Non-performing loans |
Rs. | 165,348.4 | Rs. | 31,921.1 | Rs. | 197,269.5 | Rs. | 167,196.5 | Rs. | 33,512.3 | Rs. | 200,708.8 | ||||||||||||
| Allowance for credit losses |
298,270.9 | 74,400.9 | 372,671.8 | 303,857.6 | 61,306.9 | 365,164.5 | ||||||||||||||||||
| Net charge-offs* |
96,281.1 | 1,555.3 | 97,836.4 | 81,333.5 | 387.6 | 81,721.1 | ||||||||||||||||||
| Gross loan |
9,310,534.7 | 5,099,009.3 | 14,409,544.0 | 11,506,580.3 | 5,911,512.1 | 17,418,092.4 | ||||||||||||||||||
| Net loan |
9,012,263.8 | 5,024,608.4 | 14,036,872.2 | 11,202,722.7 | 5,850,205.2 | 17,052,927.9 | ||||||||||||||||||
| Average loans |
8,014,536.7 | 4,161,213.2 | 12,175,749.9 | 9,863,886.2 | 5,173,660.0 | 15,037,546.2 | ||||||||||||||||||
| Gross non-performing loans as a percentage of gross loans |
1.8 | % | 0.6 | % | 1.4 | % | 1.5 | % | 0.6 | % | 1.2 | % | ||||||||||||
| Gross unsecured non-performing loans as a percentage of gross non-performing loans |
24.8 | % | 23.7 | % | 24.6 | % | 25.9 | % | 23.3 | % | 25.5 | % | ||||||||||||
| Gross unsecured non-performing loans as a percentage of gross unsecured loans |
1.6 | % | 0.4 | % | 1.1 | % | 1.3 | % | 0.3 | % | 0.9 | % | ||||||||||||
| Total allowances for credit losses as a percentage of gross loans |
3.2 | % | 1.5 | % | 2.6 | % | 2.6 | % | 1.0 | % | 2.1 | % | ||||||||||||
| Net charge-offs* as a percentage of average outstanding loans |
1.2 | % | ~0.0 | % | 0.8 | % | 0.8 | % | ~0.0 | % | 0.5 | % | ||||||||||||
| * | Write-off net of recoveries |
Recognition of Non-Performing Loans
We classify our loan portfolio into loans that are performing and loans that are non-performing. We have categorized our gross loans based on their performance status as follows:
| At March 31, | ||||||||
| 2022 | 2023 | |||||||
| (in millions) | ||||||||
| Performing |
Rs. | 14,212,274.5 | Rs. | 17,217,383.6 | ||||
| Non-performing: |
||||||||
| On accrual status |
— | — | ||||||
| On non-accrual status |
197,269.5 | 200,708.8 | ||||||
| Total non-performing |
197,269.5 | 200,708.8 | ||||||
| Total |
Rs. | 14,409,544.0 | Rs. | 17,418,092.4 | ||||
We consider a loan to be performing when no principal or interest payment is three months or more past due and where we expect to recover all amounts due to us. In the case of wholesale loans, we also identify loans as non-performing even when principal or interest payments are less than three months past due but where we believe recovery of all principal and interest amounts is doubtful. Interest income from loans is recognized on an accrual basis using the effective interest method when earned except in respect of loans placed on non-accrual status, for which interest income is recognized when received. Loans are placed on “non-accrual” status when interest or principal payments are 90 days past due.
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Analysis of Non-Performing Loans by Industry Sector
The following table sets forth, for the periods indicated, our non-performing loans by borrowers’ industry or economic activity in each of the respective periods and as a percentage of our loans in the respective industry or economic activity sector. These figures do not include credit substitutes, which we include for purposes of calculating our industry concentration for RBI reporting. See “Risk Factors—We have high concentrations of exposures to certain customers and sectors, and if any of these exposures were to become non-performing, the quality of our portfolio could be adversely affected and our ability to meet capital requirements could be jeopardized”.
| As of March 31, | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2022 | 2023 | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| Industry |
Gross Loans |
Non- performing loans |
% of loans in industry |
Gross Loans |
Non- performing Loans |
% of loans in industry |
||||||||||||||||||
| (in millions, except percentages) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Capital Market Intermediaries |
Rs. | 17,633.0 | Rs. | 3,356.4 | 19.0 | Rs. | 30,510.9 | Rs. | 3,327.1 | 10.9 | ||||||||||||||
| Agriculture Production—Food |
350,859.6 | 23,569.7 | 6.7 | 401,720.3 | 28,222.2 | 7.0 | ||||||||||||||||||
| Agriculture Production—Non-Food |
168,993.8 | 8,831.4 | 5.2 | 182,416.0 | 8,392.9 | 4.6 | ||||||||||||||||||
| Agriculture Produce Trade |
88,374.1 | 2,531.3 | 2.9 | 102,180.2 | 3,246.6 | 3.2 | ||||||||||||||||||
| Agriculture—Allied |
316,128.5 | 13,255.0 | 4.2 | 431,581.1 | 13,426.1 | 3.1 | ||||||||||||||||||
| Animal Husbandry |
32,980.0 | 952.1 | 2.9 | 42,289.5 | 1,268.0 | 3.0 | ||||||||||||||||||
| Tobacco Products |
5,633.9 | 98.7 | 1.8 | 6,425.2 | 157.2 | 2.4 | ||||||||||||||||||
| Infrastructure Development |
272,428.0 | 5,801.5 | 2.1 | 284,690.7 | 5,947.7 | 2.1 | ||||||||||||||||||
| Consumer Services |
465,465.8 | 10,352.3 | 2.2 | 581,272.1 | 11,505.0 | 2.0 | ||||||||||||||||||
| Road Transportation |
406,376.4 | 12,961.6 | 3.2 | 568,414.2 | 10,031.1 | 1.8 | ||||||||||||||||||
| Mining and Minerals |
103,056.6 | 1,622.3 | 1.6 | 90,828.4 | 1,413.3 | 1.6 | ||||||||||||||||||
| Retail Trade |
589,947.3 | 15,124.1 | 2.6 | 973,274.3 | 15,044.4 | 1.5 | ||||||||||||||||||
| Wood Products |
27,851.6 | 607.7 | 2.2 | 36,349.0 | 557.9 | 1.5 | ||||||||||||||||||
| Food and Beverage |
433,042.2 | 6,689.6 | 1.5 | 566,172.9 | 8,478.7 | 1.5 | ||||||||||||||||||
| Wholesale Trade—Industrial |
347,202.9 | 4,586.9 | 1.3 | 421,900.9 | 6,089.3 | 1.4 | ||||||||||||||||||
| Fishing |
17,275.8 | 166.5 | 1.0 | 19,373.1 | 265.3 | 1.4 | ||||||||||||||||||
| Rubber Products |
20,158.5 | 245.4 | 1.2 | 24,094.1 | 329.5 | 1.4 | ||||||||||||||||||
| Automobile Auto Ancillary |
443,538.7 | 7,766.3 | 1.8 | 483,658.4 | 6,553.2 | 1.4 | ||||||||||||||||||
| Engineering |
253,105.1 | 4,152.8 | 1.6 | 300,745.5 | 4,051.2 | 1.3 | ||||||||||||||||||
| Business Services |
281,216.8 | 5,306.9 | 1.9 | 334,169.3 | 4,254.0 | 1.3 | ||||||||||||||||||
| Wholesale Trade—Non-Industrial |
417,954.8 | 5,190.3 | 1.2 | 530,057.5 | 5,973.1 | 1.1 | ||||||||||||||||||
| Paper, Printing and Stationery |
93,290.8 | 652.3 | 0.7 | 111,039.5 | 1,236.5 | 1.1 | ||||||||||||||||||
| Textiles Garments |
324,419.6 | 3,556.3 | 1.1 | 390,883.0 | 4,099.8 | 1.0 | ||||||||||||||||||
| Media Entertainment |
23,591.4 | 404.8 | 1.7 | 30,685.9 | 293.3 | 1.0 | ||||||||||||||||||
| Leather Products |
30,766.5 | 197.5 | 0.6 | 35,770.3 | 331.7 | 0.9 | ||||||||||||||||||
| Power |
671,859.4 | 2,217.8 | 0.3 | 695,716.5 | 5,736.0 | 0.8 | ||||||||||||||||||
| Other Industries |
732,166.4 | 8,654.6 | 1.2 | 848,828.2 | 6,796.0 | 0.8 | ||||||||||||||||||
| Consumer Loans |
3,746,781.7 | 35,554.7 | 0.9 | 4,410,346.6 | 34,684.8 | 0.8 | ||||||||||||||||||
| Information Technology |
58,441.1 | 652.7 | 1.1 | 76,198.3 | 596.7 | 0.8 | ||||||||||||||||||
| FMCG Personal Care |
37,281.7 | 590.4 | 1.6 | 53,185.9 | 358.8 | 0.7 | ||||||||||||||||||
| Gems and Jewelry |
131,799.7 | 945.9 | 0.7 | 90,953.9 | 607.2 | 0.7 | ||||||||||||||||||
| Consumer Durables |
127,218.7 | 986.1 | 0.8 | 185,056.6 | 1,188.0 | 0.6 | ||||||||||||||||||
| Railways |
1,007.5 | 12.3 | 1.2 | 2,024.5 | 10.5 | 0.5 | ||||||||||||||||||
| Drugs and Pharmaceuticals |
123,309.0 | 675.9 | 0.5 | 134,731.7 | 668.5 | 0.5 | ||||||||||||||||||
| Financial Intermediaries |
13,304.0 | 110.9 | 0.8 | 10,744.5 | 46.9 | 0.4 | ||||||||||||||||||
| Plastic Products |
89,176.3 | 2,608.7 | 2.9 | 101,570.3 | 431.7 | 0.4 | ||||||||||||||||||
| Non-ferrous Metals |
91,539.5 | 717.7 | 0.8 | 139,802.7 | 555.2 | 0.4 | ||||||||||||||||||
| Glass Glass Products |
7,713.0 | 52.1 | 0.7 | 11,486.4 | 45.2 | 0.4 | ||||||||||||||||||
| Cement Products |
87,637.4 | 255.9 | 0.3 | 103,131.6 | 393.3 | 0.4 | ||||||||||||||||||
| Real Estate Property Services |
383,765.5 | 2,004.5 | 0.5 | 458,906.6 | 1,635.9 | 0.4 | ||||||||||||||||||
| Iron and Steel |
321,587.7 | 764.4 | 0.2 | 360,021.9 | 1,072.4 | 0.3 | ||||||||||||||||||
| Chemical and Products |
150,696.2 | 233.1 | 0.2 | 178,820.5 | 528.5 | 0.3 | ||||||||||||||||||
| Other Non-metallic/Mineral Products |
53,367.8 | 143.0 | 0.3 | 68,471.5 | 144.0 | 0.2 | ||||||||||||||||||
| Shipping |
15,718.4 | 17.7 | 0.1 | 13,009.8 | 21.0 | 0.2 | ||||||||||||||||||
| Coal Petroleum Products |
233,583.7 | 360.5 | 0.2 | 353,329.8 | 496.3 | 0.1 | ||||||||||||||||||
| Fertilisers Pesticides |
33,242.2 | 21.5 | 0.1 | 37,783.7 | 39.9 | 0.1 | ||||||||||||||||||
| Telecom |
331,131.1 | 160.6 | — | 365,112.3 | 118.7 | — | ||||||||||||||||||
| NBFC |
509,445.4 | 107.7 | — | 690,783.9 | 34.6 | — | ||||||||||||||||||
| Financial Institutions |
618,494.1 | 24.3 | — | 659,117.5 | 3.6 | — | ||||||||||||||||||
| Housing Finance Companies |
282,156.7 | 1,416.8 | 0.5 | 351,117.4 | — | — | ||||||||||||||||||
| Total |
197,269.5 | 200,708.8 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
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As of March 31, 2023, our gross non-performing loans as a percentage of gross loans in the respective industries were the highest in Capital Market Intermediaries, Agriculture Production—Food and Agriculture Production—Non-Food.
Capital Market Intermediaries
Exchanges in the capital markets segment offer a platform to their broker members (capital market intermediaries) for trading in the cash, derivatives, currency derivatives and commodity segments. Exchanges appoint banks to clear and settle trade obligations. The Bank has had a presence in the stock commodity exchange segment since the late 1990s as a clearing bank in the Indian capital markets. As a clearing bank, the Bank has been offering various transactional services and credit facilities in the form of fund and non-fund-based exposures, primarily to brokers in the capital market segments who hold their primary or secondary settlement accounts with the Bank. This acts as a key relationship point as well as a risk mitigant, as all payments to and from the exchanges are required by the relevant exchange to only be settled through these exchanges. The segment is highly regulated. As on March 31, 2023, high NPAs were the result of borrower-specific issues.
Agriculture Production—Food
Agriculture production is mainly dependent on agro-climatic conditions. Insufficient and/or erratic distribution of rainfall in the country, early or delayed timing of the seasons, price inflation, demand and supply gap, and international markets have affected the overall working of food industries. Another key challenge faced by the Indian food processing industry is the lack of cutting-edge infrastructure. Many food processing businesses operate in the small and medium enterprises (“SMEs”) sector, which often lacks the resources needed to upgrade their facilities and machinery to the latest technology. The industry has also been negatively impacted by inefficient supply chains, inadequate storage and transport facilities, and a lack of access to credit and financing. These issues make it difficult for SMEs to enter the market and compete with larger, more established companies.
Agriculture Production—Non-Food
The main non-food agricultural industries are cotton, jute and rubber. However, these industries have been impacted by irregular power supplies, tough competition from fiber industries to cotton companies, international markets and a shortage of supply of raw materials which are imported from foreign countries, particularly long-staple cotton.
Due to the ongoing Russia- Ukraine war, overall demand and supply is disrupted which has further affected the prices of commodities such as oil and food grain. These disruptions have directly impacted farming community and related supply chains, resulting in a significant decrease in profit margins.
Remediation Strategy for Non-Performing Loans
We focus on early problem recognition and active remedial management efforts in relation to our non-performing loans. Because we are involved primarily in working capital finance with respect to wholesale loans, we track our borrower’s performance and liquidity on an ongoing basis. This enables us to define remedial strategies proactively and manage our exposures to industries or customers who we believe are displaying deteriorating credit trends. Relationship managers lead the recovery effort together with strong support from the credit group in the corporate office in Mumbai. Recovery is pursued through, among others, legal processes, enforcement of collateral, negotiated one-time settlements and other similar strategies. The particular strategy pursued depends upon the level of cooperation of the borrower, our assessment of the borrower’s management integrity and long term viability, the credit structure and the role of other creditors.
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MANAGEMENT’S DISCUSSION AND ANALYSIS OF FINANCIAL CONDITION AND RESULTS OF OPERATIONS
You should read the following discussion and analysis of our financial condition and results of operations together with our audited financial statements included in this report. The following discussion is based on our audited financial statements, which have been prepared in accordance with U.S. GAAP, and on information publicly available from the RBI and other sources.
Introduction
Overview
We are a new-generation private sector bank in India. Our principal business activities are retail banking, wholesale banking and treasury services. Our retail banking division provides various products such as deposit products, loans including loans to small and medium enterprises, credit cards, debit cards, third-party mutual funds and insurance products, bill payment services and other products and services. Through our wholesale banking operations, we provide products such as loans, deposit products, documentary credits, guarantees, debt syndication services and foreign exchange and derivative products. We also provide cash management services, clearing and settlement services for stock and commodity exchanges, tax and other collections for the Government, custody services and correspondent banking services. Our treasury services segment undertakes trading operations on the proprietary account (including investments in government securities), foreign exchange operations and derivatives trading both on the proprietary account and customer flows and borrowings.
Proposed Transaction
The Board of Directors at its meeting held on April 4, 2022 approved the Scheme for the amalgamation of: (i) HDFC Investments Limited and HDFC Holdings Limited, each a subsidiary of HDFC Limited, with and into HDFC Limited; and (ii) HDFC Limited with and into the Bank, and their respective shareholders and creditors (the “Proposed Transaction”). The share exchange ratio shall be 42 equity shares of the Bank (each having a face value of Rs. 1) for every 25 equity shares of HDFC Limited (each having a face value of Rs. 2). See also “Business—Proposed Transaction”.
Following the Board meeting held on April 4, 2022, the parties to the Scheme filed a company scheme application with the National Company Law Tribunal, Mumbai Bench (“NCLT”). Pursuant to the order dated October 14, 2022 by the NCLT, a shareholders’ meetings of HDFC Bank and HDFC Limited were convened. The Scheme was approved by the requisite majority of shareholders on November 25, 2022. On receipt of such shareholders’ approval, the parties to the Scheme filed a joint company scheme petition before the NCLT seeking sanction of the Scheme. The NCLT, after hearing the parties to the Scheme, sanctioned the Scheme on March 17, 2023 (“NCLT Order”).
In accordance with Clause 42 of the Scheme, the effectiveness of the Scheme is inter alia subject to receipt of certain approvals and meeting various compliances under the applicable law and regulations. While the requisite approvals have been received by the parties, certain compliances are currently pending. The Scheme will be made effective shortly after completion of such compliances, including filing the NCLT Order with the Registrar of Companies, which is expected to occur on or about July 1, 2023.
Upon the Scheme becoming effective and subject to regulatory approvals and any conditions set out therein, the subsidiaries of HDFC Limited will become subsidiaries of the Bank leading to a simplified corporate structure. However, as advised by Reserve Bank of India (“RBI”), certain divestments or acquisitions have been undertaken or are in the process of being undertaken. In addition, upon the Scheme becoming effective, the Bank will issue equity shares to the shareholders of HDFC Limited on the record date, which is to be determined by the Boards of Directors of HDFC Limited and the Bank, and the equity shares in the Bank held by HDFC Limited will be extinguished. The shares proposed to be issued pursuant to the Proposed Transaction will not be registered with the SEC under the Securities Act of 1933 or the securities law of any state or other jurisdiction of the United States, and are being offered and sold in reliance on certain exemptions from registration under the Securities Act of 1933.
See also “Risk Factors—The Scheme with HDFC Limited is not yet effective, and in accordance with the provisions of the Scheme, the Scheme may be terminated and the Proposed Transaction may not be completed”, “Risk Factors—Uncertainty about the Proposed Transaction may adversely affect the relationships of the Parties with their respective investors, customers, business partners and employees, whether or not the Proposed Transaction is completed” and “Risk Factors— The implementation of the Scheme may fail to realize the anticipated benefits of the merger and will expose us to incremental regulatory requirements.” See also Note 32 “Subsequent events” of the consolidated financial statements in regard to the composite scheme of amalgamation of HDFC Limited and its subsidiaries with and into the Bank.
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Certain Factors Affecting Our Results of Operations
Our revenue consists of interest and dividend revenue as well as non-interest revenue. Our interest and dividend revenue is primarily generated by interest on loans, interest or dividends from securities and interest from other activities. We offer a range of loans to retail customers and working capital and term loans to corporate customers. The primary components of our securities portfolio are statutory liquidity ratio investments, credit substitutes and other investments. Statutory liquidity ratio investments principally consist of Government of India treasury securities. Credit substitute securities typically consist of commercial paper and debentures issued by the same customers with whom we have a lending relationship in our wholesale banking business. Other investments include asset-backed securities, mortgage-backed securities, deposit certificates issued by banks and units of mutual funds. Interest revenue from other activities consists primarily of interest on our placements made to comply with the extant RBI guidelines on shortfalls in directed lending sub-limits and interest from inter-bank placements.
Two important measures of our results of operations are net interest revenue, which is equal to our interest and dividend revenue net of interest expense, and net interest revenue after allowance for credit losses. Interest expense includes interest on deposits as well as on borrowings. Our interest revenue and expense are affected by fluctuations in interest rates as well as volume of activity. Our interest expense is also affected by the extent to which we fund our activities with low-interest and non-interest-bearing deposits, and the extent to which we rely on borrowings. Until March 31, 2020 our allowance for credit losses was comprised of specific and unallocated allowances for loan loss. Impairments of credit substitutes were not included in our loan loss provision, but were reflected under “Non-interest revenue—other than temporary losses on available for sale debt securities” in our consolidated statements of income. Effective April 1, 2020, we adopted the Current Expected Credit Loss (“CECL”) accounting guidance. The adoption of this guidance established a single allowance framework for all financial assets measured at amortized cost, available-for-sale debt securities and certain off-balance sheet credit exposures. Our allowance for credit losses is comprised of the allowance for loan losses, which covers our loan portfolios. Consistent with prior years, the impairment of our available-for-sale (“AFS”) debt securities, including credit substitutes, are not included in our allowances for credit losses, but are reflected under “Non-interest revenue—allowance on available for sale debt securities” in our consolidated financial statements of income.
We also use net interest margin and spread to measure our results. Net interest margin represents the ratio of net interest revenue to average interest-earning assets. Spread represents the difference between yield on average interest-earning assets and the cost of average interest-bearing liabilities, including current accounts which are non-interest-bearing.
Our non-interest revenue includes fee and commission income, realized gains and losses on sales of securities and spread from foreign exchange and derivative transactions, and income from affiliates. Our principal sources of fee and commission revenue are retail banking services, retail asset fees and charges, credit card fees, home loan sourcing commissions, cash management services, documentary credits and bank guarantees, and distribution of third-party mutual funds and insurance products.
Our non-interest expense includes expenses for salaries and staff benefits, premises and equipment maintenance, depreciation and amortization, expenditure for the purchase of priority sector lending certificates and administrative and other expenses. The costs of outsourcing back office and other functions are included in administrative and other expenses.
Our financial condition and results of operations are affected by general economic conditions prevailing in India. According to estimates by the Indian Central Statistics Office, following the availability of COVID-19 vaccines as well as fiscal and monetary measures, India’s real GDP grew by 9.1 percent in fiscal year 2022 and 7.2 percent in fiscal year 2023, compared to decline of 5.8 percent in fiscal year 2021. With support from the reopening effect and the Government’s emergency credit line guarantee scheme (ECGLS) aimed to cater credit demand of medium and small sized industries, the overall bank credit growth improved to 15.0 percent in March 2023 from 8.6 percent in March 2022 and as compared to 5.6 percent in March 2021.
While our results may not necessarily track the GDP figures directly, the economic performance affects the environment in which we operate. For example, a weak GDP growth resulting from a decline in consumption and in the level of production of goods and services may lead to a reduced demand for bank credit.
Headline CPI tracked above the RBI’s upper tolerance limit of 6.0 percent between April 2020 and November 2020, as a result of supply shortages caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. In addition, a sharp increase in food inflation and certain segments of core inflation (such as recreation and health services) kept headline inflation elevated. In fiscal year 2021, headline inflation averaged 6.2 percent compared to 4.8 percent in fiscal year 2020, 3.4 percent in fiscal year 2019 and 3.6 percent in fiscal year 2018. Due to mounting inflationary pressures, the RBI did not reduce the policy rates further following an emergency rate cut of 40 basis points in May 2020.
In fiscal year 2022, inflation averaged at 5.5 percent. However, headline inflation rose to an 8-year high of 7.8 percent in April 2022. Commodity prices rose sharply in 2022 due to disruptions caused by the Russia-Ukraine crisis, which kept headline inflation above RBI’s upper tolerance limit of 6 percent for the majority of fiscal year 2023. To control inflation, the RBI raised the repo rate by 250 bps to 6.50 percent in fiscal year 2023.
A high interest rate environment acts as a headwind for economic growth.
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Owing to the pandemic-related disruption, the fiscal year deficit target widened to 9.2 percent of GDP in fiscal year 2021. This compares to 4.7 percent of GDP in fiscal year 2020 and 3.4 percent in fiscal year 2019. Alongside the shift of the Food Corporation of India loans onto the Government’s balance sheet and a pandemic-related increase in Government spending, subdued economic activity and the resultant decrease in tax revenue also contributed to the widening of the deficit in fiscal year 2021. In fiscal year 2022, the fiscal deficit narrowed to 6.7 percent, as tax collections improved with economic activity and in fiscal year 2023, the fiscal deficit continued to decline to 6.4 percent of GDP. For fiscal year 2024, the Government is targeting 5.9 percent of GDP. Despite the focus on fiscal consolidation, the Government increased capital expenditure sharply in fiscal years 2023 and 2024 to support growth.
Our financial condition and results of operations are also affected by widespread health emergencies (or concerns over the possibility of such emergencies), such as the COVID-19 pandemic and the actions taken in response to it, which can cause significant volatility in demand for our products, changes in customer behavior and preferences, financial distress for our customers and related increases in customer defaults and provisions for losses, disruptions to our capital expenditure initiatives, limitations on our employees’ ability to work and travel, significant changes in the economic or political conditions in markets in which we operate and related currency volatility, restrictions on our access to, and increases in the cost of, capital and increased regulatory requirements, such as the RBI’s COVID-19-related regulations. The slowdown during the years of the pandemic led to a decrease in loan originations, third-party product sales, credit and debit card use by customers and collection effort efficiency. As a consequence, there was a rise in the number of customer defaults and an increase in the provisions there against.
Furthermore, declining fiscal deficits tend to have a favorable impact on our operations, as a lower fiscal deficit allows the RBI to reduce rates, support a sustainable level of inflation and prevent private investment from being crowded out. The current expansion is also likely to benefit us by offering support to slowing growth, providing relief to businesses and assisting in mitigating COVID-19-related disruptions.
Notwithstanding the pace of growth in India, we believe we have maintained a strong balance sheet and a low cost of funds. As of March 31, 2023, gross non-performing customer assets (which consist of loans and credit substitutes) constituted 1.1 percent of gross customer assets. In addition, our net customer assets represented 93.3 percent of our deposits and our deposits represented 73.1 percent of our total liabilities and shareholders’ equity. Our average non-interest-bearing current accounts and low-interest-bearing savings accounts represented 43.5 percent of our average total deposits for the year ended March 31, 2023. These low-cost deposits and the cash float associated with our transactional services led to an average cost of funds (including equity) for fiscal year 2023 of 3.5 percent.
Critical Accounting Estimates—Allowance for Credit Losses
We have set forth below the details of our accounting policy and estimates used for the purposes of allowances for credit losses. We provide an allowance for credit losses based on our estimate of losses inherent in the loan portfolio which includes troubled debt restructuring. The allowance for credit losses consists of allowances for retail loans and wholesale loans.
Our allowance for credit losses is comprised of:
| • | the allowance for loan losses, which covers our loan portfolios and is presented separately on the balance sheet in loans; |
| • | the allowance for lending-related commitments, which is recognized on the balance sheet in “Accrued expenses and other liabilities”; |
| • | the allowance for credit losses on investment securities, which covers our AFS debt securities and is recognized on the balance sheet in “Investments available for sale debt securities” on the balance sheet; and |
| • | the allowance for credit losses on other financial assets measured at amortized cost, and other off-balance sheet credit exposures, which are recognized on the balance sheet in “Accrued expenses and other liabilities”. |
All changes in the allowance for credit losses are recognized in the income statement.
Our policies used to determine our allowance for credit losses and our allowance for lending-related commitments are described in the following paragraphs:
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Our portfolio is bifurcated into retail and wholesale portfolios, wherein the retail portfolio is segmented into homogenous pools using various factors such as nature of product, delinquencies, and other demographic and behavioral variables of the borrowers. The wholesale portfolio is segmented into various risk grades on the basis of a host of quantitative and qualitative factors including financial performance, industry risk, business risk and management quality. The allowance for loan-related losses and allowance for lending-related commitments represents expected credit losses over the remaining expected life of outstanding loans and lending-related commitments that are not unconditionally cancellable. We do not record an allowance for future drawings on unconditionally cancellable lending-related commitments (e.g.,credit cards). We do not record an allowance on accrued interest receivables on the balance sheet due to our policy to reverse interest income on loans more than 90 days past due and in the case of agricultural loans more than 365 days past due, and also on any loans classified as non-performing. The expected life for retail loans and wholesale loans is determined by considering their contractual term and expected prepayments. The expected life of funded credit card loans is generally estimated by considering expected future payments on the credit card account. We have an unconditionally cancellable clause (“UCC”) for credit card lines and as allowed by CECL accounting guidance, we make an allowance only for debt drawn at the time of expected loss measurement. We apply expected principal payments to the credit card receivable balances existing at the reporting date until the balance is exhausted.
The estimate of expected credit losses includes expected recoveries of amounts previously charged off or expected to be charged off, even if such recoveries result in a negative allowance. Retail loans are typically charged off against allowances when the account becomes 150 to 1,083 days past due depending on the type of loan. The defined delinquency levels at which major loan types are charged off are 150 days past due for personal loans and credit card receivables, 180 days for auto loans, commercial vehicle and construction equipment finance, and 720 days past due for housing loans and on a customer-by-customer basis in respect of retail business banking when management believes that any future cash flows from these loans are remote including realization of collateral, if applicable, and where any restructuring or any other settlement arrangements are not feasible. Wholesale loans are charged off against the allowance when management believes that the loan balance may not be recovered including following the realization of collateral, if applicable, and where any restructuring or any other settlement arrangements are not feasible. Subsequent recoveries, if any, against write-off cases, are adjusted to provision for credit losses in the consolidated statement of income.
Wholesale loans are considered non-performing when, based on current information and events, it is probable that we will be unable to collect scheduled payments of principal or interest when due according to the contractual terms of the loan agreement. Factors considered by management in determining non-performance include payment status, the financial condition of the borrower, the value of collateral held, and the probability of collecting scheduled principal and interest payments when due. Wholesale loans that experienced insignificant payment delays and payment shortfalls are generally not classified as non-performing but are placed on a surveillance watch list and closely monitored for deterioration. Management determines the significance of payment delays and payment shortfalls on a case-by-case basis, taking into consideration all of the circumstances surrounding the loan and the borrower, including the length of the delay, the reasons for the delay, the borrower’s prior payment record, market information, and the amount of the shortfall in relation to the principal and interest owed. These factors are considered by us for selection of loans for credit reviews and assessment of allowance.
In order to estimate the allowance, we primarily rely on our risk-segmentation models, which are also an integral part of our risk management framework. Risk segmentation aims to group homogenous exposures together to allow for collective assessment of expected losses. Expected loss estimation under collective assessment, is primarily based on probability of default (“PD”), loss given default (“LGD”) and exposure at default (“EAD”) estimates. We have modeled our PD estimates at the aforementioned granularity for our retail and wholesale portfolios and have also created the remaining expected life structure of the same for computation of credit losses.
Our off-balance sheet credit exposures include unfunded loan commitments, financial guarantees, including standby letters of credit, and other similar instruments. For off-balance sheet credit exposures, we recognize an allowance for credit loss (“ACL”) associated with the unfunded amounts. We do not recognize an ACL for commitments that are unconditionally cancellable at our discretion. ACL for off-balance sheet credit exposures are reported as a liability in accrued expenses and other liabilities on the consolidated balance sheet. ACL in such cases is measured for the remaining contractual term, adjusted for prepayments, of the financial asset (including off-balance sheet credit exposures) using historical experience, current conditions, and reasonable and supportable forecasts.
Collective and individual assessments
Management estimates the allowance balance using relevant available information, from internal and external sources, relating to historical experience, current conditions, and reasonable and supportable forecasts. Historical loan default and loss experience provides the basis for the estimation of expected credit losses. Adjustments to historical loss information incorporate management’s view of current conditions and forecasts.
The methodology for estimating the amount of credit losses reported in the allowance for credit losses has two basic components: first, a pooled component for expected credit losses for pools of loans that share similar risk characteristics and second an asset-specific component involving loans that do not share risk characteristics and the measurement of expected credit losses for such individual loans.
As an integral part of the credit process, we have a rating model appropriate to our retail and wholesale credit segments. We monitor credit quality within our segments based on primary credit quality indicators This internal rating (model scale) is updated at least annually.
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A majority of our credit exposures share risk characteristics with other similar exposures, and as a result are collectively assessed for allowance (“portfolio-based component”).
If an exposure does not share risk characteristics with other exposures, we generally estimate expected credit losses on an individual basis, considering expected repayment and conditions impacting that individual exposure (“asset-specific component”). The asset-specific component covers loans modified or reasonably expected to be modified in a TDR, collateral-dependent loans, and borrowers with financial difficulties.
Portfolio-based component (Pooled Loans)
The portfolio-based component begins with a quantitative calculation that considers the likelihood of the borrower changing delinquency status or moving from one risk rating to another. The quantitative calculation covers expected credit losses over an instrument’s expected life and is estimated by applying credit loss factors to our exposure at default.
In addition to our historical experience, we seek to incorporate any reasonable and supportable information regarding the prevalent and future economic and operating conditions, and their impact on credit losses into our allowance. We therefore include in our estimation the use of quantitative statistical models to predict the impact of macro-economic variables on defaults. We rely on a single macro-economic variable that is relevant to the specific pool of loans to develop reasonable and supportable forecasts specific to the relevant macro-economic variable for the expected performance of the pool. In deploying these models we have assessed the impact of an exhaustive set of macro-economic variables, such key variables being GDP, Private Final Consumption Expenditure, Gross Fixed Capital Formation and the index of industrial production (“IIP”) on our expected losses, and uses macro-economic forecasts surveyed and published by the RBI: Centre for Monitoring Indian Economy for this assessment. As the macro-economic forecasts are published for a year we revert to the historical average default rate beyond this period on a straight-line basis. Any adjustments needed to the modeled expected losses in the quantitative calculations are addressed through a qualitative adjustment. Qualitative adjustment, among other things: includes specific portfolio characteristics; expected sectoral performance, expected impact of internal strategies or external events on the product/segment; model limitations; idiosyncratic events; and other relevant criteria. The total ACL is comprised of the quantitative and qualitative components.
We estimate our allowance for credit losses for pooled loans based on their probability of default and loss given default, determined for the respective risk pools. The allowance for credit losses for the quantitative component of pooled loans is the product of multiplying the PD, LGD and EAD.
Asset-specific component
To determine the asset-specific component of the allowance, collateral-dependent loans (including those loans for which foreclosure is probable) and larger, and non-accrual risk-rated loans in the wholesale portfolio segment are generally evaluated individually, while smaller loans (both scored and risk-rated) are aggregated for evaluation using factors relevant for the respective class of assets. Loans are identified for individual assessment based on financial difficulty which includes nonperforming loans, labeled loans and loans identified based on management judgment.
We generally measure the asset-specific allowance as the difference between the amortized cost of the loan and the present value of the cash flows expected to be collected, discounted at the loan’s original effective interest rate. Subsequent changes in impairment, including those related to the passage of time, are generally recognized as an adjustment to the allowance for credit losses. For collateral-dependent loans, the fair value of collateral less estimated costs to sell is used to determine the charge-off amount for declines in value (to reduce the amortized cost of the loan to the fair value of collateral) or the amount of the negative allowance that should be recognized (for recoveries of prior charge-offs associated with improvements in the fair value of collateral).
The asset-specific component of the allowance for credit losses that have been or are expected to be modified in TDRs incorporates the effect of the modification on the loan’s expected cash flows (including forgone interest, principal forgiveness, as well as other concessions), and also the potential for re-default. For wholesale loans modified or expected to be modified in TDRs, expected losses incorporate management’s expectation of the borrower’s ability to repay under the modified terms.
Estimating the timing and amounts of future cash flows is highly subject to judgment as these cash flow projections rely upon estimates such as loss severities, asset valuations, default rates (including re-default rates on modified loans), the amounts and timing of interest or principal payments (including any expected prepayments) or other factors that are reflective of current and expected market conditions. All of these estimates and assumptions require significant management judgment and certain assumptions are highly subjective.
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Impairment of debt securities
We conduct reviews of all available-for-sale debt securities with fair value below their carrying value or with zero loss expectation. We evaluate whether the decline in fair value has resulted from credit losses or other factors. In making this assessment, management considers the extent to which fair value is less than amortized cost, any changes to the rating of the security by a rating agency, and adverse conditions specifically related to the security, among other factors. If the assessment indicates that a credit loss exists, the present value of cash flows to be collected from the security are compared to the amortized cost basis of the security. If the present value of cash flows expected to be collected is less than the amortized cost basis, a credit loss exists and an allowance for credit losses is recorded through a provision for credit loss expense, limited by the amount that fair value is less than the amortized cost basis. Any impairment that has not been recorded through an allowance for credit losses is recognized in other comprehensive income. The allowance is increased or decreased if credit conditions subsequently worsen or improve. Reversals of credit losses is recognized in earnings. We recognize the entire difference between the amortized cost basis and fair value in earnings for impaired AFS debt securities that we have an intent to sell or for which we believe we will more-likely-than-not be required to sell prior to recovery of the amortized cost basis. We have applied ASC 326 to AFS debt securities when other-than-temporary-impairment has been recognized before the adoption. Amortized cost of a security, including the security’s effective interest rate where an other-than-temporary impairment had been recognized up to March 31, 2020 has remained unchanged. Amounts previously recognized in accumulated other comprehensive income as of the adoption date that relate to improvements in cash flows continue to be accreted to interest income over the remaining life of the security on a level-yield basis. Recoveries of amounts previously written off relating to improvements in cash flows after the date of adoption are recorded as income in the period received. We do not record an allowance on accrued interest receivables on the balance sheet due to our policy to reverse interest income on debt securities in a timely manner in line with our non-accrual and past due policies and also on any debt security classified as non-performing. We do not purchase debt securities with credit deterioration.
Sensitivity
CECL is sensitive to the changes in key assumptions and the qualitative adjustments that require the application of significant management judgment. Future amounts of CECL could be dependent on various factors such as loan growth and the economic environment, in particular since the potential variability in the current economic conditions remains high. Furthermore, the variability in the general economic conditions impacts each product differently and hence could result in a variation in CECL.
We undertook a sensitivity analysis to assess the magnitude of CECL under extreme circumstances. As part of this sensitivity analysis, we analyzed variability in provisions on account of a change in the assumptions underlying our forward-looking outlook. For this analysis, we sensitized macroeconomic variables and increased the impact of our qualitative adjustments. We also shifted the cash flows by some percentage points to the next bucket thereby simulating an extension of tenor of the loans. We observed that the impact was not significant. While the sensitivity analysis is useful and helps us to understand how the changes in our macroeconomic assumptions may impact our modeled ECLs, we are aware of the fact that it is not meant to enable us to forecast how the Bank’s allowance for credit losses is expected to change in a different macroeconomic outlook. Importantly, the analysis is an enabler and does not encompass many factors, including qualitative factors which could have offsetting effects on the estimates. Considering the variety of factors contemplated when developing the macroeconomic outlooks, the Bank believes the allowance for credit losses as at March 31, 2023 is appropriate.
Critical Accounting Policies
We have set forth below some of our critical accounting policies under U.S. GAAP. Investors should keep in mind that we prepare our general-purpose financial statements in accordance with Indian GAAP and also report to the RBI and the Indian stock exchanges in accordance with Indian GAAP. In certain circumstances, we may take action that is required or permitted by Indian banking regulations which may have consequences under Indian GAAP that may be different from those under U.S. GAAP.
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Revenue Recognition
Interest income from loans and from investments is recognized on an accrual basis using the effective interest method when earned except in respect of loans or investments placed on non-accrual status, where it is recognized when received. Fees and commissions from guarantees issued are amortized over the contractual period of the commitment. Dividends from investments are recognized when declared. Realized gains and losses on sale of securities are recorded on the trade date and are determined using the weighted average cost method. Other fees and income are recognized when earned, which is when the service that results in the income has been provided. We amortize the annual fees on credit cards over the contractual period of the fees.
Investments in Securities
Investments consist of securities purchased as part of our treasury operations, such as government securities and other debt securities, and investments purchased as part of our wholesale banking operations, such as credit substitute securities issued by our wholesale banking customers. Credit substitute securities typically consist of commercial paper and short-term debentures issued by the same customers with whom we have a lending relationship in our wholesale banking business. Investment decisions for credit substitute securities are subject to the same credit approval processes as for loans, and we bear the same customer credit risk as we do for loans extended to those customers. Additionally, the yield and maturity terms are generally directly negotiated by us with the issuer. As our exposures to such securities are similar to our exposures on our loan portfolio, additional disclosures have been provided on impairment status in Note 7 “Credit Substitutes” of the consolidated financial statements and on concentrations of credit risk in Note 10 “Concentrations of Credit Risk” of the consolidated financial statements.
All other securities including mortgage and asset-backed securities are actively managed as part of our treasury operations. The issuers of such securities are either government, public financial institutions or private issuers. These investments are typically purchased from the market, and debt securities are generally publicly rated.
Securities that are held principally for resale in the near term are classified as held for trading (“HFT”) and are carried at fair value, with changes in fair value recorded in net income. Debt securities that management has the positive intent and ability to hold to maturity are classified as held to maturity (“HTM”) and are carried at amortized cost.
All debt securities that are not classified as HTM or HFT are classified as AFS and are carried at fair value. Unrealized gains and losses on such securities, net of applicable taxes, are reported in accumulated other comprehensive income (loss), a separate component of shareholders’ equity.
Equity securities are classified under other assets. Marketable securities are measured at fair value and any change in fair value is recorded in earnings. Non-marketable equity securities under the measurement alternative are carried at cost plus or minus changes resulting from observable price changes in orderly transactions for the identical or a similar investment of the same issuer and impairment, if any. Our review for impairment for equity method, cost method and measurement alternative securities typically includes an analysis of the facts and circumstances of each security, the intent or requirement to sell the security, and the expectations of cash flows.
Fair values are based on market quotations where a market quotation is available or otherwise based on present values at current interest rates for such investments.
Transfers between categories are recorded at fair value on the date of the transfer.
Goodwill
Under applicable accounting guidance, goodwill is reviewed at the reporting unit level for potential impairment at least on an annual basis at the end of the reporting period, or more frequently if events or circumstances indicate a potential impairment. On April 1, 2020, we adopted ASU 2017-04 which eliminated the requirement to calculate the implied fair value of Goodwill (the second step). Accordingly, if the fair value of goodwill exceeds the goodwill assigned to the reporting unit, there is no impairment. If the goodwill assigned to a reporting unit exceeds fair value of the goodwill, an impairment charge is recorded for the excess. An impairment loss recognized cannot exceed the amount of goodwill assigned to a reporting unit, and the loss establishes a new basis in the goodwill. Subsequent reversal of goodwill impairment losses is not permitted.
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Fair Value Measurements
FASB ASC 820 (Topic 820) “Fair Value Measures and Disclosures” establishes a fair value hierarchy structure that prioritizes the inputs to valuation techniques used to determine the fair value of an asset or liability. ASC 820 distinguishes between inputs that are based on observed market data and unobservable inputs that reflect market participants’ assumptions. It emphasizes the use of valuation methodologies that maximize market inputs. For financial instruments carried at fair value, the best evidence of fair value is a quoted price in an actively traded market (Level 1). Where the market for a financial instrument is not active, valuation techniques are used. The majority of valuation techniques use market inputs that are either observable or indirectly derived from and corroborated by observable market data for substantially the full term of the financial instrument (Level 2). Because Level 1 and Level 2 instruments are determined by observable inputs, less judgment is applied in determining their fair values. In the absence of observable market inputs, the financial instrument is valued based on valuation techniques that feature one or more significant unobservable inputs (Level 3). The determination of the level of fair value hierarchy within which the fair value measurement of an asset or a liability is classified often requires judgment. We consider the following factors in developing the fair value hierarchy:
| • | whether the asset or liability is transacted in an active market with a quoted market price that is readily available; |
| • | the size of transactions occurring in an active market; |
| • | the level of bid-ask spreads; |
| • | whether only a few transactions are observed over a significant period of time; |
| • | whether the inputs to the valuation techniques can be derived from or corroborated with market data; and |
| • | whether significant adjustments are made to the observed pricing information or model output to determine the fair value. |
Level 1 inputs are unadjusted quoted prices in active markets that the reporting entity has the ability to access at the measurement date for the identical assets or liabilities. A financial instrument is classified as a Level 1 measurement if it is listed on an exchange. We regard financial instruments such as equity securities and bonds listed on the primary exchanges of a country to be actively traded.
Level 2 inputs are inputs that are observable either directly or indirectly, such as quoted prices for similar assets and liabilities in active markets, for substantially the full term of the financial instrument but do not qualify as Level 1 inputs. We generally classify derivative contracts, investments in debt securities and units of mutual funds as Level 2 measurements. Currently, substantially all such items qualify as Level 2 measurements. Level 2 items are fair valued using quoted prices for similar assets and liabilities in active markets, and inputs that are observable for the asset or liability, either directly or indirectly, for substantially the full term of the financial instrument.
Level 3 inputs are unobservable estimates that management expects market participants would use to determine the fair value of the asset or liability. That is, Level 3 inputs incorporate market participants’ assumptions about risk and the risk premium required by market participants in order to bear that risk. We develop Level 3 inputs based on the best information available in the circumstances.
If quoted market prices are not available, fair value is based upon internally developed models that primarily use, as inputs, observable market-based parameters. Valuation adjustments may be made to ensure that financial instruments are recorded at fair value. These adjustments may include amounts to reflect counterparty credit quality, among other things, as well as unobservable parameters. Any such valuation adjustments are applied consistently over time.
We review and update our fair value hierarchy classifications semi-annually. Changes from one half year to the next related to the observability of inputs to a fair value measurement may result in a reclassification between hierarchy levels. Imprecision in estimating unobservable market inputs can impact the amount of revenue, loss or changes in common shareholder’s equity recorded for a particular financial instrument. Furthermore, while we believe our valuation methods are appropriate, the use of different methodologies or assumptions to determine the fair value of certain financial assets and liabilities could result in a different estimate of fair value at the reporting date. See Note 30 “Fair Value Measurement” of the consolidated financial statements, for further details including the classification hierarchy associated with assets and liabilities measured at fair value.
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As of March 31, 2023, our Level 3 instruments recorded at fair value on a recurring basis were available-for-sale mortgage and asset-backed securities aggregating Rs. 148.4 billion. The Level 3 instruments comprised 3.0 percent of our total securities portfolio and 0.6 percent of our total assets, as of March 31, 2023. The valuation of these mortgage and asset-backed securities is dependent on the estimated cash flows that the underlying trust would pay out. The cash flows for mortgage and asset-backed securities are discounted at the yield-to-maturity rates and credit spreads published by the Fixed Income Money Market and Derivatives Association on month ends.
A control framework has been established, which is designed to ensure that fair values are either determined or validated by a function independent of the risk-taker. To that end, the ultimate responsibility for the validation of the valuation model rests with the treasury analytics section. The valuation model is also reviewed by the market risk department. The middle office department, which functions independently of the risk taker, is responsible for reporting fair values. Wherever necessary the valuation model is vetted through independent experts. In addition, the model prices are compared with market maker quotes. The types of valuation techniques used include present value based models, Black-Scholes valuation models, including variations and interest rate models as used by market practitioners. Where appropriate the models are calibrated to market prices. The models used, apply appropriate control processes and procedures to ensure that the derived inputs are used to value only those instruments that share similar risk to the relevant benchmark indexes and therefore demonstrate a similar response to market factors. Market data used along with interpolation techniques are as per market conventions.
The validation process consists of an independent validation of the pricing model. The pricing model validation for significant product variants is conducted using an external validation agency or authority. In addition the model prices are also validated by comparing them with market maker quotes. All market data conventions are adhered to in terms of yield curve components, volatility surfaces and calibration instruments.
Lease accounting
We recognize lease liabilities measured as the present value of lease payments not yet paid, discounted using the incremental borrowing rate. The right-of-use asset includes an initial measurement of the lease liabilities adjusted for accrued lease liabilities.
At the inception of the contract, we assess whether the contract is, or contains, a lease. Our assessment is based on whether (1) the contract involves the use of distinct identified assets, (2) we have the right to substantially all the economic benefit from the use of the asset throughout the term of the contract, and (3) we have the right to direct the use of the asset. Leases are examined for classification as either finance leases or operating leases. A lease is classified as finance lease if any one of the following criteria is met: (1) the lease transfers ownership of the asset by the end of the lease term, (2) the lease contains an option to purchase the asset that is reasonably certain to be exercised, (3) the lease term is for the major part of the remaining useful life of the asset or (4) the present value of the lease payments equals or exceeds substantially all of the fair value of the asset. A lease is classified as an operating lease if it does not meet of the above criteria.
Our lessee arrangements consist of operating leases. We record right-of-use assets and lease liabilities at the lease commencement date. Right-of-use assets are reported in other assets on the consolidated balance sheet, and the related lease liabilities are reported in accrued expenses and other liabilities. We have elected not to record right-of-use assets for short-term leases that have a lease term of 12 months or less and thus, all leases with a lease term exceeding 12 months are recorded on the consolidated balance sheet.
Lease expense is recognized on a straight-line basis over the lease term and is recorded in non-interest expense—premises and equipment in the consolidated statements of income. We made an accounting policy decision not to separate lease and non-lease components of a contract that is or contains a lease. At the lease commencement, lease liabilities are recognized based on the present value of the remaining lease payments and discounted using the incremental borrowing rate as of the date of the lease commencement. Right-of-use assets initially equal the lease liabilities, adjusted for any lease payments made prior to lease commencement and for any lease incentives.
We assess leased assets for impairment, and if the carrying amount of the leased asset exceeds the undiscounted cash flows from the lease payments and the estimated residual value upon disposition of the leased asset, an impairment loss is recognized.
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Status of IND-AS
The Ministry of Corporate Affairs, in its press release dated January 18, 2016, issued a roadmap for the implementation of IND-AS converged with International Financial Reporting Standards as issued by the International Accounting Standards Board with certain carve-outs for scheduled commercial banks, insurance companies and non-banking financial companies (the “2016 Roadmap”), which was subsequently confirmed by the RBI through its circular dated February 11, 2016. The 2016 Roadmap required such institutions to prepare IND-AS-based financial statements for accounting periods commencing on or after April 1, 2018, with comparative financial information for accounting periods commencing on or after April 1, 2017. The implementation of IND-AS by banks requires certain legislative changes in the format of financial statements to comply with disclosures required by IND-AS. In April 2018, the RBI deferred the effective date for implementation of IND-AS by one year, by which point the necessary legislative amendments were expected to have been completed. The legislative amendments recommended by the RBI are under consideration by the Government of India. Accordingly in March 2019, the RBI has deferred the implementation of IND-AS until further notice.
In conjunction with the implementation of IND-AS for our local Indian results, we may adopt IFRS for the purposes of our filings pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of, and our reports pursuant to Rule 13a-16 or 15d-16 under the Exchange Act. Should we choose to do so, for our first year of reporting in accordance with IFRS, we would be permitted to file two years, rather than three years, of statements of income, changes in shareholders’ equity and cash flows prepared in accordance with IFRS.
Transition to Alternate Reference Rate
In 2017 the U.K. Financial Conduct Authority (“FCA”) announced that it would no longer compel banks to contribute to the London Interbank Offered Rate (“LIBOR”) setting after 2021. On March 5, 2021, the FCA announced the future cessation or loss of representativeness of the 35 LIBOR benchmark settings currently published by ICE Benchmark Administration Limited (“IBA”), which administers LIBOR. As at the end of December 2021, the publication of most LIBOR settings calculated has ceased and the global financial markets generally transitioned away from the use of all LIBOR settings, except for the publication until June 30, 2023 of certain U.S. dollar LIBOR settings. It has become clear that various jurisdictions are working on a rate or rates as accepted alternatives to LIBOR. In India, instruments such as external commercial borrowings, other debt contracts and certain derivatives are typically linked to LIBOR. In addition, the Mumbai Interbank Forward Offer Rate (“MIFOR”), a benchmark used for interest rate swap transactions, is also a rate that is based on LIBOR. In March 2020, the FASB issued ASU 2020-04“Reference Rate Reform (Topic 848): Facilitation of the Effects of Reference Rate Reform on Financial Reporting”, which provides for optional expedients and other guidance related to the modification of contracts, hedging relationships, and other transactions affected by the reference rate reform. The Bank adopted the ASU effective April 1, 2021. The LIBOR transition project is currently being implemented within the Bank, with one loan being a consortium loan account, yet to be transitioned. The Bank has adhered to the ISDA protocol for derivative contracts (the “Protocol”) and is in discussion with counterparties who have outstanding legacy derivative trades, referencing LIBOR, which are to be discontinued after June 30, 2023 for early adherence (execution) to the Protocol (amended fallback agreement). We have successfully included fallback clauses in the existing loans contracts that are linked to LIBOR currencies other than US$. Fallback language for US$ LIBOR-linked loans is expected to be completed before June 2023. The adoption of this guidance did not have a material impact on the Bank’s consolidated financial position or results of operations.
Recently Issued Accounting Pronouncements Not Yet Effective
In March 2022, the FASB issued ASU No. 2022-01 “Fair Value Hedging—Portfolio Layer Method (Topic 815)”. This ASU expands the portfolio layer method of hedge accounting prescribed in ASU 2017-12 to allow multiple hedged layers of a single closed portfolio and to include portfolios of both prepayable and non-prepayable financial assets. This scope expansion is consistent with the FASB’s efforts to simplify hedge accounting and allows entities to apply the same accounting method to similar hedging strategies. This ASU also specifies eligible hedging instruments in a single-layer hedge, provides additional guidance on accounting and disclosure of hedge basis adjustments and specifies how hedge basis adjustments should be considered in determining credit losses for assets in the designated closed portfolio. This ASU is effective for public business entities for interim and annual periods in fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2022. The Bank is in the process of evaluating the impact of adoption of this ASU on its consolidated financial position, results of operations, and cash flows.
In March 2022, the FASB issued ASU 2022-02 “Financial Instruments—Credit Losses (Topic 326): Troubled Debt Restructurings and Vintage Disclosures”, which eliminates the accounting guidance for TDRs by creditors in Subtopic 310-40 “Receivables—Troubled Debt Restructurings by Creditors”. This ASU enhances disclosure requirements for certain loan refinancings and restructurings by creditors when a borrower is experiencing financial difficulty, updates certain requirements related to accounting for credit losses under ASC 326 and requires disclosure of current-period gross write offs of financing receivables by year of origination. The ASU is effective for the Bank for interim and annual periods in fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2022. The Bank is in the process of evaluating the impact of adoption of this ASU on its consolidated financial position, results of operations, and cash flows.
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Fiscal Year Ended March 31, 2023 Compared to Fiscal Year Ended March 31, 2022
Net Interest Revenue After Allowance for Credit Losses
Our net interest revenue after allowances for credit losses increased by 35.0 percent from Rs. 621.9 billion in fiscal year 2022 to Rs. 839.8 billion in fiscal year 2023. Our net interest margin was 4.4 percent for fiscal year 2023. The following table sets out the components of net interest revenue after allowance for credit losses.
| Years ended March 31, | ||||||||||||||||
| 2022 | 2023 | Increase/ (Decrease) |
% Increase/ (Decrease) |
|||||||||||||
| (in millions, except percentages) | ||||||||||||||||
| Interest and dividend revenue: |
||||||||||||||||
| Loans |
Rs. | 1,057,925.6 | Rs. | 1,351,818.0 | Rs. | 293,892.4 | 27.8 | |||||||||
| Available for sale debt securities, trading securities |
242,590.5 | 307,531.3 | 64,940.8 | 26.8 | ||||||||||||
| Other |
32,620.9 | 30,177.4 | (2,443.5 | ) | (7.5 | ) | ||||||||||
| Total interest and dividend revenue |
1,333,137.0 | 1,689,526.7 | 356,389.7 | 26.7 | ||||||||||||
| Interest on deposits |
489,010.1 | 615,108.9 | 126,098.8 | 25.8 | ||||||||||||
| Interest on short term borrowings |
17,675.2 | 58,142.8 | 40,467.6 | 229.0 | ||||||||||||
| Interest on long term debt |
77,456.3 | 101,587.8 | 24,131.5 | 31.2 | ||||||||||||
| Other interest expense |
155.9 | 698.7 | 542.8 | 348.2 | ||||||||||||
| Total interest expense |
584,297.5 | 775,538.2 | 191,240.7 | 32.7 | ||||||||||||
| Net interest revenue |
Rs. | 748,839.5 | Rs. | 913,988.5 | Rs. | 165,149.0 | 22.1 | |||||||||
| Less: Provision for credit losses: |
||||||||||||||||
| Retail |
122,622.6 | 86,920.2 | (35,702.4 | ) | (29.1 | ) | ||||||||||
| Wholesale |
4,356.9 | (12,706.4 | ) | (17,063.3 | ) | (391.6 | ) | |||||||||
| Total |
Rs. | 126,979.5 | Rs. | 74,213.8 | Rs. | (52,765.7 | ) | (41.6 | ) | |||||||
| Net interest revenue after allowance for credit losses |
Rs. | 621,860.0 | Rs. | 839,774.7 | Rs. | 217,914.7 | 35.0 | |||||||||
Interest and Dividend Revenue
Interest income on loans increased by 27.8 percent from Rs. 1,057.9 billion in fiscal year 2022 to Rs. 1,351.8 billion in fiscal year 2023, primarily due to an increase in our average loan book. The average balance of our total loan book increased by 23.5 percent from Rs. 12,175.7 billion in fiscal year 2022 to Rs. 15,037.6 billion in fiscal year 2023. Our average balance of retail loans increased by 23.1 percent from Rs. 8,014.5 billion in fiscal year 2022 to Rs. 9,863.9 billion in fiscal year 2023. The growth in retail loans was primarily across the retail business banking, personal loans/credit cards and commercial vehicle and construction equipment finance segments. Our average balance of wholesale loans increased by 24.3 percent from Rs. 4,161.2 billion in fiscal year 2022 to Rs. 5,173.7 billion in fiscal year 2023. Retail loan yields decreased from 10.1 percent in fiscal year 2022 to 10.0 percent in fiscal year 2023. Wholesale loan yields increased from 6.0 percent in fiscal year 2022 to 7.0 percent in fiscal year 2023.
Interest on securities, including dividends and interest on trading assets, increased by 26.8 percent from Rs. 242.6 billion in fiscal year 2022 to Rs. 307.5 billion in fiscal year 2023. This was primarily driven by an increase in the average balance of our investments. The average balance of our investments increased by Rs. 733.5 billion from Rs. 4,214.4 billion in fiscal year 2022 to Rs. 4,947.9 billion in fiscal year 2023. Yields on our investments increased from 5.8 percent in fiscal year 2022 to 6.2 percent in fiscal year 2023.
Other interest revenue decreased by 7.5 percent from Rs. 32.6 billion in fiscal year 2022 to Rs. 30.2 billion in fiscal year 2023, primarily due to a decrease in the average balance of dues from banks and other interest earning assets during fiscal year 2023. The average balance of dues from banks and other interest earning assets decreased by 20.2 percent from Rs. 1,086.0 billion in fiscal year 2022 to Rs. 867.1 billion in fiscal year 2023. The yield on dues from banks and other interest earning assets increased from 3.0 percent in fiscal year 2022 to 3.5 percent in fiscal year 2023.
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Interest Expense
Our interest expense on deposits increased by 25.8 percent from Rs. 489.0 billion in fiscal year 2022 to Rs. 615.1 billion in fiscal year 2023. This increase was primarily due to an increase in average interest-bearing deposits, which increased by 18.4 percent from Rs. 11,951.6 billion in fiscal 2022 to Rs. 14,149.6 billion in fiscal 2023. The average cost of our deposits, including non-interest-bearing deposits, increased from 3.6 percent in fiscal year 2022 to 3.8 percent in fiscal year 2023.
The average balance of our savings account deposits increased from Rs. 4,348.2 billion in fiscal year 2022 to Rs. 5,021.0 billion in fiscal year 2023, and the average balance of our time deposits increased from Rs. 7,603.4 billion in fiscal year 2022 to Rs. 9,128.6 billion in fiscal year 2023. The cost of our time deposits increased from 4.6 percent in fiscal year 2022 to 5.0 percent in fiscal year 2023.
Interest expense on our short term borrowings increased by 229.0 percent from Rs. 17.8 billion in fiscal year 2022 to Rs. 58.8 billion in fiscal year 2023, primarily on account of an increase in cost of our short term borrowings, which increased from 2.4 percent in fiscal year 2022 to 4.9 percent in fiscal year 2023. In addition, this increase was also driven by an increase in the average balance of our short term borrowings, which increased by 59.6 percent from Rs. 750.2 billion in fiscal year 2022 to Rs. 1,197.0 billion in fiscal year 2023. Interest expense on our long term debt increased by 31.2 percent, primarily on account of an increase in our average balance of long term debt from Rs.1,243.2 billion in fiscal year 2022 to Rs. 1,646.7 billion in fiscal year 2023. The cost of our long term debt remained stable at 6.2 percent in fiscal year 2022 and fiscal year 2023.
Provision for Credit Losses
The CECL accounting guidance requires the measurement of our allowance for credit losses to be based on our estimate of lifetime expected credit losses inherent in our financial assets measured at amortized cost and certain off-balance sheet credit exposures.
For the purposes of incorporating reasonable and supportable forecast into the CECL calculation, we have developed models using macroeconomic variables such as GDP, private final consumption expenditure, gross fixed capital formation, index of industrial production on its expected losses, and consensus macro-economic forecasts surveyed and published by the RBI: Centre for Monitoring Indian Economy. The output of our models is appropriately adjusted with additional forward-looking quantitative and qualitative factors, including economic, business and portfolio-specific outlook where required.
The Bank relies on a single economic variable to develop reasonable and supportable forecasts and uses consensus macro-economic forecasts surveyed and published by the RBI: Centre for Monitoring Indian Economy. Accordingly, the Bank considered a GDP forecast of 4.0 percent for fiscal year 2023 and applied relevant forward-looking overlays for the reporting as of March 31, 2022 to take cognizance of the possibility of a “third wave”. For the March 31, 2023 reporting, the Bank has considered GDP growth forecast of 5.7 percent for fiscal year 2024. Global growth slowdown could weigh on exports and domestic manufacturing, while demand from private consumption could also slow down as effects from post-pandemic pent-up demand fade. However, some support to growth can be expected from recovery in the private and government spending on capital expenditure.
In addition to the above judgment and estimates, provision for credit losses is impacted by unanticipated changes in asset quality of portfolio such as increase and decrease in credit or internal risk ratings, or improvement or deterioration in the borrower’s delinquencies or credit scores, all of which have some degree of uncertainty. In fiscal year 2023, due to improvements in asset quality, the provision for credit losses decreased from Rs. 127.0 billion in fiscal year 2022 to Rs. 74.2 billion in fiscal year 2023.
Our provisions for credit losses of our retail loans decreased from Rs. 122.6 billion in fiscal year 2022 to Rs. 86.9 billion in fiscal year 2023. The decrease in allowances was in our auto loan, commercial transportation and other retail segments, partially offset by an increase in retail business banking segments. Our provisions for wholesale loans decreased from Rs. 4.4 billion in fiscal year 2022 to a benefit of Rs. 12.7 billion in fiscal year 2023. The decrease in our estimate of losses is offset by the increase in allowance due to growth in our retail and wholesale loan portfolio. Our total allowances for credit losses as a percentage of gross loans decreased from 2.6 percent in fiscal year 2022 to 2.1 percent in fiscal year 2023.
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Non-Interest Revenue
Our non-interest revenue increased by 7.7 percent from Rs. 270.6 billion in fiscal year 2022 to Rs. 291.4 billion in fiscal year 2023. The following table sets forth the components of our non-interest revenue:
| Years ended March 31, | ||||||||||||||||
| 2022 | 2023 | Increase/ Decrease |
% Increase/ Decrease |
|||||||||||||
| (in millions, except percentages) | ||||||||||||||||
| Fees and commissions |
Rs. | 202,979.5 | Rs. | 239,603.7 | Rs. | 36,624.2 | 18.0 | |||||||||
| Net, realized gain/ (loss) and allowance on available for sale debt securities |
19,660.9 | (791.2 | ) | (20,452.1 | ) | (104.0 | ) | |||||||||
| Trading securities gains/(loss), net |
2,455.5 | 479.9 | (1,975.6 | ) | (80.5 | ) | ||||||||||
| Foreign exchange transactions |
34,851.4 | 25,547.0 | (9,304.4 | ) | (26.7 | ) | ||||||||||
| Derivatives gains/(loss), net |
1,422.0 | 15,366.1 | 13,944.1 | 980.6 | ||||||||||||
| Other, net |
9,204.9 | 11,181.0 | 1,976.1 | 21.5 | ||||||||||||
| Total non-interest revenue, net |
Rs. | 270,574.2 | Rs. | 291,386.5 | Rs. | 20,812.3 | 7.7 | |||||||||
Fees and commissions increased by 18.0 percent from Rs. 203.0 billion in fiscal year 2022 to Rs. 239.6 billion in fiscal year 2023, primarily on account of an increase in payments and cards business fees, commissions on distribution of mutual funds and insurance products and lending-related fees.
The loss on AFS securities was primarily attributable to realized net loss from the sale of debt securities and Government of India securities. The gain on trading securities was primarily attributable to net gains on mutual funds and partially offset by net realized loss on sale of debt securities.
In fiscal year 2023, derivative transactions (unadjusted for credit spread) resulted in a gain of Rs. 15.3 billion, primarily on account of a gain of Rs. 6.7 billion from forward exchange contracts, Rs.5.9 billion from interest rate derivatives and Rs. 2.7 billion from currency options and currency swaps. In fiscal year 2022, derivative transactions (unadjusted for credit spread) resulted in a gain of Rs. 1.5 billion, primarily on account of a gain of Rs. 4.8 billion from currency options, interest rate derivatives and forward rate agreements, which mainly resulted from mark-to-market gains, partially offset by a loss of Rs. 1.7 billion from currency swaps and a loss of Rs. 1.6 billion from forward exchange contracts. Income from foreign exchange transactions amounted to Rs. 25.5 billion during fiscal year 2023 as compared to Rs. 34.9 billion during fiscal year 2022. As a result, income from foreign exchange transactions and derivatives increased from Rs. 36.3 billion in fiscal year 2022 to Rs. 40.9 billion in fiscal year 2023.
Our other non-interest revenue increased by Rs. 2.0 billion to Rs. 11.2 billion in fiscal year 2023 as compared to Rs. 9.2 billion in fiscal year 2022, mainly driven by realized gains on the sale of our equity investments and mark-to-market gains from our equity instruments that are carried at fair value.
Non-Interest Expense
Our non-interest expense was comprised of the following:
| Years ended March 31, | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2022 | 2023 | Increase/ (Decrease) |
% Increase/ (Decrease) |
2022 % of net revenues |
2023 % of net revenues |
|||||||||||||||||||
| (in millions, except percentages) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Salaries and staff benefits |
Rs. | 165,287.7 | Rs. | 199,726.8 | Rs. | 34,439.1 | 20.8 | 18.5 | 17.6 | |||||||||||||||
| Premises and equipment |
36,236.0 | 45,069.9 | 8,833.9 | 24.4 | 4.1 | 4.0 | ||||||||||||||||||
| Depreciation and amortization |
16,816.9 | 23,489.7 | 6,672.8 | 39.7 | 1.9 | 2.1 | ||||||||||||||||||
| Administrative and other |
154,931.4 | 200,493.0 | 45,561.6 | 29.4 | 17.4 | 17.7 | ||||||||||||||||||
| Total non-interest expense |
Rs. | 373,272.0 | Rs. | 468,779.4 | Rs. | 95,507.4 | 25.6 | 41.8 | 41.4 | |||||||||||||||
Total non-interest expense increased by 25.6 percent from Rs. 373.3 billion in fiscal year 2022 to Rs. 468.8 billion in fiscal year 2023. Our net interest revenue after allowances for credit losses increased by 35.0 percent from Rs. 621.9 billion in fiscal year 2022 to Rs. 839.8 billion in fiscal year 2023. Our net revenue increased by 26.8 percent from Rs. 892.4 billion in fiscal year 2022 to Rs. 1,131.2 billion in fiscal year 2023. As a result, our non-interest expense as a percentage of our net revenues was 41.4 percent in fiscal year 2023 as compared to 41.8 percent in fiscal year 2022.
Salaries and staff benefits increased by 20.8 percent from Rs. 165.3 billion in fiscal year 2022 to Rs. 199.7 billion in fiscal year 2023, primarily attributable to an increase in the number of employees and annual wage revisions. The number of employees increased from 141,579 as of March 31, 2022 to 173,222 as of March 31, 2023.
Premises and equipment costs increased by 24.4 percent from Rs. 36.2 billion in fiscal year 2022 to Rs. 45.1 billion in fiscal year 2023, primarily on account of an increase in our lease, premises and infrastructure costs. Depreciation and amortization expenses increased from Rs. 16.8 billion in fiscal year 2022 to Rs. 23.5 billion in fiscal year 2023, mainly due to expansion of our branches and branch facilities.
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Administrative and other expenses increased by 29.4 percent from Rs. 154.9 billion in fiscal year 2022 to Rs. 200.5 billion in fiscal year 2023, primarily on account of higher card-related costs, collection/servicing cost, expenditure for the purchase of priority sector lending certificates and insurance expenses. As of March 31, 2023, we had 7,821 branches and 19,727 ATMs and CDMs across 3,811 locations, compared to 6,342 branches and 18,130 ATMs and CDMs across 3,188 locations as of March 31, 2022. This increase also led to an overall increase in our non-interest expense.
Income Tax
Our income tax expense, net of interest earned on income tax refunds, increased by 25.3 percent from Rs. 132.6 billion in fiscal year 2022 to Rs. 166.1 billion in fiscal year 2023. Our annual effective tax rate was 25.1 percent in fiscal year 2023 as compared to 25.5 percent in fiscal year 2022.
The following table gives a reconciliation of the Indian statutory income tax rate to our annual effective income tax rate for fiscal years 2022 and 2023:
| Year ended March 31, | ||||||||
| 2022 | 2023 | |||||||
| Effective statutory income tax rate |
25.17 | % | 25.17 | % | ||||
| Adjustments to reconcile statutory income tax rate to effective income tax rate: |
||||||||
| Stock-based compensation (net of forfeitures) |
0.67 | 0.25 | ||||||
| Interest on income tax refunds |
— | (0.33 | ) | |||||
| Income subject to rates other than the statutory income tax rate |
(0.45 | ) | — | |||||
| Other, net |
0.14 | (0.01 | ) | |||||
| Annual effective income tax rate |
25.53 | % | 25.08 | % | ||||
Net Income
As a result of the foregoing factors, our net income after taxes increased by 28.4 percent from Rs. 386.0 billion in fiscal year 2022 to Rs. 495.4 billion in fiscal year 2023.
Fiscal Year Ended March 31, 2022 Compared to Fiscal Year Ended March 31, 2021
Net Interest Revenue After Allowance for Credit Losses
Our net interest revenue after allowances for credit losses increased by 17.5 percent from Rs. 529.5 billion in fiscal year 2021 to Rs. 621.9 billion in fiscal year 2022. Our net interest margin was 4.3 percent for fiscal year 2022. The following table sets out the components of net interest revenue after allowance for credit losses.
| Years ended March 31, | ||||||||||||||||
| 2021 | 2022 | Increase/ Decrease |
% Increase/ Decrease |
|||||||||||||
| (in millions, except percentages) | ||||||||||||||||
| Interest and dividend revenue: |
||||||||||||||||
| Loans |
Rs. | 1,017,047.8 | Rs. | 1,057,925.6 | Rs. | 40,877.8 | 4.0 | |||||||||
| Available for sale debt securities, trading securities |
230,064.7 | 242,590.5 | 12,525.8 | 5.4 | ||||||||||||
| Other |
28,855.1 | 32,620.9 | 3,765.8 | 13.1 | ||||||||||||
| Total interest and dividend revenue |
1,275,967.6 | 1,333,137.0 | 57,169.4 | 4.5 | ||||||||||||
| Interest on deposits |
501,260.2 | 489,010.1 | (12,250.1 | ) | (2.4 | ) | ||||||||||
| Interest on short term borrowings |
12,531.8 | 17,675.2 | 5,143.4 | 41.0 | ||||||||||||
| Interest on long term debt |
78,361.5 | 77,456.3 | (905.2 | ) | (1.2 | ) | ||||||||||
| Other interest expense |
127.6 | 155.9 | 28.3 | 22.2 | ||||||||||||
| Total interest expense |
592,281.1 | 584,297.5 | (7,983.6 | ) | (1.3 | ) | ||||||||||
| Net interest revenue |
Rs. | 683,686.5 | Rs. | 748,839.5 | Rs. | 65,153.0 | 9.5 | |||||||||
| Less: Provision for credit losses: |
||||||||||||||||
| Retail |
145,821.9 | 122,622.6 | (23,199.3 | ) | (15.9 | ) | ||||||||||
| Wholesale |
8,411.5 | 4,356.9 | (4,054.6 | ) | (48.2 | ) | ||||||||||
| Total |
Rs. | 154,233.4 | Rs. | 126,979.5 | Rs. | (27,253.9 | ) | (17.7 | ) | |||||||
| Net interest revenue after allowance for credit losses |
Rs. | 529,453.1 | Rs. | 621,860.0 | Rs. | 92,406.9 | 17.5 | |||||||||
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Interest and Dividend Revenue
Interest income on loans increased by 4.0 percent from Rs. 1,017.0 billion in fiscal year 2021 to Rs. 1,057.9 billion in fiscal year 2022, primarily due to an increase in our average loan book. The average balance of our total loan book increased by 15.0 percent from Rs. 10,589.5 billion in fiscal year 2021 to Rs. 12,175.7 billion in fiscal year 2022. Our average balance of retail loans increased by 14.9 percent from Rs. 6,975.0 billion in fiscal year 2021 to Rs. 8,014.5 billion in fiscal year 2022. The growth in retail loans was primarily across the retail business banking, housing loans and personal loans/credit cards segments. Our average balance of wholesale loans increased by 15.1 percent from Rs. 3,614.5 billion in fiscal year 2021 to Rs. 4,161.2 billion in fiscal year 2022. Retail loan yields decreased from 10.8 percent in fiscal year 2021 to 10.1 percent in fiscal year 2022. Wholesale loan yields decreased from 7.3 percent in fiscal year 2021 to 6.0 percent in fiscal year 2022.
Interest on securities, including dividends and interest on trading assets, increased by 5.4 percent from Rs. 230.1 billion in fiscal year 2021 to Rs. 242.6 billion in fiscal year 2022. This was primarily driven by an increase in the average balance of our investments. The average balance of our investments increased by Rs. 380.8 billion from Rs. 3,833.6 billion in fiscal year 2021 to Rs. 4,214.4 billion in fiscal year 2022. Yields on our investments decreased from 6.0 percent in fiscal year 2021 to 5.8 percent in fiscal year 2022.
Other interest revenue increased by 13.1 percent from Rs. 28.9 billion in fiscal year 2021 to Rs. 32.6 billion in fiscal year 2022, primarily due to an increase in the average balance of dues from banks and other interest earning assets during fiscal year 2022. The average balance of dues from banks and other interest earning assets increased by 12.9 percent from Rs. 962.1 billion in fiscal year 2021 to Rs. 1,086.0 billion in fiscal year 2022. The yield on dues from banks and other interest earning assets remained stable at 3.0 percent in fiscal years 2021 and 2022.
Interest Expense
Our interest expense on deposits decreased by 2.4 percent from Rs. 501.3 billion in fiscal year 2021 to Rs. 489.0 billion in fiscal year 2022. This was primarily due to a decrease in the average cost of our deposits. The average cost of our deposits, including non-interest-bearing deposits, decreased from 4.2 percent in fiscal year 2021 to 3.6 percent in fiscal year 2022. This was partially offset by an increase in the average balance of our interest-bearing deposits. The average balance of our interest-bearing deposits increased by 12.4 percent from Rs. 10,628.8 billion in fiscal year 2021 to Rs. 11,951.6 billion in fiscal year 2022.
The average balance of our savings account deposits increased from Rs. 3,392.4 billion in fiscal year 2021 to Rs. 4,348.2 billion in fiscal year 2022, and the average balance of our time deposits increased from Rs. 7,236.4 billion in fiscal year 2021 to Rs. 7,603.4 billion in fiscal year 2022. The cost of our time deposits decreased from 5.4 percent in fiscal year 2021 to 4.6 percent in fiscal year 2022.
Interest expense on our short term borrowings increased by 41.0 percent from Rs. 12.7 billion in fiscal year 2021 to Rs. 17.8 billion in fiscal year 2022, primarily on account of an increase in the average balance of our short term borrowings, which increased by 36.6 percent from Rs. 549.0 billion in fiscal year 2021 to Rs. 750.2 billion in fiscal year 2022. The cost of our short term borrowings increased from 2.3 percent in fiscal year 2021 to 2.4 percent in fiscal year 2022. Interest expense on our long term debt decreased by 1.2 percent, primarily on account of a decrease in the cost of our long term-debt, which decreased from 7.1 percent in fiscal year 2021 to 6.2 percent in fiscal year 2022. The average balance of our long term debt increased from Rs. 1,110.0 billion in fiscal year 2021 to Rs. 1,243.2 billion in fiscal year 2022.
Provision for Credit Losses
The CECL accounting guidance requires the measurement of our allowance for credit losses to be based on our estimate of lifetime expected credit losses inherent in our financial assets measured at amortized cost and certain off-balance sheet credit exposures.
For the purposes of incorporating reasonable and supportable forecast into the CECL calculation, we have developed models using macroeconomic variables such as GDP, private final consumption expenditure, Gross Fixed Capital Formation, index of industrial production on its expected losses, and uses consensus macro-economic forecasts surveyed and published by the Reserve Bank of India: Centre for Monitoring Indian Economy. The output of our models is appropriately adjusted with additional forward looking quantitative/qualitative factors, including economic, business and portfolio specific outlook where required.
The Bank relies on a single economic variable to develop reasonable and supportable forecasts and uses consensus macro-economic forecasts surveyed and published by the RBI: Centre for Monitoring Indian Economy. For this the Bank considers the published data as per the RBI’s bi-monthly forecasters survey. Accordingly, as of March 31, 2021 the GDP growth was mainly impacted due to the impact of COVID-19 pandemic and the resulting extended periods of lockdowns. Although, the GDP forecast for fiscal year 2022 was optimistic given in light roll out of vaccinations and the expected vanishing of the virus, the Bank applied relevant forward looking overlays for the reporting as of March 31, 2021 to take cognizance of the possibility of a “third wave”. As of March 31, 2022 the GDP growth was reported at 4.1 percent for the fourth quarter of fiscal year 2022 which is lower than the economic outlook as of March 31, 2021. For the March 31, 2022 reporting, the Bank has considered GDP growth forecast of 4.0 percent for March 2023 which is a slowdown in outlook forecast with rising commodity prices and global supply chain disruptions resulting from geo-political tensions as major challenges.
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In addition to the above judgment and estimates, provision for credit losses is impacted by unanticipated changes in asset quality of portfolio such as increase and decrease in credit or internal risk ratings, or improvement or deterioration in the borrower’s delinquencies or credit scores, all of which have some degree of uncertainty. As the macroeconomic outlook improved in fiscal year 2022, along with improvements in asset quality, the provision for credit losses decreased from Rs. 154.2 billion in fiscal year 2021 to Rs. 127.0 billion in fiscal year 2022.
Our provisions for credit losses of our retail loans decreased from Rs. 145.8 billion in fiscal year 2021 to Rs. 122.6 billion in fiscal year 2022. The decrease in allowances was in our personal loans/credit cards and retail business banking, partially offset by an increase in other retails segments. Our provisions for wholesale loans decreased from Rs. 8.4 billion in fiscal year 2021 to Rs. 4.4 billion in fiscal year 2022. While we experienced solid growth in the first half of fiscal year 2021, the impact from the COVID-19 pandemic on India to an extent affected the quality of our loan portfolio. The decrease in our estimate of losses is offset by the increase in allowance due to growth in our wholesale loan portfolio. An increase in the number of COVID-19 cases and global supply chain disruptions resulting from geo-political tensions may slow or halt any future economic recovery.
Non-Interest Revenue
Our non-interest revenue increased by 7.0 percent from Rs. 253.0 billion in fiscal year 2021 to Rs. 270.6 billion in fiscal year 2022. The following table sets forth the components of our non-interest revenue:
| Years ended March 31, | ||||||||||||||||
| 2021 | 2022 | Increase/ Decrease |
% Increase/ Decrease |
|||||||||||||
| (in millions, except percentages) | ||||||||||||||||
| Fees and commissions |
Rs. | 165,410.4 | Rs. | 202,979.5 | Rs. | 37,569.1 | 22.7 | |||||||||
| Net, realized gain/ (loss) and allowance on available for sale debt securities |
53,010.1 | 19,660.9 | (33,349.2 | ) | (62.9 | ) | ||||||||||
| Trading securities gains/(loss), net |
1,481.0 | 2,455.5 | 974.5 | 65.8 | ||||||||||||
| Foreign exchange transactions |
27,762.6 | 34,851.4 | 7,088.8 | 25.5 | ||||||||||||
| Derivatives gains/(loss), net |
(3,253.0 | ) | 1,422.0 | 4,675.0 | (143.7 | ) | ||||||||||
| Other, net |
8,564.6 | 9,204.9 | 640.3 | 7.5 | ||||||||||||
| Total non-interest revenue, net |
Rs. | 252,975.7 | Rs. | 270,574.2 | Rs. | 17,598.5 | 7.0 | |||||||||
Fees and commissions increased by 22.7 percent from Rs. 165.4 billion in fiscal year 2021 to Rs. 203.0 billion in fiscal year 2022, primarily on account of an increase in lending-related fees, deposit-related fees and commissions on distribution of mutual funds and insurance products.
The gain on AFS securities was primarily attributable to realized net gains from the sale of debt securities and Government of India securities. The gain on AFS securities decreased due to a reduction in realized net gains from the sale of Government of India securities. The gain on trading securities was primarily attributable to net gains on mutual funds and equity shares.
In fiscal year 2022, derivative transactions (unadjusted for credit spread) resulted in a gain of Rs. 1.5 billion, primarily on account of a gain of Rs. 4.8 billion from currency options, interest rate derivatives and forward rate agreements, which mainly resulted from mark-to-market gains, partially offset by a loss of Rs. 1.7 billion from currency swaps and a loss of Rs. 1.6 billion from forward exchange contracts. In fiscal year 2021, derivative transactions (unadjusted for credit spread) resulted in a loss of Rs. 3.4 billion, primarily on account of a loss of Rs. 3.4 billion from currency swaps and a loss of Rs. 2.2 billion from forward exchange contracts, mainly driven by mark-to-market losses, partially offset by gains of Rs. 2.2 billion (unadjusted for credit spread) from currency options, interest rate derivatives and forward rate agreements. Income from foreign exchange transactions amounted to Rs. 34.9 billion during fiscal year 2022 as compared to Rs. 27.8 billion during fiscal year 2021. As a result, income from foreign exchange transactions and derivatives increased from Rs. 24.5 billion in fiscal year 2021 to Rs. 36.3 billion in fiscal year 2022.
Our other non-interest revenue increased by Rs. 0.6 billion to Rs. 9.2 billion in fiscal year 2022 as compared to Rs. 8.6 billion in fiscal year 2021, mainly driven by realized gains on the sale of our equity investments and mark-to-market gains from our equity instruments that are carried at fair value.
Non-Interest Expense
Our non-interest expense was comprised of the following:
| Years ended March 31, | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2021 | 2022 | Increase/ Decrease |
% Increase/ Decrease |
2021 % of net revenues |
2022 % of net revenues |
|||||||||||||||||||
| (in millions, except percentages) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Salaries and staff benefits |
Rs. | 143,755.9 | Rs. | 165,287.7 | Rs. | 21,531.8 | 15.0 | 18.4 | 18.5 | |||||||||||||||
| Premises and equipment |
35,763.2 | 36,236.0 | 472.8 | 1.3 | 4.6 | 4.1 | ||||||||||||||||||
| Depreciation and amortization |
13,860.2 | 16,816.9 | 2,956.7 | 21.3 | 1.7 | 1.9 | ||||||||||||||||||
| Administrative and other |
149,223.0 | 154,931.4 | 5,708.4 | 3.8 | 19.1 | 17.4 | ||||||||||||||||||
| Total non-interestexpense |
Rs. | 342,602.3 | Rs. | 373,272.0 | Rs. | 30,669.7 | 9.0 | 43.8 | 41.8 | |||||||||||||||
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Total non-interest expense increased by 9.0 percent from Rs. 342.6 billion in fiscal year 2021 to Rs. 373.3 billion in fiscal year 2022. Our net interest revenue after allowances for credit losses increased by 17.5 percent from Rs. 529.5 billion in fiscal year 2021 to Rs. 621.9 billion in fiscal year 2022. Our net revenue increased by 14.1 percent from Rs. 782.4 billion in fiscal year 2021 to Rs. 892.4 billion in fiscal year 2022. As a result, our non-interest expense as a percentage of our net revenues was 41.8 percent in fiscal year 2022 as compared to 43.8 percent in fiscal year 2021.
Salaries and staff benefits increased by 15.0 percent from Rs. 143.8 billion in fiscal year 2021 to Rs. 165.3 billion in fiscal year 2022, primarily attributable to an increase in the number of employees and annual wage revisions. The number of employees increased from 120,093 as of March 31, 2021 to 141,579 as of March 31, 2022.
Premises and equipment costs increased by 1.3 percent from Rs. 35.8 billion in fiscal year 2021 to Rs. 36.2 billion in fiscal year 2022, primarily on account of an increase in our infrastructure costs. Depreciation and amortization expenses increased from Rs. 13.9 billion in fiscal year 2021 to Rs. 16.8 billion in fiscal year 2022, mainly due to expansion of our branches and branch facilities.
Administrative and other expenses increased by 3.8 percent from Rs. 149.2 billion in fiscal year 2021 to Rs. 154.9 billion in fiscal year 2022, primarily on account of higher collection/servicing cost, card-related costs and insurance expenses. As of March 31, 2022, we had 6,342 branches and 18,130 ATMs and CDMs across 3,188 locations, compared to 5,608 branches and 16,087 ATMs and CDMs across 2,902 locations as of March 31, 2021. This increase also led to an overall increase in our non-interest expense.
Income Tax
Our income tax expense, net of interest earned on income tax refunds, increased by 16.5 percent from Rs. 113.8 billion in fiscal year 2021 to Rs. 132.6 billion in fiscal year 2022. Our annual effective tax rate was 25.5 percent in fiscal year 2022 as compared to 25.9 percent in fiscal year 2021.
The following table gives a reconciliation of the Indian statutory income tax rate to our annual effective income tax rate for fiscal years 2021 and 2022:
| Year ended March 31, | ||||||||
| 2021 | 2022 | |||||||
| Effective statutory income tax rate |
25.17 | % | 25.17 | % | ||||
| Adjustments to reconcile statutory income tax rate to effective income tax rate: |
||||||||
| Stock-based compensation (net of forfeitures) |
0.61 | 0.67 | ||||||
| Income exempt from taxes |
(0.01 | ) | — | |||||
| Income subject to rates other than the statutory income tax rate |
— | (0.45 | ) | |||||
| Other, net |
0.12 | 0.14 | ||||||
| Annual effective income tax rate |
25.89 | % | 25.53 | % | ||||
Net Income
As a result of the foregoing factors, our net income after taxes increased by 18.4 percent from Rs. 326.0 billion in fiscal year 2021 to Rs. 386.0 billion in fiscal year 2022.
Liquidity and Capital Resources
Our growth is financed by a combination of cash generated from operations, increases in our customer deposits, borrowings and new issuances of equity capital and other securities qualifying as Tier I and Tier II capital. We believe that cash flows from operations, available cash balances and our ability to generate cash through short-and long-term debt and deposits are sufficient to fund our operating liquidity needs.
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The following table sets forth our cash flows from operating activities, investing activities and financing activities in a condensed format. We have aggregated certain line items set forth in the cash flow statement that is part of our financial statements included elsewhere in this report in order to facilitate an understanding of significant trends in our business.
| Years ended March 31, | ||||||||||||
| 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | ||||||||||
| (in millions) | ||||||||||||
| Cash Flows from Operating Activities: |
||||||||||||
| Net income before non-controlling interest |
Rs. | 326,006.4 | Rs. | 386,603.0 | Rs. | 496,264.4 | ||||||
| Non-cash adjustments to net income |
123,423.8 | 135,507.9 | 137,402.1 | |||||||||
| Net change in other assets and liabilities |
472,346.0 | 58,907.3 | (156,465.9 | ) | ||||||||
| Net cash provided by operating activities |
Rs. | 921,776.2 | Rs. | 581,018.2 | Rs. | 477,200.6 | ||||||
| Cash Flows from Investing Activities: |
||||||||||||
| Net change in term placements |
4,168.0 | Rs. | (366,297.2 | ) | Rs. | (498,561.2) | ||||||
| Net change in investments |
(823,663.2 | ) | (162,341.6 | ) | (564,821.7 | ) | ||||||
| Net change in repurchase and resell agreements |
(171,982.8 | ) | (307,207.6 | ) | (234,067.0 | ) | ||||||
| Loans purchased net of repayments |
(65,522.2 | ) | (125,978.2 | ) | (188,511.6 | ) | ||||||
| Increase in loans originated, net of principal collections |
(1,446,355.1 | ) | (2,328,833.2 | ) | (2,864,884.7 | ) | ||||||
| Net additions to property and equipment |
(17,653.7 | ) | (26,125.3 | ) | (43,193.5 | ) | ||||||
| Activity in equity securities, net |
(140.7 | ) | 14,503.3 | 1,256.7 | ||||||||
| Net cash used in investing activities |
Rs. | (2,521,149.7 | ) | Rs. | (3,302,279.8 | ) | Rs. | (4,392,783.0 | ) | |||
| Cash Flows from Financing Activities: |
||||||||||||
| Net increase in deposits |
Rs. | 1,882,763.1 | Rs. | 2,237,238.5 | Rs. | 3,224,774.3 | ||||||
| Net increase (decrease) in short term borrowings |
(138,024.7 | ) | 314,735.9 | 535,729.9 | ||||||||
| Proceeds from issuance of shares by subsidiaries to non-controlling interest |
492.4 | 691.8 | 822.7 | |||||||||
| Net increase (decrease) in long term debt |
155,704.2 | 369,583.2 | 464,819.5 | |||||||||
| Proceeds from issuance of equity shares for options exercised |
17,601.0 | 26,097.3 | 34,158.3 | |||||||||
| Net proceeds from issuance of equity shares |
— | — | — | |||||||||
| Payment of dividends and dividend tax |
(166.6 | ) | (36,239.2 | ) | (86,394.3 | ) | ||||||
| Net cash provided by financing activities |
Rs. | 1,918,369.4 | Rs. | 2,912,107.5 | Rs. | 4,173,910.4 | ||||||
| Effect of exchange rate changes on cash and due from banks, and restricted cash |
Rs. | (262.2 | ) | Rs. | 490.5 | Rs. | 7,036.1 | |||||
| Net change in cash and due from banks, and restricted cash |
Rs. | 318,733.7 | Rs. | 191,336.4 | Rs. | 265,364.1 | ||||||
| Cash and due from banks, and restricted cash, beginning of year |
Rs. | 611,961.0 | Rs. | 930,694.7 | Rs. | 1,122,031.1 | ||||||
| Cash and due from banks, and restricted cash, end of year |
Rs. | 930,694.7 | Rs. | 1,122,031.1 | Rs. | 1,387,395.2 | ||||||
Fiscal Year Ended March 31, 2023 Compared to Fiscal Year Ended March 31, 2022
Cash Flows from Operating Activities
Our net cash provided by operating activities reflects our net income, adjustments for tax and non-cash charges (such as depreciation and amortization), as well as changes in other assets and liabilities. Our net cash provided by operating activities decreased from Rs. 581.0 billion in fiscal year 2022 to Rs. 477.2 billion in fiscal year 2023, mainly due to lower cash flows in fiscal year 2023 as compared to fiscal year 2022. This was largely a result of an increase in our investments held for trading in fiscal year 2023 as compared to a decrease in fiscal year 2022, partially offset by an increase in our net income.
Cash Flows from Investing Activities
We used our cash from operations and financing activities primarily to invest in our loan book and debt securities. Net cash flows used for loan origination and purchase, net of principal collections and repayments, increased from Rs. 2,454.8 billion in fiscal year 2022 to Rs. 3,053.4 billion in fiscal year 2023, largely on account of an increase in retail and wholesale loan portfolios in fiscal year 2023 as compared to fiscal year 2022. Net cash flows used due to net change in investments was Rs. 564.8 billion in fiscal year 2023, primarily on account of an increase in our available-for-sale government securities, partially offset by a decrease in our investments in credit substitutes. Net cash flows used in repurchase and reverse repurchase agreements decreased from Rs. 307.2 billion in fiscal year 2022 to Rs. 234.1 billion in fiscal year 2023. Net cash flow used in term placement aggregated Rs. 498.6 billion in fiscal year 2023 compared to Rs. 366.3 billion in fiscal year 2022.
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Cash Flows from Financing Activities
Our primary sources of cash flows from financing activities are deposits and, to a lesser extent, borrowings. Our total deposits increased by 20.8 percent from Rs. 15,580.0 billion in fiscal 2022 to Rs. 18,826.6 billion in fiscal year 2023. Time deposits increased by 29.6 percent from Rs. 8,080.6 billion in fiscal year 2022 to Rs. 10,472.5 billion in fiscal year 2023. Savings account deposits increased by 9.9 percent from Rs. 5,117.4 billion as of March 31, 2022 to Rs. 5,624.9 billion as of March 31, 2023. Our non-interest-bearing current account deposits increased by 14.6 percent from Rs. 2,382.1 billion as of March 31, 2022 to Rs 2,729.2 billion as of March 31, 2023. Savings account deposits at Rs. 5,624.9 billion and current account deposits at Rs. 2,729.2 billion accounted for 44.4 percent of our total deposits as of March 31, 2023. Our short term borrowings increased by Rs. 535.7 billion from Rs. 554.2 billion in fiscal year 2022 to Rs. 1,089.9 billion in fiscal year 2023. Our long term debt increased by 32.2 percent from Rs. 1,554.3 billion in fiscal year 2022 to Rs. 2,054.4 billion in fiscal year 2023. Short term borrowings are mainly comprised of money market borrowings which are unsecured and are utilized for our treasury operations. Long term borrowings are primarily comprised of subordinated debt and other long term debt. Of our total long term debt of Rs. 2,054.4 billion, Rs. 125.6 billion is perpetual debt and Rs. 1,928.8 billion pertains to other long term debt. Of our total other long term debt Rs. 515.3 billion will mature by fiscal year 2024, Rs. 885.3 billion between fiscal year 2025 and fiscal year 2026, Rs. 189.2 billion between fiscal year 2027 and fiscal year 2028 and Rs. 339.0 billion beyond fiscal year 2028.
Fiscal Year Ended March 31, 2022 Compared to Fiscal Year Ended March 31, 2021
Cash Flows from Operating Activities
Our net cash provided by operating activities reflects our net income, adjustments for tax and non-cash charges (such as depreciation and amortization), as well as changes in other assets and liabilities. Our net cash provided by operating activities decreased from Rs. 921.8 billion in fiscal year 2021 to Rs. 581.0 billion in fiscal year 2022, mainly due to lower cash flows in fiscal year 2022 as compared to fiscal year 2021. This was largely a result of lower investments held for trading amounting to Rs. 48.8 billion in fiscal year 2022 as compared to Rs. 388.5 billion in fiscal year 2021, partially offset by an increase in our net income.
Cash Flows from Investing Activities
We used our cash from operations and financing activities primarily to invest in our loan book and debt securities. Net cash flows used for loan origination and purchase, net of principal collections and repayments, increased from Rs. 1,511.9 billion in fiscal year 2021 to Rs. 2,454.8 billion in fiscal year 2022, largely on account of an increase in retail and wholesale loan portfolios in fiscal year 2022 as compared to fiscal year 2021. Net cash flows used due to net change in investments was Rs. 162.3 billion in fiscal year 2022, primarily on account of an increase in our available-for-sale government securities and credit substitutes. Net cash flows used in repurchase and reverse repurchase agreements increased from Rs. 172.0 billion in fiscal year 2021 to Rs. 307.2 billion in fiscal year 2022. Net cash flow used in term placement aggregated Rs. 366.3 billion in fiscal year 2022 compared to net cash flow from term placement of Rs. 4.2 billion in fiscal year 2021.
Cash Flows from Financing Activities
Our primary sources of cash flows from financing activities are deposits and, to a lesser extent, borrowings. Our total deposits increased by 16.8 percent from Rs. 13,337.2 billion in fiscal 2021 to Rs. 15,580.0 billion in fiscal year 2022. Time deposits increased by 12.4 percent from Rs. 7,191.5 billion in fiscal year 2021 to Rs. 8,080.6 billion in fiscal year 2022. Savings account deposits increased by 26.8 percent from Rs. 4,034.9 billion as of March 31, 2021 to Rs. 5,117.4 billion as of March 31, 2022. Our non-interest-bearing current account deposits increased by 12.9 percent from Rs. 2,110.8 billion as of March 31, 2021 to Rs. 2,382.1 billion as of March 31, 2022. Savings account deposits at Rs. 5,117.4 billion and current account deposits at Rs. 2,382.1 billion accounted for 48.1 percent of our total deposits as of March 31, 2022. Our short term borrowings increased by Rs. 314.9 billion from Rs. 239.3 billion in fiscal year 2021 to Rs. 554.2 billion in fiscal year 2022. Our long term debt increased by 32.3 percent from Rs. 1,174.8 billion in fiscal year 2021 to Rs. 1,554.3 billion in fiscal year 2022. Short term borrowings are mainly comprised of money market borrowings which are unsecured and are utilized for our treasury operations. Long term borrowings comprised primarily of subordinated debt and other long term debt. Of our total long term debt of Rs. 1,554.3 billion, Rs. 169.1 billion is perpetual debt and Rs. 1,385.2 billion pertains to other long term debt. Of our total other long term debt Rs. 246.5 billion will mature by fiscal year 2023, Rs. 817.1 billion between fiscal year 2024 and fiscal year 2025, Rs. 130.0 billion between fiscal year 2026 and fiscal year 2027 and Rs. 191.6 billion beyond fiscal year 2027.
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Financial Condition
Assets
The following table sets forth the principal components of our assets as of March 31, 2022 and March 31, 2023:
| As of March 31, | ||||||||||||||||
| 2022 | 2023 | Increase/ (Decrease) |
% Increase/ (Decrease) |
|||||||||||||
| (in millions except percentages) | ||||||||||||||||
| Cash and due from banks, and restricted cash |
Rs. | 1,122,031.1 | Rs. | 1,387,395.2 | Rs. | 265,364.1 | 23.7 | |||||||||
| Investments held for trading |
53,199.5 | 135,831.1 | 82,631.6 | 155.3 | ||||||||||||
| Investments available for sale debt securities |
4,388,563.1 | 4,878,844.0 | 490,280.9 | 11.2 | ||||||||||||
| Securities purchased under agreements to resell |
373,053.3 | 455,275.4 | 82,222.1 | 22.0 | ||||||||||||
| Loans, net |
14,036,872.2 | 17,052,927.9 | 3,016,055.7 | 21.5 | ||||||||||||
| Accrued interest receivable |
134,467.7 | 186,091.2 | 51,623.5 | 38.4 | ||||||||||||
| Property and equipment |
65,826.4 | 87,569.7 | 21,743.3 | 33.0 | ||||||||||||
| Goodwill |
74,937.9 | 74,937.9 | — | — | ||||||||||||
| Other assets |
864,754.3 | 1,496,751.6 | 631,997.3 | 73.1 | ||||||||||||
| Total assets |
Rs. | 21,113,705.5 | Rs. | 25,755,624.0 | Rs. | 4,641,918.5 | 22.0 | |||||||||
Our total assets increased by 22.0 percent from Rs. 21,113.7 billion as of March 31, 2022 to Rs. 25,755.6 billion as of March 31, 2023.
Our cash and due from banks, and restricted cash increased by 23.7 percent from Rs. 1,122.0 billion as of March 31, 2022 to Rs. 1,387.4 billion as of March 31, 2023, primarily on account of net cash provided by our operating and financing activities, partially offset by net cash used in our investing activities. Cash and due from banks, and restricted cash is comprised of cash and balances due from banks. We are also required to maintain cash balances with the RBI to meet our cash reserve ratio requirement. Banks in India, including us, are required to maintain a specific percentage of our demand and time liabilities by way of a balance in a current account with the RBI. This is to maintain the solvency of the banking system. We have classified the cash reserve maintained with the RBI as restricted cash.
Securities held under the trading portfolio are for trading purposes and are generally sold within 90 days from the date of purchase. Investments held for trading increased by 155.3 percent from Rs. 53.2 billion as of March 31, 2022 to Rs. 135.8 billion as of March 31, 2023, primarily on account of an increase in our investments in government securities and corporate bonds and partially offset by a decrease in units of mutual fund.
Investments AFS debt securities increased by 11.2 percent primarily on account of an increase in our government securities partially offset by a decrease in credit substitutes.
Net loans increased by 21.5 percent on account of an increase in both retail and wholesale loan portfolios. Our gross retail loan portfolio increased by 23.6 percent from Rs. 9,310.5 billion as of March 31, 2022 to Rs. 11,506.6 billion as of March 31, 2023. The growth in retail loans was primarily across the retail business banking, personal loans/credit cards and commercial vehicle and construction equipment finance segments. Our gross wholesale loan book increased by 15.9 percent from Rs. 5,099.0 billion as of March 31, 2022 to Rs. 5,911.5 billion as of March 31, 2023. Our allowances for credit losses increased from Rs. 298.3 billion as of March 31, 2022 to Rs. 303.9 billion as of March 31, 2023 for our retail loans and decreased from Rs. 74.4 billion as of March 31, 2022 to Rs. 61.3 billion as of March 31, 2023 for our wholesale loans.
Accrued interest receivable increased by 38.4 percent from Rs. 134.5 billion as of March 31, 2022 to Rs. 186.1 billion as of March 31, 2023, primarily on account of an increase in our loans and investment securities.
Our property and equipment increased by Rs. 21.7 billion. We added 734 branches and 2,043 ATMs and CDMs in fiscal year 2022 and 1,479 branches and 1,597 ATMs and CDMs in fiscal year 2023.
We paid a purchase consideration of Rs. 102.8 billion to acquire the net assets of CBoP at a fair value of Rs. 27.8 billion, thereby recognizing unidentified intangibles (goodwill) of Rs. 74.9 billion during fiscal year 2009. The goodwill arising from the business combination is tested on an annual basis for impairment. The said goodwill has not been impaired as of March 31, 2023 and has been carried forward at the same value as the value at the acquisition date.
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Other assets increased by 73.1 percent from Rs. 864.8 billion as of March 31, 2022 to Rs. 1,496.8 billion as of March 31, 2023, primarily due to an increase in term placement from Rs. 471.5 billion as of March 31, 2022 to Rs. 970.1 billion as of March 31, 2023. Other assets include a right-of-use asset of Rs. 90.0 billion as of March 31, 2023 and of Rs. 71.6 billion as of March 31, 2022, related to our future lease payments as a lessee under operating leases as of March 31, 2023.
Liabilities and Shareholders’ Equity
The following table sets forth the principal components of our liabilities and shareholders’ equity as of March 31, 2022 and March 31, 2023:
| As of March 31, | ||||||||||||||||
| 2022 | 2023 | Increase/ (Decrease) |
% Increase/ (Decrease) |
|||||||||||||
| (in millions, except percentages) | ||||||||||||||||
| Liabilities |
||||||||||||||||
| Interest-bearing deposits |
Rs. | 13,197,979.7 | Rs. | 16,097,459.3 | Rs. | 2,899,479.6 | 22.0 | |||||||||
| Non-interest-bearing deposits |
2,382,052.2 | 2,729,176.3 | 347,124.1 | 14.6 | ||||||||||||
| Total deposits |
15,580,031.9 | 18,826,635.6 | 3,246,603.7 | 20.8 | ||||||||||||
| Securities sold under repurchase agreements |
151,844.9 | — | (151,844.9 | ) | (100.0 | ) | ||||||||||
| Short term borrowings |
554,167.6 | 1,089,897.5 | 535,729.9 | 96.7 | ||||||||||||
| Accrued interest payable |
82,412.8 | 112,463.2 | 30,050.4 | 36.5 | ||||||||||||
| Long term debt |
1,554,333.4 | 2,054,436.4 | 500,103.0 | 32.2 | ||||||||||||
| Accrued expenses and other liabilities |
681,461.5 | 754,353.4 | 72,891.9 | 10.7 | ||||||||||||
| Total liabilities |
18,604,252.1 | 22,837,786.1 | 4,233,534.0 | 22.8 | ||||||||||||
| Non-controlling interest in subsidiaries |
4,615.0 | 5,637.2 | 1,022.2 | 22.1 | ||||||||||||
| HDFC Bank Limited shareholders’ equity |
2,504,838.4 | 2,912,200.7 | 407,362.3 | 16.3 | ||||||||||||
| Total liabilities and shareholders’ equity | Rs. | 21,113,705.5 | Rs. | 25,755,624.0 | Rs. | 4,641,918.5 | 22.0 | |||||||||
Our total liabilities increased by 22.8 percent from Rs. 18,604.3 billion as of March 31, 2022 to Rs. 22,837.8 billion as of March 31, 2023. This increase was primarily attributable to the growth in our deposits. The increase in our interest-bearing deposits was on account of an increase in time deposits and savings deposits. Time deposits increased by 29.6 percent from Rs. 8,080.6 billion as of March 31, 2022 to Rs. 10,472.5 billion as of March 31, 2023. Savings account deposits increased by 9.9 percent from Rs. 5,117.4 billion as of March 31, 2022 to Rs. 5,624.9 billion as of March 31, 2023. Our non-interest-bearing current account deposits increased by 14.6 percent from Rs. 2,382.1 billion as of March 31, 2022 to Rs. 2,729.2 billion as of March 31, 2023.
Most of our funding requirements are met through short term and medium term funding sources. Of our total non-equity sources of funding, primarily comprised of deposits and borrowings, deposits accounted for 82.4 percent, short term borrowings accounted for 4.8 percent and long term debt accounted for 9.0 percent as of March 31, 2023. Our short term borrowings, comprised primarily of money market borrowings, increased by Rs. 535.7 billion from Rs. 554.2 billion as of March 31, 2022 to Rs. 1,089.9 billion as of March 31, 2023. Our long term debt increased by 32.2 percent from Rs. 1,554.3 billion in fiscal year 2022 to Rs. 2,054.4 billion in fiscal year 2023.
Accrued interest payable increased by Rs. 30.1 billion from Rs. 82.4 billion as of March 31, 2022 to Rs. 112.5 billion as of March 31, 2023. This increase was primarily on account of an increase in interest accrued on our interest-bearing deposits and borrowings.
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Accrued expenses and other liabilities increased by 10.7 percent from Rs. 681.5 billion as of March 31, 2022 to Rs. 754.4 billion as of March 31, 2023, primarily on account of an increase in derivatives from Rs. 74.8 billion as of March 31, 2022 to Rs. 98.8 billion as of March 31, 2023 and other payables partially offset by a decrease in remittances in transit. Accrued expenses and other liabilities include lease liabilities of Rs. 78.1 billion as of March 31, 2022 and Rs. 97.7 billion as of March 31, 2023 related to our future lease payments as a lessee under operating leases. Accrued expenses and other liabilities include our allowance for credit losses on our off-balance sheet credit exposures and undrawn commitments, aggregating Rs. 6.1 billion as of March 31, 2022 and Rs. 5.8 billion as of March 31, 2023.
Shareholders’ equity increased on the exercise of 34,201,810 stock options by employees and on an increase in our retained earnings, partially offset by a decrease in the balance of our accumulated other comprehensive income. One ADS continues to represent three equity shares.
Capital
We are a banking company within the meaning of the Indian Banking Regulation Act, 1949, registered with and subject to supervision by the RBI. Failure to meet minimum capital requirements could lead to regulatory actions by the RBI that, if undertaken, could have a material effect on our financial position. The RBI issued detailed guidelines for implementation of Basel III capital regulations in May 2012. The minimum capital requirements under Basel III are being phased-in as per the guidelines prescribed by the RBI. Accordingly, we are required to maintain a minimum Common Equity Tier I ratio of 8.2 percent, a minimum total Tier I capital ratio of 9.7 percent and a minimum total capital ratio of 11.7 percent (each including capital conservation buffer and additional capital applicable to us as a D-SIB) as of March 31, 2023.
Our regulatory capital and capital adequacy ratios measured in accordance with Indian GAAP and calculated under Basel III as of March 31, 2022 and March 31, 2023 are as follows:
| As of March 31, | ||||||||||||
| 2022 | 2023 | 2023 | ||||||||||
| (in millions, except percentages) | ||||||||||||
| Tier I capital |
Rs. | 2,418,067.5 | Rs. | 2,718,239.1 | US$ | 33,072.6 | ||||||
| Tier II capital |
139,277.5 | 337,409.4 | 4,105.2 | |||||||||
| Total capital |
Rs. | 2,557,345.0 | Rs. | 3,055,648.5 | US$ | 37,177.8 | ||||||
| Total risk weighted assets |
Rs. | 13,535,108.5 | Rs. | 15,866,349.6 | US$ | 193,044.8 | ||||||
| Capital ratios of the Bank: |
||||||||||||
| Common Equity Tier I |
16.67 | % | 16.40 | % | 16.40 | % | ||||||
| Tier I |
17.87 | % | 17.13 | % | 17.13 | % | ||||||
| Total capital |
18.90 | % | 19.26 | % | 19.26 | % | ||||||
| Minimum capital ratios required by the RBI:* |
||||||||||||
| Tier I |
9.700 | % | 9.700 | % | 9.700 | % | ||||||
| Total capital |
11.700 | % | 11.700 | % | 11.700 | % | ||||||
| * | The Tier I and Total capital ratios include a capital conservation buffer and additional capital applicable to us as a D-SIB. |
Capital Expenditure
Our capital expenditure consists principally of expenditures relating to our branch network expansion, as well as investments in our technology and communications infrastructure. Our capital expenditure was Rs. 43.2 billion in fiscal year 2023. We have current plans for capital expenditures of approximately Rs. 75.6 billion in fiscal year 2024. Our budgeted capital expenditure is primarily to expand our branch and ATM network, to upgrade and expand our hardware, data center, network and other systems, to add new equipment in and expand our existing premises and to relocate our branches and back-offices. We believe that our capital and free reserves are sufficient to fund our capital expenditure needs. We may use these budgeted amounts for other purposes depending on, among other factors, the business environment prevailing at the time, and consequently our actual capital expenditures may be higher or lower than our budgeted amounts. See also “Risk Factors—A slowdown in economic growth in India would cause us to experience slower growth in our asset portfolio and deterioration in the quality of our assets”, “Risk Factors—Financial and political instability in other countries may cause increased volatility in the Indian financial market” and “Risk Factors—Pandemics or similar public health crises may have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations”.
Financial Instruments and Off-Balance Sheet Arrangements
Our foreign exchange and derivative product offerings to our customers cover a range of products, including foreign exchange and interest rate transactions and hedging solutions, such as spot and forward foreign exchange contracts, forward rate agreements, currency swaps, currency options and interest rate derivatives. These transactions enable our customers to transfer, modify or reduce their foreign exchange and interest rate risks. A specified group of relationship managers from our Treasury front office works on such product offerings jointly with the relationship managers from Wholesale Banking.
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We enter into forward exchange contracts, currency options, forward rate agreements, currency swaps and rupee interest rate swaps with inter-bank participants, similar to our Wholesale Banking business, where we enter into such transactions with our customers. To support our clients’ activities, we are an active participant in the Indian inter-bank foreign exchange market. We also trade, to a more limited extent, for our own account. We also engage in proprietary trades of rupee-based interest rate swaps and use them as part of our asset liability management.
Forward exchange contracts are commitments to buy or sell foreign currency at a future date at the contracted rate. A currency option is a contract where the purchaser of the option has the right but not the obligation to either purchase or sell and the seller of the option agrees to sell or purchase an agreed amount of a specified currency at a price agreed in advance and denominated in another currency on a specified date or by an agreed date in the future. A forward rate agreement is a financial contract between two parties to exchange interest payments for a “notional principal” amount on a settlement date, for a specified period from a start date to a maturity date. Currency swaps are commitments to exchange cash flows by way of interest in one currency against another currency and exchanges of principal amounts at maturity (or on specified intermittent dates) based on predetermined rates. Rupee interest rate swaps are commitments to exchange fixed and floating rate cash flows in rupees.
We earn profit on customer transactions by way of a margin as a mark-up over the inter-bank exchange or interest rate. We earn profit on inter-bank transactions by way of a spread between the purchase rate and the sale rate. These profits are recorded as income from foreign exchange and derivative transactions. Our Board of Directors imposes limits on our ability to hold overnight positions in foreign exchange and derivatives, and the same are communicated to the RBI.
The following table presents the aggregate notional principal amounts of our outstanding forward exchange and derivative contracts as of March 31, 2023, together with the fair values on each reporting date:
| As of March 31, 2023 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Notional | Gross Assets | Gross Liabilities | Net Fair Value | Notional | Net Fair Value | |||||||||||||||||||
| (in millions) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Interest rate derivatives |
Rs. | 5,974,019.2 | Rs. | 41,148.2 | Rs. | 36,627.4 | Rs. | 4,520.8 | US$ | 72,685.5 | US$ | 55.0 | ||||||||||||
| Forward rate agreements |
140,693.0 | 1,848.4 | 541.4 | 1,307.0 | 1,711.8 | 15.9 | ||||||||||||||||||
| Currency options |
257,641.1 | 1,402.4 | 1,578.3 | (175.9 | ) | 3,134.7 | (2.1 | ) | ||||||||||||||||
| Currency swaps |
372,114.3 | 21,753.7 | 7,213.4 | 14,540.3 | 4,527.5 | 176.9 | ||||||||||||||||||
| Forward exchange contracts |
9,052,221.4 | 55,596.7 | 52,823.0 | 2,773.7 | 110,137.7 | 33.7 | ||||||||||||||||||
| Total |
Rs. | 15,796,689.0 | Rs. | 121,749.4 | Rs. | 98,783.5 | Rs. | 22,965.9 | US$ | 192,197.2 | US$ | 279.4 | ||||||||||||
We have not designated the above derivative contracts as accounting hedges and accordingly the contracts are recorded at fair value on the balance sheet with subsequent changes in fair value recorded in earnings.
For the interest rate structure of financial instruments related to foreign currency borrowings, see Notes 15 and 16 to the Consolidated Financial Statements.
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Guarantees and Documentary Credits
As a part of our commercial banking activities, we issue documentary credits and guarantees. Documentary credits, such as letters of credit, enhance the credit standing of our customers. Guarantees generally represent irrevocable assurances that we will make payments in the event that the customer fails to fulfill its financial or performance obligations. Financial guarantees are obligations to pay a third-party beneficiary where a customer fails to make payment towards a specified financial obligation. Performance guarantees are obligations to pay a third-party beneficiary where a customer fails to perform a non-financial contractual obligation. The nominal values of guarantees and documentary credits for the dates set forth below were as follows:
| As of March 31, | ||||||||||||
| 2022 | 2023 | 2023 | ||||||||||
| (in millions) | ||||||||||||
| Nominal values: |
||||||||||||
| Bank guarantees: |
||||||||||||
| Financial guarantees |
Rs. | 422,406.2 | Rs. | 494,191.3 | US$ | 6,012.8 | ||||||
| Performance guarantees |
417,227.2 | 519,953.0 | 6,326.2 | |||||||||
| Documentary credits |
615,639.6 | 614,555.5 | 7,477.3 | |||||||||
| Total |
Rs. | 1,455,273.0 | Rs. | 1,628,699.8 | US$ | 19,816.3 | ||||||
Guarantees and documentary credits outstanding increased by 11.9 percent from Rs. 1,455.3 billion as of March 31, 2022 to Rs. 1,628.7 billion as of March 31, 2023, principally due to growth in our trade finance business.
Undrawn Commitments
Our undrawn commitments in respect of loans and financing provided to customers aggregated to Rs. 730.9 billion and Rs. 372.3 billion (US$ 4.5 billion) as of March 31, 2022 and March 31, 2023, respectively. Among other things, the making of a loan is subject to a review of the creditworthiness of the customer at the time the customer seeks to borrow, at which time we have the unilateral right to decline to make the loan. If we were to make such loans, the interest rates would be dependent on the lending rates in effect when the loans were disbursed. Further, we have unconditional cancellable commitments aggregating to Rs. 5,528.4 billion and Rs. 7,273.0 billion (US$ 88.5 billion) as of March 31, 2022 and March 31, 2023, respectively. See also Note 23 “Financial Instruments” in our consolidated financial statements included elsewhere in this report.
Commercial Commitments
Our commercial commitments consist principally of letters of credit, guarantees, forward exchange and derivative contracts.
As part of our risk management activities, we continuously monitor the creditworthiness of customers as well as guarantee exposures. However, if a customer fails to perform a specified obligation to a beneficiary, the beneficiary may draw upon the guarantee by presenting documents that are in compliance with the guarantee. In that event, we make payment on account of the defaulting customer to the beneficiary, up to the full notional amount of the guarantee. The customer is obligated to reimburse us for any such payment. If the customer fails to pay, we would, as applicable, liquidate collateral and/or set off accounts; if insufficient collateral is held, we recognize a loss.
The residual maturities of the above commitments as of March 31, 2023 are set forth in the following table:
| Amount of Commitment Expiration Per Period, as of March 31, 2023 | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Total Amounts Committed(1) |
Up to 1 Year | 1-3 Years | 3-5 Years | Over 5 Years | ||||||||||||||||
| (in millions) | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Documentary credits |
Rs. | 614,555.5 | Rs. | 563,021.3 | Rs. | 49,658.1 | Rs. | 1,869.2 | Rs. | 6.9 | ||||||||||
| Guarantees |
1,014,144.3 | 713,119.9 | 221,071.0 | 58,721.8 | 21,231.6 | |||||||||||||||
| Forward exchange and derivative contracts |
15,796,689.0 | 11,847,648.7 | 2,259,770.7 | 1,427,352.5 | 261,917.1 | |||||||||||||||
| Total |
Rs. | 17,425,388.8 | Rs. | 13,123,789.9 | Rs. | 2,530,499.8 | Rs. | 1,487,943.5 | Rs. | 283,155.6 | ||||||||||
| (1) | Denotes nominal values of documentary credits and guarantees and notional principal amounts of forward exchange and derivative contracts. |
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Extent of Dependence on Single Customer Exposures
Our exposures to our 10 largest borrowers as of March 31, 2023, based on the higher of the outstanding balances of or limits on, funded and non-funded exposures, were as follows. None of these exposures was impaired as of March 31, 2023:
| March 31, 2023 |
||||||||||||||||||
| Borrower Industry |
Funded Exposure |
Non-Funded Exposure |
Total Exposure | Total Exposure |
||||||||||||||
| (in millions) | ||||||||||||||||||
| Borrower 1 |
Financial Institution | Rs.284,002.5 | Rs. | — | Rs.284,002.5 | US$ | 3,455.4 | |||||||||||
| Borrower 2 |
Power | 220,901.6 | 1,200.0 | 222,101.6 | 2,702.3 | |||||||||||||
| Borrower 3 |
Financial Institution | 205,801.0 | — | 205,801.0 | 2,504.0 | |||||||||||||
| Borrower 4 |
Coal Petroleum Products | 80,344.5 | 112,144.7 | 192,489.2 | 2,342.0 | |||||||||||||
| Borrower 5 |
Housing Finance Companies | 185,299.0 | — | 185,299.0 | 2,254.5 | |||||||||||||
| Borrower 6 |
Coal Petroleum Products | 154,296.7 | 21,764.8 | 176,061.5 | 2,142.1 | |||||||||||||
| Borrower 7 |
Financial Institution | 155,565.7 | 60.0 | 155,625.7 | 1,893.5 | |||||||||||||
| Borrower 8 |
Power | 139,808.3 | — | 139,808.3 | 1,701.0 | |||||||||||||
| Borrower 9 |
Retail Trade | 121,560.0 | 6,030.3 | 127,590.3 | 1,552.4 | |||||||||||||
| Borrower 10 |
Coal Petroleum Products | 112,479.0 | 15,070.0 | 127,549.0 | 1,551.9 | |||||||||||||
Of the total exposure to these ten borrowers, approximately 24.8 percent was secured by collateral.
In June 2019, the RBI issued the revised Large Exposures Framework, which aims to align the exposure norms for Indian banks with BCBS standards. The guidelines came into effect from April 1, 2019, except for certain provisions which became effective from April 1, 2020. See “Supervision and Regulation—Large Exposures Framework”. As per this Large Exposure Framework, a bank’s exposure to a single NBFC is restricted to 15.0 percent of its available eligible capital base, while exposure values of a bank to a single counterparty must not be higher than 20.0 percent of its available eligible capital base, which can be extended to 25.0 percent by a bank’s board of directors under exceptional circumstances. The RBI in its circular dated September 12, 2019 stated that a bank’s exposure to a single NBFC (excluding gold loan companies) will be restricted to 20.0 percent of that bank’s eligible capital base. Bank finance to NBFCs predominantly engaged in lending against gold will continue to be governed by limits prescribed in the RBI circular dated May 18, 2012. A bank’s exposure to a single NBFC, having gold loans equivalent to or exceeding 50.0 percent of its total financial assets, is restricted to 7.5 percent of the banks’ capital funds, which can be extended to 12.5 percent if the additional exposure is on account of funds on-lent by the NBFC to the infrastructure sector. Tier I capital that fulfills the criteria set out in the RBI’s Basel III guidelines must be considered as eligible capital base for this purpose. As of March 31, 2023, our exposure to our 10 largest borrowers was equal to or more than 5.0 percent of our eligible capital base under this framework and was mainly comprised of large credit facilities to these borrowers. There were no exposures that exceeded the regulatory ceiling established by RBI.
Cross-border Exposures
The RBI requires banks in India to implement RBI prescribed guidelines on country risk management in respect of those countries where a bank has net funded exposure in excess of a prescribed percentage of its total assets. In the normal course of business, we have both direct and indirect exposure to risks related to counterparties and entities in foreign countries. We monitor such cross-border exposures on an ongoing basis. As of March 31, 2023, our aggregate country risk exposure was 2.2 percent of our total assets, and our net funded exposure to any other country did not exceed 1 percent of our total assets as per the said guidelines.
Cybersecurity
We offer internet and mobile banking services to our customers. Our internet and mobile banking channel includes multiple services, such as electronic funds transfer, bill payment services, usage of credit cards online, requesting account statements and requesting cheque books. We are therefore exposed to cyber threats, such as hacking, phishing and trojans, targeting our customers, wherein fraudsters send unsolicited emails to our customers seeking account -sensitive information; hacking, wherein hackers seek to hack into our website with the primary intention of causing reputational damage to us; data theft, wherein cyber criminals may intrude into our network with the intention of stealing our internal data or our customer information or to extort money and data leakage, wherein sensitive internal bank data or customer information is inappropriately disclosed by parties entitled to access it. As the sophistication of cyber incidents continues to evolve, we shall continue to enhance the protective measures, investigate and remediate any vulnerability due to cyber incidents.
We have implemented various measures to mitigate risks that emanate from offering online banking to our customers. These are briefly enumerated below:
| • | We have made significant advancements to further consolidate cyber security through initiatives such as the foundation of a next-generation Security Operations Center (“SOC”) for predictive security and incident management, introduction of SOAR (Security Orchestration, Automation Response) to reduce incident response times, and network micro-segmentation for better control, visibility and preparedness against ransomware. |
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| • | We have upgraded our monitoring and detection by deploying next generation security incident event management solution augmented by artificial intelligence (“AI”) and machine learning(“ML”) capabilities along with strong UEBA (User Entity Behavioral Analysis) functionalities and built-in threat modelling. This initiative and approach to leverage AI and ML as an entire suite to proactively detect and respond to threats has been seen as the first in the industry. |
| • | The 24/7 defacement monitoring and vulnerability management of the Bank’s internet properties minimize the surface area for cyber security attacks. |
| • | We are equipped with a dedicated program for attack surface management that includes continuous attack surface discovery and probing for weaknesses on the discovered assets. There has been a continuous effort to ensure that all significant weaknesses are remediated within a reasonable timeframe. |
| • | Phishing: We identify phishing sites and trojans targeting our customers and once identified, these sites are taken down. We have implemented a “Secure Access” system which provides an additional layer of security in addition to the customer identification (ID) and password requirement for internet banking transactions. Our practice also includes sending awareness mails to our customers, to educate them about phishing and the measures they should take to protect themselves from falling victim to it. We launched the ‘Vigil Aunty (VA)’ initiative, which encourages people across the country to practice safe banking habits. The customers are guided on safe banking dos and don’ts via the adopted cast of VA. VA has a designated WhatsApp number to connect with customers. In addition, customer ecommerce transactions and card transactions are continuously monitored. |
| • | Hacking and data theft: We have implemented network firewall, web application firewall and an intrusion prevention system at the perimeter of our network, in order to block any attempts to hack or breach our network. Our cybersecurity operations center (“CSOC”) operates 24 hours a day and 7 days a week, to secure against attempts made to breach our network. We have developed an Incident Management Procedure, a Cyber Security Policy and a Cyber Crisis Management Plan for the incident management process to ensure that relevant stakeholders are aware of their role in the event of any incident. We also test our internet facing infrastructure and applications for vulnerabilities including periodic red team assessments. Any vulnerability identified is remediated in a timely manner to ensure that the online banking services remain protected against the evolving threat. In addition, we have deployed a host intrusion prevention solution on the internet banking setup to protect against unpatched vulnerabilities. We have defined baseline security standards for the technologies in use. These standards are created while taking into consideration the industry best practices and are reviewed on a regular basis to counter new threat vectors and avoid obsolescence. We perform daily malware scanning of the default landing pages of our internet websites so that our customers are not compromised by malware that has been injected on non-logged web pages. In order to strengthen our protection against distributed denial of services (“DDOS”) attacks, we have also subscribed to anti-DDOS services. |
Threat intelligence feeds and indicators of compromise received from government agencies, service providers and dark web monitoring vendors are logged in the security technologies deployed in our security operations center.
We have also undertaken internal data security measures that are taken with respect to breaches or theft of material or sensitive customer data. These are briefly enumerated below:
| • | Data Loss Prevention (DLP): We have implemented enterprise solutions such as DLP to monitor sensitive data stored, transmitted and shared by users, and to prevent and detect data breaches. Individual business functions are also involved in incident reviews which helps create a sense of ownership and awareness amongst our employees. |
| • | Laptop Encryption: Data encryption ensures that business-critical and sensitive data is not misplaced, thereby preventing any reputational damage and curtailing monetary losses. We have therefore implemented a laptop encryption tool on our laptops. |
| • | Domain-based Message Authentication, Reporting and Conformance (“DMARC”): We have implemented a DMARC system which gives us the ability to protect the domain from unauthorized use, commonly known as “email spoofing”. The purpose and primary outcome of implementing DMARC is to protect a domain from being used in business email compromise attacks, phishing emails, email scams and other cyber threat activities. |
| • | Anti-Advanced Persistence Threat (“Anti-APT): An APT is a prolonged and targeted cyber-attack in which an intruder gains access to a network and remains undetected for an extended period of time. We have implemented an Anti-APT system to prevent these attacks. All network elements such as email, web and endpoint computers are protected by the Anti-APT system. |
| • | Awareness programs: Our comprehensive e-learning module iSecurity Ambassador (iSA) is a mandatory assessment-based course on information and cyber security, which is accessible to all employees. We also send emails to raise employee awareness on cybersecurity, which include cyber tips, guidance on information technology, cyber security and other related issues as well as operating guidelines. As a part of on floor awareness, we also have posters and desktop calendars on phishing, vishing and smishing. All new joiners receive information regarding various aspects of information security issues in the everyday work environment and are required to complete the induction module, the Information Security Pledge, through classroom training. To gauge the awareness level of our employees, we send phishing surveys to employees for completion. We also test our employees using our own phishing attacks and measure their response, after which they are provided with specific education and awareness to ensure they are better prepared to face such attacks in the future. |
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| • | Data privacy: Financial institutions regularly encounter a variety of data-related challenges involving issues such as data quality and accessibility. In today’s highly automated banking environment, such challenges can have serious effects on virtually all aspects of bank operations. Our data privacy program is a highly regulated initiative headed by the Data Privacy Officer (DPO) under the direct supervision of the Board and the Chief Information Security officer (CISO). |
A privacy by design approach is central to our data privacy program to address privacy related risk. Our privacy program embeds ten principles in the various processes and technologies across our products and services to protect from financial, regulatory, operational, and brand damage.
We have established a process to perform privacy impact assessment to complement the overall risk assessment carried out before commissioning the product and services, where personal data is being processed. Privacy governance is integrated into all aspects of our operations. As a global organization that collects and processes the personal data of data subjects / data principals, we have established three core components related to privacy governance as under:
| • | Governance: A governance structure which organizes and appropriately establishes the roles and responsibilities of employees and other stakeholders. |
| • | Control: A control model which establishes the set of data privacy controls that enables the decision making. |
| • | Operations: A set of processes, procedures and operations that provide operational support to privacy compliance. |
Awareness and culture play a major role in implementing the right privacy program; accordingly the Data Privacy Office has initiated “Trust Banking” that includes initiatives like Mascot, Privacy Logo, conducting internal campaigns on regular intervals, a training program for employees and a “Data Privacy - intranet website” that acts as a knowledge hub.
Business Continuity
To ensure business continuity, we have an ISO 22301:2019 certified Business Continuity Program in place to minimize service disruptions and potential impact on its employees, customers and business during any unforeseen adverse events or circumstances. This program is designed in accordance with the guidelines issued by regulatory bodies and is subject to regular internal, external and regulatory reviews. The central Business Continuity Office works towards strengthening our continuity preparedness. The implementation is overseen by the Business Continuity Steering Committee which is chaired by the Chief Risk Officer. The Business Continuity Procedure has well defined roles and responsibilities for Crisis Management, Business Recovery, Emergency response and IT disaster recovery teams.
Some of the key aspects of this program include the following:
| • | A steering committee for centralized monitoring of our Business Continuity program implementation; |
| • | Crisis management teams for effective management of recovery operations during disruptive events |
| • | A dedicated Disaster Recovery (“DR”) site for recovery of critical core and customer facing applications |
| • | Functional recovery plans for structured and speedy recovery of business; and |
| • | Periodic drills for testing the effectiveness of these functional recovery plans |
These robust practices have enabled us to continue delivering banking services seamlessly during major disruptive events including, the COVID-19 pandemic.
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MANAGEMENT
Directors and Senior Management
Our Memorandum and Articles of Association (“Articles”) provide that, until otherwise determined by the general meeting of shareholders, the number of our directors shall not be less than three or more than 15, excluding directors appointed pursuant to the terms of issued debt. As of March 31, 2023, our Board of Directors consisted of ten directors.
As per the Companies Act, unless the Articles provide for the retirement of all directors at every annual general meeting, not less than two-thirds of the total number of directors shall be persons whose period of office is liable to determination by retirement of directors by rotation. However, any retiring director may be reappointed by resolution of the shareholders. Pursuant to the Companies Act, every company shall have at least one director who has stayed in India for a total period of not less than 182 days in the previous calendar year (i.e., an Indian resident).
As per our Articles, so long as HDFC Limited, its subsidiary or any other company promoted by HDFC Limited, either singly or in the aggregate, holds not less than 20 percent of the paid-up equity share capital in the Bank, the Board of Directors of the Bank shall, with the approval of the shareholders, appoint the non-retiring directors from persons nominated by HDFC Limited. HDFC Limited shall be entitled to nominate the part-time Chairman and the Managing Director or the full-time Chairman as the case may be, subject to the approval of the RBI, the Board of Directors of the Bank and the shareholders. Currently, Mrs. Renu Karnad is the Non-Executive Director (“NED”) (nominee of HDFC Limited) of the Bank. The Banking Regulation Act 1949 (the “Banking Regulation Act”) and subsequent RBI notification, dated November 24, 2016, requires that not less than 51 percent of the board members shall consist of persons who have specialized knowledge or practical experience in one or more of the following areas: accounting, finance, agriculture and rural economy, banking, cooperation, economics, law, small-scale industry, information technology, payment and settlement systems, human resources, risk management, business management and any other matter which in the opinion of the RBI will be useful to the banking company. Of these, not less than two directors shall have specialized knowledge or practical experience in respect of agriculture and the rural economy, cooperation or small-scale industry. Dr. (Mrs.) Sunita Maheshwari is the Independent Director on the Board with specialized knowledge and practical experience in small scale industry and Mr. Umesh Chandra Sarangi is the Independent Director on the Board with specialized knowledge and practical experience in agriculture and rural economy. Mr. M.D. Ranganath is the Independent Director on the Board of the Bank with expertise in Information Technology. The skills, special knowledge and practical experience of the individual directors, as of March 31, 2023, comprise the following:
| Sr. |
Name |
Designation |
Expertise/Competence | |||
| 1 |
Mr. Atanu Chakraborty | Part-time Non-Executive Chairman and Independent Director | Finance, Economy, Public Policy, Administration and Infrastructure, Banking, Risk Management, Payment Settlement System, Business Management | |||
| 2 |
Mr. Kaizad Bharucha(2) | Executive Director | Banking Business, Credit Risk Management, Business Management | |||
| 3 |
Mrs. Lily Vadera | Independent Director | Banking, Finance, International Relations | |||
| 4 |
Mr. M.D. Ranganath | Independent Director | Finance, Accountancy, Information Technology, Risk Management, Business Management | |||
| 5 |
Mrs. Renu Karnad | Non-Executive Director | Risk Management, Housing Real Estate, Financial, Accounting Audit, Consumer Behavior, Sales Marketing, Legal and Strategy Management, Economics, Business Management | |||
| 6 |
Mr. Sandeep Parekh | Independent Director | Law (with focus on securities market and financial regulations), Payment Settlement System, Business Management | |||
| 7 |
Mr. Sanjiv Sachar | Independent Director | Human Resource Management, Economics, Finance, Accountancy, Business Management | |||
| 8 |
Mr. Sashidhar Jagdishan | Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer | Economics of Money, Banking and Finance, Accountancy, Business Management | |||
| 9 |
Dr. (Mrs.) Sunita Maheshwari | Independent Director | Medicine, Healthcare, Entrepreneurship, General Administration, Small Scale Industries, Business Management | |||
| 10 |
Mr. Umesh Chandra Sarangi | Independent Director | Agriculture and Rural Economy, Cooperation, Business Management | |||
| (1) | Mr. Bhavesh Zaveri was our Head of Operations, ATM and Cash Management Products as of March 31, 2023. He has expertise and competence in Banking, Accountancy, Payment and Settlement systems, Risk Management. The Shareholders of the Bank approved his appointment as Executive Director with effect from April 19, 2023 through Postal Ballot on June 11, 2023. |
| (2) | Mr. Kaizad Bharucha was our Executive Director as on March 31, 2023. The Shareholders of the Bank approved his appointment as Deputy Managing Director with effect from April 19, 2023 through Postal Ballot on June 11, 2023. |
| (3) | Mr. Malay Patel ceased to be an Independent Director on the Board of the Bank with effect from the close of business hours on March 30, 2023, upon completion of a continuous period of eight years from the date of his initial appointment as Director of the Bank. |
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Interested directors may not vote at board proceedings, except in relation to contracts or arrangements with a company in which that director holds (or two or more directors collectively hold) not more than 2 percent of the paid-up share capital. None of our directors or members of our senior management holds 1 percent or more of our equity shares.
Our Board of Directors, as of March 31, 2023, comprised:
| Name of Director |
Designation |
Age | ||||
| Mr. Atanu Chakraborty | Part time Non-Executive Chairman and Independent Director | 63 | ||||
| Mr. Sashidhar Jagdishan | Managing Director and CEO | 58 | ||||
| Mr. Kaizad Bharucha(2) | Executive Director | 58 | ||||
| Mrs. Lily Vadera | Independent Director | 62 | ||||
| Mr. M.D. Ranganath | Independent Director | 61 | ||||
| Mrs. Renu Karnad | Non-Executive Director (Nominee of HDFC Limited) | 70 | ||||
| Mr. Sandeep Parekh | Independent Director | 51 | ||||
| Mr. Sanjiv Sachar | Independent Director | 65 | ||||
| Dr. (Mrs.) Sunita Maheshwari | Independent Director | 57 | ||||
| Mr. Umesh Chandra Sarangi | Independent Director | 71 | ||||
| (1) | Mr. Bhavesh Zaveri was our Head of Operations, ATM and Cash Management Products as of March 31, 2023. The Shareholders of the Bank approved his appointment as Executive Director with effect from April 19, 2023 through Postal Ballot on June 11, 2023. |
| (2) | Mr. Kaizad Bharucha was our Executive Director as of March 31, 2023. The Shareholders of the Bank approved his appointment as Deputy Managing Director with effect from April 19, 2023 through Postal Ballot on June 11, 2023. |
| (3) | Mr. Malay Patel ceased to be an Independent Director on the Board of the Bank with effect from the close of business hours on March 30, 2023, upon completion of a continuous period of eight years from the date of his initial appointment as Director of the Bank. The brief biography of Mr. Malay Patel has been mentioned below. |
The following are brief biographies of our directors, including the Part-Time Non-Executive Chairman and Independent Director of the Bank:
Mr. Atanu Chakraborty, aged 63 years , was appointed as the part-time Non-Executive Chairman and Independent Director of the Bank with effect from May 5, 2021, pursuant to the approval granted by the RBI and by the shareholders of the Bank at its 27th Annual General Meeting held on July 17, 2021. He has served in the Government of India, for a period of 35 years, as a member of the Indian Administrative Service (“IAS”) in Gujarat cadre, during which he mainly worked in areas of Finance Economic Policy, Infrastructure, and Petroleum and Natural Gas. In the Government of India, he held various posts, such as Secretary to Government of India at the Department of Economic Affairs of the Ministry of Finance (“DEA”) during fiscal year 2020. As Secretary of the DEA, he coordinated economic policymaking across all ministries and departments. Furthermore, he managed the entire formulation process of the budget for the Government of India, including its passage in Parliament. He was responsible for the policies for fiscal management, public debt management and the development and management of financial markets.
Mr. Chakraborty also handled matters of financial stability and currency, as well as domestic and foreign–related issues. He managed the flow of funds by multilateral and bilateral financial institutions and had multiple interfaces with them. He also headed a multi-disciplinary task force for the National Infrastructure Pipeline (“NIP”). He served as Secretary to the Government of India for Disinvestment at the Department of Investment and Public Asset Management (“DIPAM”), where he was responsible for both the policy and the execution of disinvestments of the Government of India’s stake in state-owned enterprises.
Between 2002 and 2007, Mr. Chakraborty served as Director and subsequently as Joint Secretary at the Department of Expenditure of the Ministry of Finance. During his tenure, he evaluated projects in the Infrastructure sector and oversaw subsidies by the Government of India. He also updated and modernized the Government’s Financial and Procurement rules. Mr. Chakraborty has also served in various roles at the Gujarat State Government, including as Secretary to its Finance Department. He had been responsible for piloting the private sector investment legislation in the State. In the State Government, he was immersed in both public governance and development areas.
Mr. Chakraborty has also served as alternate Governor on the Board of the World Bank, as well as on the Central Board of Directors of the RBI. He was the Chairman of the National Infrastructure Investment Fund (“NIIF”) and a Director of various listed companies. Mr. Chakraborty was the CEO and Managing Director of the Gujarat State Petroleum Corporation Limited group of companies, as well as Gujarat State Fertilizers and Chemicals Limited. Mr. Chakraborty has published articles in renowned journals in the areas of public finance, risk sharing in infrastructure projects and gas infrastructure. Mr. Chakraborty graduated with a Bachelor in Engineering in Electronics and Communication from NIT Kurukshetra. He holds a Diploma in Business Finance from the Institute of Financial Analysts of India (“ICFAI”), Hyderabad, and a Master in Business Administration from the University of Hull, United Kingdom.
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Ms. Lily Vadera, aged 62 years, is a Non-Executive Director of the Bank. She holds a M.A. in International Relations and has more than 33 years of experience in central banking. She retired as Executive Director from RBI in October 2020 where she had been in charge of the Department of Regulation (“DoR”) and dealt with the regulatory framework for various entities in the financial sector, covering all categories of banks and non-banking finance companies. She was instrumental in setting up a framework for a regulatory sandbox providing a protected environment that enables FinTech companies to foster innovation in the financial services sector. Ms. Vadera played a significant role in the amalgamation of distressed banks. She represented the RBI and played an important role as a member of the Insolvency Law Committee set up by the Ministry of Corporate Affairs (“MCA”).
Mr. M.D. Ranganath, aged 61 years, is a Non-Executive Director of the Bank. He holds a Master in Technology from IIT, Madras, and a Bachelor in Engineering from the University of Mysore. He also holds a Postgraduate Diploma in Management (“PGDM”) from IIM, Ahmedabad, and is a member of CPA, Australia. Mr. Ranganath has over 32 years of experience in the Global IT services and financial services industry. He is currently the Chairman of Catamaran Ventures and was Chief Financial Officer of Infosys Limited, a listed global IT services company, until November 2018. During his tenure of 18 years at Infosys, he was an integral part of its growth and transformation into a globally respected IT services company and effectively assumed leadership roles in a variety of areas culminating in the role of the CFO: Strategy, Finance, Mergers and Acquisitions (“MA”), Consulting, Risk Management, and Corporate Planning. Prior to Infosys, he worked at ICICI Limited for eight years and was responsible for credit, treasury, equity portfolio management and corporate planning. In 2017 and 2018, Mr. Ranganath was the recipient of the Best CFO Asia award in the technology sector by Institutional Investor publication, predicated on a poll of buy-side and sell-side investors.
Mrs. Renu Karnad, aged 70 years, is a Non-Executive Director of the Bank. She has been the Managing Director of HDFC Limited since 2010. She holds a Master’s degree in Economics from the University of Delhi and a degree in Law from the University of Mumbai. She is also a Parvin Fellow at the Woodrow Wilson School of Public and International Affairs, Princeton University, NJ, United States. Mrs. Karnad brings with her valuable experience and knowledge of the mortgage sector, having been associated with real estate and mortgage industry in India for over 40 years. Over the years, she has been the recipient of numerous awards and accolades, such as the “Outstanding Woman Business Leader” award granted by CBNC-TV18 at the India Business Leader Awards 2012, induction in the Hall of Fame, Fortune India magazine’s most powerful women from 2011 to 2019, “Top ten powerful women to watch out for in Asia” by Wall Street Journal Asia in 2006, etc. She had previously been a Non-Executive Director on the Board of the Bank.
Mr. Sandeep Parekh, aged 51 years, is a Non-Executive Director of the Bank. He holds a Master of Laws in Securities and Financial Regulation from Georgetown University and a Bachelor of Laws from Delhi University. He is the Managing Partner of Finsec Law Advisors, a financial sector law firm based in Mumbai. He was an Executive Director at SEBI from 2006 to 2008, heading both the Enforcement and Legal Affairs departments. He is a member of the visiting faculty at the Indian Institute of Management, Ahmedabad. He has worked for law firms in Delhi, Mumbai and Washington, D.C. Mr. Parekh focuses on securities regulations, investment regulations, private equity, corporate governance and financial regulation. He is admitted to practice law in the State of New York. He was recognized by the World Economic Forum as a “Young Global Leader” in 2008. He was Chairman and member of various committees and sub-committees at the SEBI and the RBI. He is currently a member of SEBI’s Mutual Fund Advisory Committee and a member of the advisory committee of the School of Regulatory Studies Supervision (“SRSS”) of the National Institute of Securities Market (“NISM”). He has published op-eds in the Financial Times and Economic Times.
Mr. Sanjiv Sachar, aged 65 years, is a Non-Executive Director of the Bank. He is a Fellow Associate of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of India and former Senior Partner of Egon Zehnder, the world’s largest privately held executive search firm. Mr. Sachar set up the Egon Zehnder practice in India in 1995 and played a key role in establishing the firm as a market leader in the executive search space across various country segments. Over the course of his two decades at Egon Zehnder, Mr. Sachar has mentored senior executives across industry sectors that today serve as either board members, CEOs or CFOs of large corporations in India and overseas. Mr. Sachar was also the co-founder of the chartered accountancy and management consulting firm, Sachar Vasudeva Associates, and co-founded another executive search firm, Direct Impact.
Dr. (Mrs.) Sunita Maheshwari, aged 57 years, is a Non-Executive Director the Bank. Dr. (Mrs.) Sunita Maheshwari was appointed as an Independent Director. She is a U.S. Board-certified Pediatric Cardiologist, and completed her MBBS at Osmania Medical College followed by post-graduate studies at AIIMS, Delhi and Yale University, CT, United States, with over 30 years of experience, she has lived and worked in the United States and India. In addition to being a clinician, Dr. (Mrs.) Maheshwari is a medical entrepreneur and co-founder at: (a) Teleradiology Solutions (India’s first and largest teleradiology company that has provided over 5 million diagnostic reports to patients and hospitals globally including for the Tripura state government), (b) Telrad Tech which builds AI-enabled telehealth software and (c) RXDX healthcare—a chain of multi-specialty neighborhood clinics in Bangalore.
She has also incubated other start-up companies in the telehealth space such as Healtheminds—a telecounseling platform. She is active in the social arena in India where she runs two trust funds. “People4people” has built over 450 playgrounds in government schools and Telrad Foundation provides teleradiology and telemedicine services to poor areas in Asia that do not have access to high quality medical care. Her other interests include teaching—she has been running India’s e-teaching program for postgraduates in Pediatric Cardiology for over a decade. In 2019, she helped the Kerala National health mission Hridayam launch e-classes in pediatric cardiology for pediatricians in the state.
She has over 200 academic presentations and publications to her credit and is an inspirational speaker having given over 200 lectures, including several TEDx talks. Dr. (Mrs.) Maheshwari is the recipient of several prestigious awards and honors including: WOW (Woman of Worth) 2019 award from Outlook Business, 50 most powerful women of India in March 2016, Amazing Indian award from Times Now 2014, Top 20 Women Health Care Achievers in India from Modern Medicare in 2009, Outstanding Fellow Teacher of the Year Award in 1995 by Yale University, among others.
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Mr. Umesh Chandra Sarangi, aged 71 years, is a Non-Executive Director of the Bank. He holds a Master of Science in Botany from Utkal University, where he was a gold medalist. Mr. Sarangi has over three decades of experience at the IAS and brought in significant reforms for the modernization of agriculture, in particular on agro-processing and export. As the former Chairman of National Bank for Agricultural and Rural Development (“NABARD”) from December 2007 to December 2010, Mr. Sarangi focused on accelerated initiatives for rural infrastructure, such as microfinance, financial inclusion, watershed development and tribal development. Mr. Sarangi was appointed as a Director with specialized knowledge and experience in agriculture and rural economy pursuant to Section 10-A(2)(a) of the Banking Regulation Act 1949.
Mr. Sashidhar Jagdishan, aged 58 years, is the Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Bank. He has an overall experience of 31 years. He has graduated in Science with specialization in Physics, is a Chartered Accountant by profession and holds a Master’s degree in Economics of Money, Banking Finance from the University of Sheffield, United Kingdom. Mr. Jagdishan joined the Bank in 1996 as a Manager in the Finance function. He became Business Head of Finance in 1999 and was appointed as Chief Financial Officer in 2008. He played a critical role in supporting the growth trajectory of the Bank and led the finance function with a pivotal role in aligning the organization in achieving the strategic objectives over the years. Prior to his appointment as Managing Director and CEO of the Bank, he was the Group Head of the Bank in addition to overseeing the functions of Finance, Human Resources, Legal Secretarial, Administration, Infrastructure, Corporate Communications and Corporate Social Responsibility. Mr. Jagdishan is not a director in any other listed or public limited company.
Mr. Kaizad Bharucha, aged 58 years, is the Executive Director of the Bank. The Shareholders of the Bank approved the appointment of Mr. Kaizad Bharucha as Deputy Managing Director with effect from April 19, 2023 through Postal Ballot on June 11, 2023. He holds a Bachelor of Commerce from University of Mumbai and is a career banker with over 35 years of experience. He has been associated with the Bank since 1995. As an Executive Director, he was responsible for Wholesale Banking covering areas of Corporate Banking, PSUs, Capital Commodities Markets, Financial Institutions, Custody, Mutual Funds, Global Capability Centre Financial Sponsors coverage and Banks coverage. In his earlier position, he was responsible for Corporate Banking, Emerging Corporate Group, Business Banking, Healthcare Finance, Agri Lending, Tractor Financing, Commercial Vehicle finance, Commercial Equipment Finance, Infrastructure Finance, Department for Special operations and inclusive Banking initiatives group. In his previous position as Head of Credit Market Risk, he was responsible for the Risk Management activities at the Bank, namely Credit Risk, Market Risk, Debt Management, Risk Intelligence and Control functions.
Mr. Bharucha is also the designated Director of the Financial Intelligence Unit (“FIU”) and the designated Director of the Internal Ombudsmen Committee. He represents the Bank in various interactions with regulators and government agencies. Prior to joining the Bank, he worked at SBI Commercial and International Bank in various areas including Trade Finance and Corporate Banking. He has represented HDFC Bank as a member of the working group on banking-related committees. Mr. Bharucha is not a director of any other listed or public limited company.
Mr. Malay Patel, aged 46 years, was a Non-Executive Director of the Bank until March 30, 2023. He graduated from Rutgers University, NJ, United States, and holds an Associate of Arts Degree in Business Administration from Bergen County College, NJ, United States. He served as a director on the Board of Eewa Engineering Company Private Limited, a company in the plastics and packaging industry that exports to more than 50 countries. Previously, he has been involved in various roles, such as import and export, procurement, and sales and marketing, at Eewa Engineering Company Private Limited. Mr. Malay Patel has special knowledge and practical experience in matters relating to small scale industries as they relate to Section 10-A(2a) of the Banking Regulation Act 1949.
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Senior Management
Our senior management, as of March 31, 2023, is comprised of:
| Name |
Position |
Age | ||
| Mr. Sashidhar Jagdishan | Managing Director and CEO | 58 | ||
| Mr. Kaizad Bharucha(1) | Executive Director | 58 | ||
| Mr. Ashish Parthasarthy | Head – Treasury, Government and Institutional Business, NRI, Overseas and Tele-Service Channels | 55 | ||
| Ms. Ashima Bhat | Head – Business Finance Strategy, Administration, Infrastructure, Environmental, Social and Governance Corporate Social Responsibility | 52 | ||
| Mr. Arvind Kapil | Head – Retail Assets and Sustainable Livelihood Initiative | 51 | ||
| Mr. Arvind Vohra | Head – Retail Branch Banking and Retail Trade Forex | 51 | ||
| Mr. Anjani Rathor | Chief Digital Officer | 50 | ||
| Mr. Arup Rakshit | Head – Treasury-Sales, Analytics and Overseas | 54 | ||
| Mr. Arun Mohanty | Chief Compliance Officer | 64 | ||
| Mr. Bhavesh Zaveri(2) | Head – Operations, ATM and Cash Management Product | 57 | ||
| Mr. Benjamin Frank | Head – Wholesale Credit | 58 | ||
| Mr. Chakrapani Venkatachari | Head – Internal Audit and Quality Initiatives Group | 59 | ||
| Mr. Jimmy Tata | Chief Credit Officer | 56 | ||
| Mr. Nirav Shah | Head – Corporate Banking (Large Corporate Coverage, Multi-National Companies) and PSUs | 51 | ||
| Mr. Parag Rao | Head – Payments Business, Consumer Finance, Technology and Digital Banking | 57 | ||
| Mr. Rakesh Singh | Head – Investment Banking, Private Banking, Marketing and Products | 54 | ||
| Mr. Rahul Shukla | Head – Commercial Banking and Rural Business | 54 | ||
| Mr. Ramesh Lakshminarayanan | Chief Information Officer | 52 | ||
| Mr. Raveesh Bhatia | Head – Emerging Corporates Group and Healthcare Finance | 57 | ||
| Ms. Smita Bhagat | Head – Government and Institutional Business, Alternate banking channels and partnerships, Inclusive Banking group and Start-ups | 57 | ||
| Mr. Srinivasan Vaidyanathan | Chief Financial Officer | 59 | ||
| Mr. S. Sampathkumar | Head – NRI Domestic Overseas Business, Third Party Products and Telesales Service Relationships | 50 | ||
| Mr. Sanmoy Chakrabarti | Chief Risk Officer | 47 | ||
| Mr. Vinay Razdan | Chief Human Resources Officer | 56 |
Note:
| (1) | The Shareholders of the Bank approved the appointment of Mr. Kaizad Bharucha as Deputy Managing Director with effect from April 19, 2023 through Postal Ballot on June 11, 2023. |
| (2) | The Shareholders of the Bank approved the appointment of Mr. Bhavesh Zaveri as Executive Director with effect from April 19, 2023 through Postal Ballot on June 11, 2023. |
A brief biography of each of the members of the Bank’s senior management is set out below:
Mr. Ashish Parthasarthy is the Head of Treasury, GIB, NRI, Overseas and Tele-Service Channels. He holds a Bachelor in Engineering from the National Institute of Technology, Karnataka (“NIT-K”) and a Postgraduate Diploma in Management from the Indian Institute of Management, Bangalore (“IIM-B”). He has over 33 years of experience in banking, with particular expertise in the interest rate and currency markets.
Ms. Ashima Bhat is the Head of Business Finance Strategy, Administration, Infrastructure, Environmental, Social and Governance Corporate Social Responsibility. Ms. Bhat has over 29 years of experience in banking. She completed a Master in Management Studies, majoring in Marketing, from Narsee Monjee Institute of Management Studies. Ms. Bhat joined the Bank in 1994 in its start-up stage. She has worked within and headed businesses in various positions across the Bank, including Corporate Banking, Supply Chain, SME, Commercial Banking and Emerging Corporates Group.
Mr. Arvind Kapil is the Head of Retail Assets and Sustainable Livelihood Initiative. He is an alumnus of the Harvard Business School advanced management program, holds a Master in Management Studies from Bharati Vidyapeeth Institute of Management Studies and Research and a Bachelor of Engineering from K.J. Somaiya College of Engineering in Mumbai. Mr. Kapil has been with the Bank for over two decades and has significant experience in the finance industry. He joined the Bank from Countrywide Consumer Financial Services.
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Mr. Arvind Vohra is the Head of Retail Branch Banking. He holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Electronics and Communication Engineering, a Postgraduate Degree in Management with a specialization in Marketing and Finance from Xavier Institute of Management, Bhubaneswar, and completed a senior leadership program at London Business School. He has nearly 25 years of experience working across consumer goods, telecommunications and banking sectors. He has held leadership positions in sales, marketing and business leadership roles in global organizations such as Whirlpool, Philips, Standard Chartered Bank and Vodafone India. Mr. Vohra led business operations at Vodafone India, was on the board of directors for Vodafone India’s consumer fixed line subsidiary and led the incubation of the consumer Internet of Things (“IOT”) business. He joined the Bank from Vodafone India in September 2018.
Mr. Anjani Rathor is the Chief Digital Officer. He holds a Postgraduate Diploma from IIM Calcutta and a Bachelor’s Degree in Technology from IIT Kharagpur. He has over 26 years of experience across Telecom, Aviation, Consulting and Financial Services in companies such as Airtel, Boeing, Accenture and CitiCorp. He joined the Bank in February 2020.
Mr. Arup Rakshit is the Head of Treasury-Sales, Analytics Overseas at HDFC Bank. Mr. Rakshit leads the Treasury Advisory Group and is responsible for the sales functions of the Treasury Advisory Group, customer business for FX and Interest Rates, Bullion Business, Bond Sales and Distribution, ALM for Overseas Branches of the Bank and the Treasury Analytics unit. He joined the Bank in 2006 and has held leadership roles at TAG, Bullion, Overseas, Bond Sales and Treasury Analytics with work experience of more than 28 years. Prior to joining HDFC Bank, he worked with Deutsche Bank and ABN AMRO, where he was in charge of the Treasury. He holds a BTech Degree from Indian Institute of Technology, Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi, and a Master’s Degree in Business Administration from IIM Calcutta.
Mr. Arun Mohanty is the Bank’s Chief Compliance Officer. He holds a Master’s Degree in Economics from Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi, and a Master’s Degree in Financial Management from Jamanlal Bajaj Institute of Management Studies, Mumbai. He is also a Certified Associate of the Indian Institute of Bankers. Mr. Mohanty joined the Bank in 2005 and has worked in a compliance role under various senior management positions before becoming the Chief Compliance Officer. He has 41 years of experience, of which 23 years were with the RBI and 18 years at HDFC Bank, in the Compliance Function. During his tenure with the RBI, he worked in the Foreign Exchange Department, the Department of Supervision and the Administration Personnel Department.
Mr. Bhavesh Zaveri is the Head of Operations, ATM and Cash Management Product. The shareholders of the Bank approved his appointment as Executive Director with effect from April 19, 2023 through postal voting on June 11, 2023. In his current role, he is responsible for Business and Operations across the country and for delivering a flawless operations execution capability across the diversified product suite of the Bank. He has professional experience of over 36 years and previously headed the critical functions of Operations, Cash Management and Technology at the Bank. He joined the Bank in 1998 in the Operations Department. He became Head of the Wholesale Banking Operations in 2000 and was appointed as the Head of Operations in 2009. He assumed additional responsibilities of the Information Technology Department in 2015. In his previous role as the Head of IT, he contributed to the digital transformation of the Bank. He has also participated in the RBI’s Internal Payments Council Meet and was part of the Umbrella Organization for Payments Committee of 2004 that led to the formation of the National Payment Corporation of India (“NPCI”). He is the only elected Indian on the Global Board of SWIFT SCRL, Brussels. He has also been a member of various committees formed by the RBI and the IBA. He also previously served on the boards of Swift India Domestic Services Private Limited, The Clearing Corporation of India Limited, National Payment Corporation of India Limited, Goods Service Tax Network Limited, HDB Financial Services Limited and HDFC Securities Limited. Prior to joining the Bank, Mr. Zaveri worked for Oman International Bank and Barclays Bank. He has been featured twice in the “Who’s Who in Treasury and Cash Management” by the Global Trade Review.
Mr. Benjamin Frank is the Head of Wholesale Credit. He has a Bachelor of Science from the University of Madras, a Master in Business Administration from ICFAI University and is a Certified Financial Risk Manager from the Global Association of Risk Professionals. He has over 36 years of experience in the banking industry across Branch Banking, International Banking, Corporate Banking and Credit Risk Management. He previously worked at IDBI Bank and State Bank of India. He joined the Bank in April 2004.
Mr. Chakrapani Venkatachari is the Head of Internal Audit and Quality Initiatives Group. He holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Commerce from Mumbai University, is an Associate Member of the Institute of Company Secretaries of India, a Certified Associate of the Indian Institute of Bankers and a Certified Information System Auditor. He has over 38 years of banking experience, having worked with the Bank of Baroda and Standard Chartered Bank prior to joining the Bank in 1994.
Mr. Jimmy Tata is the Chief Credit Officer. He holds a Master in Financial Management from the Jamnalal Bajaj Institute of Management and is also a Chartered Financial Analyst at the Institute of Chartered Financial Analysts of India. He has experience of over 35 years in the Banking and Financial sector. He commenced his career in 1987 as a consultant at Strategic Consultants Pvt Ltd. In 1989, he joined Apple Industries Ltd and, at the Bank, previously held the position of Head of the Wholesale Leasing and Hire Purchase Division. He joined the Bank in 1994 as a Relationship Manager in the Corporate Banking Department and over the years was promoted to the Head of the Corporate Banking Department. In June 2013 he was appointed as Chief Risk Officer and, today, is the Chief Credit Officer of the Bank. In addition, Mr. Tata is a Director on the Board of the International Asset Reconstruction Co. Pvt. Ltd (“IARC”), HDB Financial Services Ltd and a Trustee on the HDB Employees Welfare Trust.
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Mr. Nirav Shah is the Head of Corporate Banking (Large Corporate Coverage, Multi-National Companies) and PSUs. He has approximately 28 years of experience, 24 years of which have been with the Bank. He joined the Bank in 1999 as a Relationship Manager and, in just over a decade, went on to head businesses such as the Emerging Corporates Group, Infrastructure Finance Group, Rural Banking Group, and Transportation Finance, before taking up his current role in 2020. This is his second stint with the Corporate Bank. In his earlier role in 2011, he was Western Region Head, during which he was responsible in Finance for acquiring and developing several large corporate relationships. He holds a Bachelor of Commerce and a Master of Management Studies (“MMS”) from Mumbai University.
Mr. Parag Rao is the Head of Payments Business, Consumer Finance, Technology and Digital Banking. He holds a Master in Management Studies from S.P. Jain Institute of Management at Mumbai University and a Bachelor of Engineering from the Regional Engineering College in Jamshedpur. He has over 30 years of professional experience in FMCG companies such as Cadbury’s, Hindustan Unilever and Pepsico India. He joined the Bank from IBM Global Services in April 2002.
Mr. Rakesh Singh is the Head of Investment Banking, Private Banking, Marketing and Products. He holds a Master in Business Administration from the Institute of Management Technology, Ghaziabad and has over 29 years of experience in the financial sector. Prior to joining HDFC Bank, he worked at Rothschild, Morgan Stanley, DSP Merrill Lynch, Standard Chartered Bank and ANZ Investment Bank. He also serves as a Trustee on the board of the Society for Nutrition, Education and Health Action.
Mr. Rahul Shukla is the Head of Commercial Banking and Rural Business. He holds a Bachelor in Technology from IIT Varanasi and a Master in Business Administration from IIM, Bangalore. Prior to joining the Bank, he had worked predominantly for Citibank and its affiliated and associate entities in India, Singapore and Hong Kong until 2018, where he was Managing Director and Head of Corporate Banking for the South Asia Region, and was a member of the Indian management team and various regulatory and governance committees. He has over 30 years of banking experience.
Mr. Ramesh Lakshminarayanan is the Chief Information Officer. Mr. Lakshminarayanan holds a Bachelor of Science in Physics from Mumbai University and a Master in Business Administration from the University of Pune. Prior to joining HDFC Bank, he worked at CRISIL, where he spent three years as Chief Technology and Information Officer. He has over 25 years of experience and has held leadership positions within organizations such as Citibank, ABN AMRO Bank and Kotak Mahindra Group.
Mr. Raveesh K. Bhatia is Head of Emerging Corporates Group and Healthcare Finance. He holds an MBA from IIM, Ahmedabad, and has over three decades of work experience. Prior to joining HDFC Bank, he worked with international banks, such as ABN AMRO Bank, BNP Paribas, Standard Chartered Bank, as well as in a consulting role with SB Billimoria.
Ms. Smita Bhagat is the Head of Government and Institutional Business, Alternate Banking Channels and Partnerships, Inclusive Banking Group and Start-ups. She holds a Bachelor of Arts in Economics and Statistics, a Master of Commerce in financial management and a Master in Business Administration from the University of Rajasthan. She has more than 30 years of experience in banking and joined the Bank from ICICI Bank in 1999.
Mr. Srinivasan Vaidyanathan is the Chief Financial Officer. He is a Commerce graduate, a Fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of India, a Fellow of the Institute of Cost and Works Accountants of India, a Fellow of the Association of International Accountants, United Kingdom, Member of CMA, United States, and has a Master in Business Administration. He has over 29 years of experience in the financial services industry. He joined the Bank in 2018.
Mr. S. Sampathkumar is the Head of NRI Domestic Overseas Business, Third Party Products and Tele-sales Service Relationships. He has over 25 years of experience and is an alumnus of the University of Madras, Tamil Nadu.
Mr. Sanmoy Chakrabarti is the Chief Risk Officer. He is responsible for determining the comprehensive risk profile (covering, among others, credit risk, market risk, operational risk, liquidity risk and IT risk) across various banking segments. He joined the Bank in 2010 and worked in various senior risk management positions before becoming Chief Risk Officer. Prior to joining the Bank, Mr. Chakrabarti worked at ICICI Bank in India; at Citibank in India, Bangladesh, Hong Kong and China; and at Bank Danamon in Indonesia. Mr. Chakrabarti is a member of the IBA Standing Committee on Risk Management and Basel Implementation. He holds a Master’s Degree in Quantitative Economics from the Indian Statistical Institute.
Mr. Vinay Razdan is the Chief Human Resources Officer. He is an alumnus of Delhi University and holds a Postgraduate qualification in Personnel Management and Industrial Relations from XLRI, Jamshedpur. Mr. Razdan has over three decades of experience in different roles within the human resources function (out of which more than 18 years have been in c-level positions across different industries) and has worked across geographies and industry segments. He has held leadership positions with leading organizations in the FMCG, IT Services and Telecommunication sectors. He joined the Bank in September 2018.
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Corporate Governance
Audit Committee
The Audit Committee of the Bank, as of March 31, 2023, includes Mr. M.D. Ranganath, Mr. Umesh Chandra Sarangi and Mr. Sanjiv Sachar as its members. Each member of the Audit Committee is an Independent Director. Mr. M.D. Ranganath and Mr. Sanjiv Sachar are the members of Audit Committee with financial expertise. The Audit Committee is chaired by Mr. M.D. Ranganath. The Audit Committee met 14 times during fiscal year 2023.
The terms of reference of the Audit Committee include, inter alia, the following:
| a. | overseeing the Bank’s financial reporting process and disclosure of financial information to ensure that the financial statements are correct, sufficient and credible; |
| b. | recommending the appointment and removal of external auditors and the fixing of their fees; |
| c. | reviewing with management the annual financial statements and auditor’s report before their submission to the Board, with special emphasis on accounting policies and practices, compliance with accounting standards, disclosure of related-party transactions and other legal requirements relating to the financial statements; |
| d. | reviewing the adequacy of the audit and compliance functions, including their policies, procedures, techniques and other regulatory requirements; and |
| e. | any other terms of reference as may be included from time to time in the Companies Act 2013 or the SEBI Listing Regulations 2015, including any amendments or reenactments thereof from time to time. |
The Board has also adopted a charter for the Audit Committee in connection with certain United States regulatory standards as the Bank’s securities are also listed on the New York Stock Exchange.
Nomination and Remuneration Committee
The terms of reference of the Nomination and Remuneration Committee (“NRC”) include scrutinizing the nominations of the directors with reference to their qualifications and experience, identifying “fit and proper” persons, assessing their competency and reviewing compensation levels of the Bank’s employees vis-à-vis other banks and the banking industry in general.
The NRC has formulated a Policy for Appointment and Fit and Proper Criteria of Directors, which inter alia provides for criteria to assess the competency of the persons nominated, which includes:
| a. | academic qualifications; |
| b. | previous experience; |
| c. | track record; and |
| d. | integrity of the candidate. |
For assessing the integrity and suitability, features like criminal records, financial position, civil actions undertaken to pursue personal debts, refusal of admission to and expulsion from professional bodies, sanctions applied by regulators or similar bodies and previous questionable business practices are considered.
The Bank’s compensation policy provides a fair and consistent basis for motivating and rewarding employees appropriately according to their job profile or role size, performance, contribution, skill and competence.
The NRC also formulates criteria for the evaluation of performance of individual directors, including Independent Directors, the Board of Directors and its committees. The criteria for the evaluation of performance of directors (including Independent Directors) include personal attributes, such as attendance at meetings, communication skills, leadership skills and adaptability, and professional attributes such as their understanding of the Bank’s core business and strategic objectives, industry knowledge, independent judgment, and adherence to the Bank’s Code of Conduct, Ethics and Values.
Mr. Sanjiv Sachar, Mr. Sandeep Parekh, Mr. M.D. Ranganath, Mr. Umesh Chandra Sarangi and Mr. Atanu Chakraborty were the members of the Nomination and Remuneration Committee as of March 31, 2023. All members of the NRC are Independent Directors. The NRC is chaired by Mr. Sanjiv Sachar and met 12 times during fiscal year 2023.
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Stakeholders’ Relationship Committee (“SRC”)
The SRC approves and monitors the transfer, transmission, splitting and consolidation of shares and considers requests for dematerialization of shares. Allotments of shares to employees exercising stock options are granted under the various Employees Stock Option Schemes, which are made in terms of the powers delegated by the Board in this regard. The SRC also monitors the redressal of grievances from shareholders relating to matters such as the transfer of shares and non-receipt of our annual report and dividends, etc. The SRC considers the various interests of all stakeholders including shareholders, and other security holders.
The powers to approve share transfers and dematerialization requests have been delegated to executives of the Bank to avoid delays that may arise due to non-availability of the members of the SRC. Mr. Santosh Haldankar, Company Secretary of the Bank, is the Compliance Officer responsible for expediting the share transfer formalities.
As of March 31, 2023, the SRC consisted of Mr. Umesh Chandra Sarangi, Mr. Sandeep Parekh, Mrs. Renu Karnad, Mr. Kaizad Bharucha and Ms. Lily Vadera. With the completion of his tenure, Mr. Malay Patel ceased to be a member of the SRC with effect from the close of business hours on March 30, 2023. During the year, Mrs. Lily Vadera was inducted as member of the Committee with effect from June 10, 2022.
The SRC met four times during fiscal year 2023.
During the year ended March 31, 2023, the Bank received 123 complaints from shareholders. The Bank had attended to all the complaints and all such complaints were closed to the satisfaction of the shareholders as of March 31, 2023. The Bank also received, and responded to, 5,815 letters from shareholders relating to a variety of shareholder administrative matters, including change of address, updating bank details of investors, correcting names or bank details on warrants, transmission of shares, death claim letters, deletion of name, issues on Demat accounts, electronic clearing service, email for address updates, exchange of certificate(s), letter on exchange of certificates, indemnity bond for duplicate certificates, indemnity bond for duplicate warrants, KYC updates, loss of share certificates or transfer deeds, non-receipt of certificates, permanent account/ General Index Register number of income tax, reminders, stop marks, transmission documents, non-receipt of certificates sent for transfer, revalidation of warrants and various other investor related matters.
Risk Policy and Monitoring Committee (“RPMC”)
The RPMC has been formed as per the guidelines of the RBI on asset liability management and risk management systems. The RPMC is a board-level committee, which supports the Board by supervising the implementation of the risk strategy. It guides the development of policies, procedures and systems for managing risk. It ensures that these are adequate and appropriate to changing business conditions, the structure and needs of the Bank and the risk appetite of the Bank.
The RPMC monitors the compliance of risk parameters and aggregate exposures with the risk appetite set by the Board. It ensures that frameworks are established for assessing and managing various risks faced by the Bank, systems are developed to relate risk to the Bank’s capital level and methods are in place for monitoring compliance with internal risk management policies and processes. The RPMC ensures that the Bank has a suitable framework for risk management and oversees the implementation of the risk management policy.
The functions of the RPMC also include the review of the enterprise-wide risk frameworks such as the Risk Appetite Framework (“RAF”), Internal Capital Adequacy Assessment Process (“ICAAP”), stress testing framework, etc. The RPMC also reviews the cyber security framework at the Bank from time to time.
Further, as per RBI guidelines, the Chief Risk Officer of the Bank regularly interacts with the members of the RPMC without the presence of management at the meetings of the RPMC.
As of March 31, 2023, the RPMC consisted of Mrs. Lily Vadera, Mr. Sandeep Parekh, Mr. M.D. Ranganath, Mrs. Renu Karnad, Mr. Sashidhar Jagdishan, Mr. Sanjiv Sachar, and Mr. Atanu Chakraborty. The RPMC is chaired by Mrs. Lily Vadera, an Independent Director of the Bank and met eight times during fiscal year 2023.
Credit Approval Committee
The Committee considers credit risk appetite proposals to the customers of the Bank within such authority as delegated to it by the Board from time to time. This facilitates quick response to the needs of the customers and timely disbursement of loans. As of March 31, 2023, the Credit Approval Committee consisted of Mr. Sandeep Parekh, Mr. Kaizad Bharucha and Mrs. Renu Karnad. With the completion of his tenure, Mr. Malay Patel ceased to be a member of the Committee with effect from close of business hours on March 30, 2023. Mr. Sandeep Parekh was inducted as a member of the Committee with effect from June 10, 2022. The Credit Approval Committee met 26 times during fiscal year 2023.
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Premises Committee
The Committee approves purchases and leasing of land parcels for proposed buildings and premises for the use of the Bank’s branches, back offices, ATMs, residential training center(s), currency chests, guest houses, (including relocation and renewals) and of residential premises for Bank employees in accordance with the guidelines laid down by the Board from time to time. As of March 31, 2023, Mrs. Renu Karnad (Chairperson), Mr. Sandeep Parekh and Dr. (Mrs.) Sunita Maheshwari were the members of the Premises Committee. The Premises Committee met four times during fiscal year 2023.
Fraud Monitoring Committee (“FMC”)
Pursuant to the directions of the RBI, the Bank has constituted the FMC, exclusively dedicated to the monitoring and following up of cases of fraud involving amounts of Rs. 10 million and above. The objectives of the FMC are the effective detection and immediate reporting of fraud, and actions taken against the perpetrators of fraud with the concerned regulatory and enforcement agencies. The terms of reference of the FMC include:
| a. | Identify the systemic lacunae, if any, that facilitated perpetration of the fraud and put in place measures to plug the same; |
| b. | Identify the reasons for delay in detection, if any, and report to the top management of the Bank and the RBI; |
| c. | Monitor the progress of any Central Bureau of Investigation and any police investigation and any appropriate recovery position; |
| d. | Ensure that staff accountability is examined at all levels in all cases of fraud and that staff side action, if required, is completed quickly without loss of time; |
| e. | Review the efficacy of the remedial action taken to prevent any recurrence of fraud, such as the strengthening of internal controls; and |
| f. | Put in place other measures as may be considered relevant to strengthen preventive measures against frauds. |
As of March 31, 2023, the members of the FMC were Mr. Umesh Chandra Sarangi (Chairperson), Mrs. Renu Karnad, Mr. Kaizad Bharucha, Mr. Sanjiv Sachar, and Mr. Sashidhar Jagdishan. The FMC met four times during fiscal year 2023.
Customer Service Committee (“CSC”)
The CSC has been constituted to monitor and bring about continuous improvements in the quality of services rendered to the Bank’s customers and ensure implementation of directives received from the RBI in this regard. The terms of reference of the CSC are to formulate a comprehensive deposit policy incorporating the issues arising out of the demise of a depositor for the operation of his account, the product approval process, annual survey of depositor satisfaction and the triennial audit of such services. The CSC is constituted to bring about continuous improvements in the quality of customer services provided by the Bank. The CSC would also oversee the functioning of the Standing Committee on Customer Service, and also bring out innovative measures for enhancing the customer experience and quality of customer service thereby enhancing the customer satisfaction level across all categories of clientele, at all times.
As of March 31, 2023, the members of the CSC were Mr. Umesh Chandra Sarangi, Mr. Sandeep Parekh, Mr. Sashidhar Jagdishan, Dr. (Mrs.) Sunita Maheshwari, Mr. Kaizad Bharucha and Mr. Atanu Chakraborty. The CSC met four times during fiscal year 2023.
Corporate Social Responsibility ESG (“CSR ESG”) Committee
The CSR ESG Committee of the Board was constituted to identify, execute and monitor CSR projects and assist the Board and the Bank in fulfilling its corporate social responsibility objectives and achieving the desired results. The Board has constituted a CSR ESG Committee with the following terms of reference:
| a. | formulating the Bank’s CSR strategy, policy and goals; |
| b. | monitoring the Bank’s CSR policy and performance; |
| c. | reviewing the Bank’s CSR projects and initiatives from time to time; |
| d. | ensuring legal and regulatory compliance from a CSR viewpoint; |
| e. | ensuring reporting and communication to the Bank’s stakeholders on the Bank’s CSR; and |
| f. | monitoring the Bank’s ESG framework, strategy, goals and disclosures. |
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As of March 31, 2023, the members of the CSR ESG Committee were Dr. (Mrs.) Sunita Maheshwari, Mr. Sanjiv Sachar, Mrs. Renu Karnad and Mr. Kaizad Bharucha. During the year, Mr. Malay Patel ceased to be an Independent Director on the Board of the Bank with effect from the close of business hours on March 30, 2023, upon completion of a continuous period of eight years from the date of his initial appointment as Director of the Bank. The CSR ESG Committee met four times during fiscal year 2023.
IT Strategy Committee
The Bank has in place an IT Strategy Committee to look into various technology related aspects. The functions of the Committee are to formulate the IT strategy and related policy documents, ensure that the IT strategy is aligned with the business strategy, and review IT risks, etc.
The Digital Transaction Monitoring Committee was merged into the IT Strategy Committee with effect from March 4, 2023.
The terms of reference of the IT Strategy Committee include:
| • | Approving IT strategy and related policy documents and reviewing the same from time to time; |
| • | Ensuring that the management has put an effective strategic planning process in place; |
| • | Approving the Bank’s IT budget to ensure it aligns with the business needs; |
| • | Approving re-allocation of resources within IT to facilitate meeting priorities and business needs; |
| • | Reviewing and approving IT implementation plans; |
| • | Framing the Bank-level strategy and action plans for achieving the target of digital transactions in an organized manner, as may be set by the Government of India, regulatory authorities, the IBA or others from time to time; |
| • | Monitoring the progress of achievement in digital transactions in line with the Bank’s strategy and action plans; |
| • | Reviewing and exploring new opportunities for increasing the digital transactions of the Bank from time to time and giving the necessary directions in implementing and improving the high level of digitalization in Bank; |
| • | Reviewing the digital banking strategy of the Bank as and when required thereby providing guidance on focus areas; |
| • | Reviewing the progress made on the initiatives relating to digital banking covering performance initiatives as determined by the Board of Directors and the Government of India from time to time; |
| • | Reviewing customer services rendered on digital platforms from time to time; and |
| • | Any other terms of reference as may be specified by the Government of India, regulatory authorities, the IBA or others from time to time. |
As of March 31, 2023, the members of the IT Strategy Committee were the external IT consultant, Prof. H. Krishmurthy, in addition to the Board members. Mr. M.D. Ranganath, Mr. Sashidhar Jagdishan, Mr. Atanu Chakraborty and Dr. (Mrs.) Sunita Maheshwari. The IT Strategy Committee met seven times during fiscal year 2023 and the Digital Transaction Monitoring Committee meet four times during the fiscal year 2023 (prior to its merger with the former).
Review Committee for Willful Defaulters’ Identification
The Board has constituted a Review Committee for Willful Defaulters’ Identification to review the orders passed by the Committee of Executives for Identification of Wilful Defaulters and provide the final decision with regard to identified willful defaulters and any other matters as may be decided by the Board from time to time. As of March 31, 2023, Mr. Sashidhar Jagdishan (Chairperson), Mr. Umesh Chandra Sarangi, Mr. Sandeep Parekh, Mr. M.D. Ranganath, and Mr. Kaizad Bharucha were the members of the Review Committee for Willful Defaulters’ Identification. Mr. Malay Patel ceased to be an Independent Director on the Board of the Bank with effect from the close of business hours on March 30, 2023, upon completion of a continuous period of eight years from the date of his initial appointment as Director of the Bank. No meetings of the Review Committee for Willful Defaulters’ Identification were held during fiscal year 2023.
Review Committee for Non-Cooperative Borrowers
The Board has constituted a Review Committee to review matters related to non-cooperative borrowers, which are handled by the Internal Committee of Executives appointed for this purpose and any other matters as may be decided by the Board from time to time. As of March 31, 2022, Mr. Sashidhar Jagdishan (Chairperson), Mr. Umesh Chandra Sarangi, Mr. Sandeep Parekh, Mr. M.D. Ranganath, and Mr. Kaizad Bharucha were the members of the Review Committee for Non-Cooperative Borrowers. With the completion of his tenure, Mr. Malay Patel ceased to be a committee member with effect from the close of business hours on March 30, 2023. No meetings of the Review Committee for Non-Cooperative Borrowers were held during fiscal year 2023.
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Meeting of the Independent Directors
The Independent Directors of the Bank held three meetings during fiscal year 2023. All Independent Directors were present at these meetings held on April 4, 2022, May 18, 2022 and March 2, 2023.
Committees of Executives
We have also established committees of executives that meet frequently to discuss and determine the management of assets and liabilities and other operations and personnel issues.
Borrowing Powers of Directors
At its 21st Annual General Meeting held on July 21, 2015, the Bank’s shareholders passed a special resolution pursuant to Section 180(1)(c) of the Companies Act 1956 authorizing the Board to borrow, for the purpose of conducting the Bank’s business, such sum or sums of money as they may deem necessary, notwithstanding the fact that the money so borrowed and the monies to be borrowed from time to time (apart from (i) temporary loans obtained from the companies banker in the ordinary course of business and (ii) acceptances of deposits of money from the public repayable on demand or otherwise and withdrawable by cheque, draft, order or otherwise, as well as temporary loans obtained in the ordinary course of business from banks, whether in India or outside India) will exceed the aggregate of the paid-up capital of the Bank and its free reserves, provided that the total outstanding amount of such borrowings shall not exceed Rs. 500.0 billion over and above the aggregate of the paid-up capital of the Bank and its free reserves at any time.
Compensation of Directors and Members of Our Senior Management
The compensation arrangements for our Chairperson, Managing Director and Executive Directors are approved by the shareholders and the RBI on the recommendation of our Board of Directors.
During fiscal year 2023, the aggregate amount of compensation paid to our Managing Director, Executive Director and members of our senior management as of March 31, 2023 was Rs. 860.2 million. This remuneration includes basic salary, allowances, performance bonus, and cash allowances in lieu of perquisites or the taxable value of perquisites (if availed of) as computed under the income tax rules, but excludes gratuities, provident fund settlements, superannuation settlements and perquisites upon the exercise of stock options.
All NEDs, including the independent directors and the Chairman, receive sitting fees and reimbursement of out-of-pocket expenses for attending each meeting of the Board and its various Committees. No stock options are granted to any of the NEDs.
Pursuant to the provisions of Companies Act 2013, the NEDs are paid sitting fees of Rs. 50,000 or Rs. 100,000 per meeting for attending Committee Board meetings, respectively. The Board of Directors increased the sitting fees of certain key Committee meetings to Rs. 100,000 per meeting with effect from April 1, 2021, namely, Audit Committee, Risk Policy Monitoring Committee, Nomination Remuneration Committee, Credit Approval Committee and IT Strategy Committee. Subsequently, sitting fees payable for attending Independent Directors Meeting and Customer Service Committee meeting was increased to Rs. 1,00,000 with effect from August 14, 2021 and November 26, 2021, respectively.
The details of the remuneration paid during fiscal year 2023 to Mr. Sashidhar Jagdishan, Managing Director and CEO, and Mr. Kaizad Bharucha, Executive Director, are as follows:
| Particulars |
Sashidhar Jagdishan | Kaizad Bharucha | ||||||
| (Rs. in million, except stock options) | ||||||||
| Basic |
28.3 | 27.5 | ||||||
| Allowances and perquisites |
33.2 | 43.6 | ||||||
| Provident fund |
3.4 | 3.3 | ||||||
| Superannuation |
4.2 | 4.1 | ||||||
| Performance bonus(1) |
36.4 | (2) | 21.8 | (3) | ||||
| Number of stock options granted during the year(6) |
305,186 | (4) | 230,512 | (5) | ||||
| 1. | Mr. Aditya Puri retired from the Bank on October 26, 2020. Mr. Aditya Puri received cash variable pay of Rs. 71.1 million for the performance period from April 1, 2020 to October 26, 2020. The compensation was approved by the RBI vide its letter dated March 23, 2022. Per RBI directions, 40% of the above-mentioned cash variable pay, i.e. Rs. 28.4 million, was paid in fiscal year 2022, while the remaining 60% of the cash variable pay has been deferred and is paid out over a period of three years in three equal instalments. Per RBI directions, the first tranche of the aforementioned deferred amount of Rs. 42.7 million, i.e., Rs. 14.2 million, was paid on April 28, 2023 in line with the RBI directive. Per RBI directions, Mr. Aditya Puri was also entitled to receive the third tranche of the deferred portion of the bonus for the performance year 2018-2019. This third tranche amounted to Rs. 6.9 million (one third of the deferred portion of the variable pay of Rs. 20.7 million for the aforementioned reference performance period). |
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| 2. | Mr. Sashidhar Jagdishan, Managing Director and CEO, was paid a total cash variable pay of 36.4 million (this also included a payment received as part of deferred cash variable of previous years paid to Mr. Sashidhar Jagdishan in the financial year 2022-2023) and was comprised of the following: |
| i) | Per RBI directions, 50% of the cash variable pay for the performance year 2020-2021, i.e. Rs. 10.5 million (total cash variable pay approved by the RBI was Rs. 21.0 million). |
| ii) | Per RBI directions, 50% of the cash variable pay for the performance year 2021-2022, i.e. Rs. 25.9 million (total cash variable pay approved by the RBI was Rs. 51.7 million). |
| 3. | Mr. Kaizad Bharucha, Executive Director, was paid the following as part of his cash variable pay, which includes a payment received as part of deferred cash variable of previous years. The total cash variable pay of Rs. 21.8 million paid to Mr. Kaizad Bharucha in the fiscal year 2023 comprised of |
| i) | Per RBI directions, 50% of the cash variable pay for the performance year 2021-2022, i.e. Rs. 18.5 million (total cash variable pay approved by the RBI was Rs. 37.1 million). |
| ii) | Per RBI directions, Rs. 3.3 million, being the third tranche of the deferred cash variable pay for the performance year 2018-19 (total cash variable pay approved by the RBI was 24.8 million). |
| 4. | Mr. Sashidhar Jagdishan was granted a total of 97,877 employee stock options for the performance year 2020-21 on July 22, 2022, which was approved by the RBI vide its letter dated March 23, 2022. He was granted a total of 207,309 employee stock options for the performance year 2021-22 on March 3, 2023, which was approved by the RBI vide its letter dated March 1, 2023. |
| 5. | Mr. Kaizad Bharucha was granted a total of 120,730 employee stock options for the performance year 2020-21 on April 12, 2022, which was approved by the RBI vide its letter dated March 23, 2022. He was granted a total of 109,782 employee stock options for the performance year 2021-22 on March 3, 2023, which was approved by the RBI vide its letter dated March 1, 2023. |
| 6. | The vesting schedule for the stock options is as follows: 25% after expiry of twelve months from date of grant, 25% after expiry of twenty-four months from the date of grant, 25% after expiry of thirty-six months from the date of grant and the remaining 25% options after expiry of 48 months from the date of grant. |
The Bank provides a gratuity scheme for the benefit of all employees who have completed a minimum of five years of continuous service, including our Managing Director, Executive Director and Officers. This scheme provides for the payment of a gratuity in the form of a lump-sum payment upon the retirement, termination or resignation of employment or death while in employment of its employees in an amount equal to 15 days’ base salary, payable for each completed year of service. The Bank makes annual contributions to a gratuity fund administered by trustees and managed by insurance companies. The Bank accounts for the liability of future gratuity benefits based on an independent external actuarial valuation, which is carried out annually. Perquisites, which are evaluated as per the income tax rules, where applicable, or, alternatively, at the actual cost to the Bank, are also provided to directors. Available perquisites include furnished accommodation, including gas, electricity, water, telephone, furnishings and the use of a vehicle, club fees, personal accident insurance, reimbursement for medical expenses, leave travel concessions and retirement benefits, such as provident funds, superannuation fund gratuity and National Pension Scheme.
The details of sitting fees and remuneration paid to NEDs during fiscal year 2023 are as follows:
| Director |
Sitting Fees (in Rs.) |
Remuneration to NEDs (in Rs.) |
||||||
| Mr. Atanu Chakraborty |
4,900,000 | 3,500,000 | ||||||
| Mr. Malay Patel(1) |
4,900,000 | 2,000,000 | ||||||
| Mr. Umesh Chandra Sarangi |
5,200,000 | 2,000,000 | ||||||
| Ms. Renu Karnad |
5,200,000 | 2,000,000 | ||||||
| Mr. Sanjiv Sachar |
5,600,000 | 2,000,000 | ||||||
| Mr. Sandeep Parekh |
7,000,000 | 2,000,000 | ||||||
| Mr. M.D. Ranganath |
5,900,000 | 2,000,000 | ||||||
| Dr. (Mrs.) Sunita Maheshwari |
2,800,000 | 2,000,000 | ||||||
| Ms. Lily Vadera |
2,900,000 | 2,000,000 | ||||||
|
|
|
|
|
|||||
| Total |
44,400,000 | 19,500,000 | ||||||
|
|
|
|
|
|||||
| (1) | Mr. Malay Patel ceased to be an Independent Director of the Bank with effect from the close of business hours on March 30, 2023, upon completion of a continuous tenure of eight years from the date of his initial appointment as a Director of the Bank. |
During fiscal year 2023, there were no other pecuniary relationships or transactions of the NEDs vis-à-vis the Bank, except banking transactions in the ordinary course of business done on an arm’s-length basis.
Other than our Chairperson, Managing Director, and Executive Director, none of our Directors has a service contract with us. The service contract with our Executive Director, Mr. Kaizad Bharucha, provides for benefits upon termination of employment. Upon retirement, Mr. Kaizad Bharucha will be eligible for benefits including health insurance and a vehicle for personal use, as approved by the RBI vide its letter dated May 29, 2014. The Bank will obtain RBI approval under Section 35B of the Banking Regulation Act, 1949 at the time of actual grant of such facilities to Mr. Kaizad Bharucha at the time of his retirement.
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Loans to Members of Our Senior Management
Loans to members of our senior management are granted in the normal course of business, as is the case with employees of the Bank. All loans granted to members of senior management are in accordance with the provisions of local regulations. The table below provides the details of staff loans granted to our senior management as of March 31, 2023:
| Name |
Largest amount outstanding since March 31, 2022 |
Amount outstanding as of March 31, 2023 |
Interest rate as of March 31, 2023 % |
Nature of Loan | ||||||||||||
| (RS. in millions, except percentages) | ||||||||||||||||
| Sashidhar Jagdishan |
5.19 | 5.05 | 2.5 | Housing Loan | ||||||||||||
| Arun Mohanty |
3.05 | 2.68 | 5.0 | Additional Housing Loan | ||||||||||||
| Arun Mohanty |
1.18 | 1.04 | 2.5 | Housing Loan | ||||||||||||
| Arvind Kapil |
7.41 | 7.22 | 5.0 | Additional Housing Loan | ||||||||||||
| Arvind Kapil |
7.40 | 7.19 | 2.5 | Housing Loan | ||||||||||||
| Arvind Vohra |
2.38 | 2.32 | 2.5 | Housing Loan | ||||||||||||
| Ashima Bhat |
3.82 | 3.73 | 2.5 | Housing Loan | ||||||||||||
| Ashish Parthasarthy |
4.71 | 4.61 | 2.5 | Housing Loan | ||||||||||||
| Benjamin Frank |
0.24 | 0.12 | 2.5 | Housing Loan | ||||||||||||
| Benjamin Frank |
0.49 | 0.38 | 5.0 | Personal Loan | ||||||||||||
| Bhavesh Zaveri |
6.44 | 6.14 | 5.0 | Additional Housing Loan | ||||||||||||
| Bhavesh Zaveri |
6.39 | 6.09 | 2.5 | Housing Loan | ||||||||||||
| Bhavesh Zaveri |
0.16 | 0.06 | 5.0 | Personal Loan | ||||||||||||
| Chakrapani Venkatachari |
3.61 | 2.81 | 5.0 | Additional Housing Loan | ||||||||||||
| Chakrapani Venkatachari |
3.40 | 2.72 | 2.5 | Housing Loan | ||||||||||||
| Nirav Shah |
6.87 | 6.74 | 5.0 | Additional Housing Loan | ||||||||||||
| Nirav Shah |
6.59 | 6.47 | 2.5 | Housing Loan | ||||||||||||
| Nirav Shah |
0.60 | 0.60 | 5.0 | Personal Loan | ||||||||||||
| Rakesh Singh |
6.66 | 6.48 | 5.0 | Additional Housing Loan | ||||||||||||
| Rakesh Singh |
6.54 | 6.37 | 2.5 | Housing Loan | ||||||||||||
| Raveesh Bhatia |
0.58 | 0.58 | 5.0 | Personal Loan | ||||||||||||
| S. Sampathkumar |
1.72 | 1.68 | 2.5 | Housing Loan | ||||||||||||
| S. Sampathkumar |
0.59 | 0.57 | 5.0 | Personal Loan | ||||||||||||
| Sanmoy Chakrabarti |
7.50 | 7.40 | 5.0 | Additional Housing Loan | ||||||||||||
| Sanmoy Chakrabarti |
7.50 | 7.38 | 2.5 | Housing Loan | ||||||||||||
| Smita Bhagat |
6.42 | 6.09 | 5.0 | Additional Housing Loan | ||||||||||||
| Smita Bhagat |
6.37 | 6.04 | 2.5 | Housing Loan | ||||||||||||
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Employees’ Stock Options
Our shareholders approved plan “A” in January 2000, plan “B” in June 2003, plan “C” in June 2005, plan “D” in June 2007, plan “E” in June 2010, plan “F” in June 2013 and Plan “G” in July 2016 for the issuance of stock options to employees and directors of the Bank under the Employee Stock Option Schemes (“ESOSs”), namely ESOS-001 to ESOS-044. Under plan “A”, the option price is set as the average of the daily closing prices on the BSE during the 60 days preceding the grant date. Under plan “B”, the option price is set as the closing price on the business day preceding the grant date on whichever stock exchange in India has the highest trading volume for our shares during the two weeks preceding the date of grant. Under plans “C”, “D”, “E”, “F” and “G”, the option price is set as the closing price on the business day preceding the grant date on the stock exchange which has the highest trading volume. Our Nomination and Remuneration Committee (formerly, the Compensation Committee) has issued options under these plans several times since January 2000. Stock options granted under ESOS-001 to ESOS-009 vest at the rate of 30.0 percent, 30.0 percent and 40.0 percent on each of the three successive anniversaries following the date of grant; stock options granted under ESOS-010 to ESOS-013 vest at the rate of 50.0 percent on each of the two successive anniversaries following the date of grant; those granted under ESOS-014 and ESOS-015 vest completely on the first anniversary of the date of the grant; stock options granted under ESOS-016 to ESOS-018 vest at the rate of 75.0 percent and 25.0 percent on each of the two successive anniversaries following the date of grant; stock options granted under ESOS-019 to ESOS-026 vest at the rate of 40.0 percent, 30.0 percent and 30.0 percent on each of the three successive anniversaries; stock options granted under ESOS-027 and ESOS-028 vest at the rate of 40.0 percent, 30.0 percent and 30.0 percent at intervals of fifteen months, twenty-seven months and thirty-nine months; options granted under ESOS-029 to ESOS-32 vest at the rate of 35.0 percent, 30.0 percent, 20.0 percent and 15.0 percent on each of the four successive anniversaries; and stock options granted under ESOS-33 to ESOS-44 vest at the rate of 25.0 percent on each of the four successive anniversaries. All of the above are subject to standard vesting conditions. In fiscal year 2023, 34.2 million equity shares having a face value of Rs. 1.0 each were allotted as a result of the exercise of stock options by the employees of the Bank. This resulted in our paid-up capital increasing by Rs. 34.2 million and the share premium by Rs. 34,124.1 million. As of March 31, 2023, 151,682,461 options convertible to equity shares of Rs. 1.0 each were outstanding.
Restricted Stock Units (“RSUs”)
Our shareholders approved the Employees Stock Incentive Master Scheme 2022 (“ESIS-2022”) in May 2022. The Bank reserved 100.0 million equity shares with an aggregate nominal value of Rs. 100.0 million for the grant of RSUs to employees and whole-time directors of the Bank at a face value of Rs. 1.0 each. Grants under the ESIS-2022 can be made over a period of four years from the date of approval by the shareholders, i.e. until May 13, 2026. During fiscal year 2023, no equity shares were allotted as a result of the exercise of RSUs by employees of the Bank. As of March 31, 2023, 2,891,000 RSUs convertible to equity shares of Rs. 1.0 each were outstanding.
Other Compensation
All employees, including our Managing Director, Executive Director and officers, receive the benefit of our gratuity and provident fund retirement schemes. Our superannuation fund covers all employees at a senior manager level and above, including our Managing Director. Our gratuity fund, required under Indian law to be paid to an employee following the completion of a minimum of five years of continuous service, is a defined benefit plan which, upon the retirement, termination of employment or death while in employment of such employee, pays a lump sum equal to 15 days’ basic salary for each completed year of service. The superannuation fund is a retirement plan under which we contribute annually 13.0 percent (15.0 percent for the Managing Director, Executive Director and certain employees of CBoP) of the eligible employee’s annual salary to the administrator of the fund. In the case of the provident fund (“PF”), as required by Indian law, each of the employer and the employee contribute monthly at a determined rate of 12.0 percent of the employee’s PF base salary. Of this 12.0 percent, the Bank contributes a specified amount (8.33 percent of the lower of Rs. 15,000 or the employee’s PF base salary) to the pension scheme administered by the Regional Provident Fund Commissioner, and the balance is contributed to a fund set up by the Bank and administered by a board of trustees.
Controls and Procedures
Disclosure Controls and Procedures
The Bank performed an evaluation of the effectiveness of the design and operation of its disclosure controls and procedures as of March 31, 2023. Based on this evaluation, our Principal Executive Officer, Mr. Sashidhar Jagdishan, and our Principal Financial Officer, Mr. Srinivasan Vaidyanathan, have concluded that our disclosure controls and procedures, as defined in Rules 13a-15(e) and 15d-15(e) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (the “Exchange Act”), are effective to provide reasonable assurance that the information required to be disclosed in filings and submissions under the Exchange Act is recorded, processed, summarized and reported within the time periods specified by the SEC’s rules and forms, and that such information is accumulated and communicated to our management, including our Principal Executive Officer and Principal Financial Officer, as appropriate, to allow timely decisions about required disclosure.
There are inherent limitations to the effectiveness of any system of disclosure controls and procedures, including the possibility of human error and the circumvention or overriding of controls and procedures. Accordingly, even effective disclosure controls and procedures can only provide reasonable assurance of achieving their control objectives.
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Management’s Annual Report on Internal Control Over Financial Reporting
Our management is responsible for establishing and maintaining adequate internal control over financial reporting, as defined in Rules 13a-15(f) and 15d-15(f) of the Exchange Act. Our internal control over financial reporting is a process to provide reasonable assurance regarding the reliability of financial reporting and the preparation of financial statements for external purposes in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles. Our internal control over financial reporting includes those policies and procedures that:
| • | pertain to the maintenance of records that, in reasonable detail, accurately and fairly reflect transactions and dispositions of our assets; |
| • | provide reasonable assurance that transactions are recorded as necessary to permit the preparation of financial statements in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles, and that our receipts and expenditures are being made only in accordance with authorizations of our management and directors; and |
| • | provide reasonable assurance regarding the prevention or timely detection of unauthorized acquisitions, use or dispositions of our assets that could have a material effect on the financial statements. |
Because of its inherent limitations, internal control over financial reporting may not prevent or detect misstatements. Also, projections of any evaluation of effectiveness for future periods are subject to the risks that controls may become inadequate because of changes in conditions, or that the degree of compliance with the policies or procedures may deteriorate.
Management assessed the effectiveness of our internal control over financial reporting as of March 31, 2023. In conducting its assessment, management based its evaluation on the framework contained in the Internal Control—Integrated Framework issued by the Committee of Sponsoring Organizations of the Treadway Commission (2013). Based on its assessment, management has concluded that our internal control over financial reporting was effective as of March 31, 2022. Our independent registered public accounting firm, KPMG Assurance and Consulting Services LLP (“KPMG”), has performed an integrated audit and has issued their report, included herein, on (1) our consolidated financial statements, and (2) the effectiveness of our internal controls over financial reporting as of March 31, 2023.
Changes in Internal Controls
There were no changes in our internal controls or in other factors that could, or are reasonably likely to, materially affect these controls during the period covered by this report.
Audit Committee Financial Expert
Mr. M.D. Ranganath and Mr. Sanjiv Sachar are the Audit Committee financial experts, as defined in Item 401(h) of Regulation S-K, and are independent pursuant to the applicable SEC rules.
Code of Ethics
We have a written Code of Conduct and Ethics Manual (“Code of Conduct”), which is applicable to the Board Members and to the Bank’s employees. The Code of Conduct includes guidelines and can be considered a Code of Ethics, as defined in Item 16B of Form 20-F. A copy of this Code of Conduct can be sought by any person without any charge by making a request in writing to shareholder.grievances@hdfcbank.com.
We encourage an open and transparent system of working with employees, customers and members of the general public that come into contact with the Bank by way of the highest standards of integrity and ethical behavior. The Bank’s whistleblower policy (the “Whistleblower Policy”) is aimed at empowering employees and other stakeholders to share aberrations, deviations, discrepant conduct and other incidents related to any violation or suspected violation of the Code of Conduct, including (a) breaches of applicable law(s), (b) fraud or corruption, (c) leakage or suspected leakage of unpublished price sensitive information in violation of the Securities and Exchange Board of India (Prohibition of Insider Trading) Regulations 2015 and the Share Dealing Code of the Bank, and (d) willful data breach or unauthorized disclosure of the Bank’s proprietary data, including customer data through an established mechanism. The Code of Conduct allows for protected disclosure under the Whistleblower Policy without fear of reprisal, retaliation, discrimination or harassment of any kind.
Principal Accountant Fees and Services
The following table sets forth, for the fiscal years indicated, the fees pertaining to our principal accountant and its associated entities for various services provided during those periods:
| Fiscal Year Ended | ||||||||||||
| Type of Services |
March 31, 2022 | March 31, 2023 | Description of Services | |||||||||
| (in millions) | ||||||||||||
| Audit services |
Rs. | 63.7 | Rs. | 78.6 | Audit of financial statements | |||||||
| Audit-related services |
19.2 | 13.5 | Limited review | |||||||||
| Tax services |
— | — | Tax services | |||||||||
| Other services |
13.9 | 2.1 | Certification and other services | |||||||||
| Total |
Rs. | 96.8 | Rs. | 94.2 | ||||||||
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Our Audit Committee charter requires us to receive the approval of our Audit Committee on every occasion on which we engage our principal accountants or their associated entities to provide any non-audit services to us. All of the non-audit services provided to us by our principal accountants or their associated entities in the previous two fiscal years have been pre-approved by our Audit Committee.
Compliance with NYSE Listing Standards on Corporate Governance
We are incorporated under the Companies Act and our equity shares are listed on the BSE Limited (formerly known as Bombay Stock Exchange Limited) and the National Stock Exchange of India Limited, which are the major stock exchanges in India. Our corporate governance framework is in compliance with the Companies Act 2013 and rules made thereunder, the regulations and guidelines of the Securities and Exchange Board of India (Listing Obligations and Disclosure Requirements) Regulations 2015 (“SEBI Listing Regulations”). We also have American Depositary Shares (“ADSs”) listed on the New York Stock Exchange (the “NYSE”).
Companies listed on the NYSE must comply with certain standards of corporate governance set forth in Section 303A of the NYSE’s Listed Company Manual. Listed companies that are foreign private issuers, as the term is defined in Rule 3b-4 of the Exchange Act, are permitted to follow home country practices in lieu of the provisions of this Section 303A, except that foreign private issuers are required to comply with the requirements of Sections 303A.06, 303A.11 and 303A.12(b) and (c) of the NYSE’s Listed Company Manual. As per these requirements, a foreign private issuer must:
| 1. | Establish an independent audit committee that has specified responsibilities and authority. [NYSE Listed Company Manual Section 303A.06]; |
| 2. | Provide prompt written notice by its CEO if any executive officer becomes aware of any non-compliance with any applicable corporate governance rules. [NYSE Listed Company Manual Section 303A.12(b)]; |
| 3. | Provide to the NYSE annual written affirmations with respect to its corporate governance practices, and interim written affirmations in the event of a change to the board or a board committee. [NYSE Listed Company Manual Section 303A.12(c)]; and |
| 4. | Include a statement of significant differences between its corporate governance practices and those followed by United States companies in the annual report of the foreign private issuer. [NYSE Listed Company Manual Section 303A.11]. |
In a few cases, the Indian corporate governance rules under SEBI Listing Regulations differ from those in the NYSE’s Listed Company Manual as summarized below:
| NYSE Corporate Governance Standards applicable to NYSE |
Corporate Governance Rules as per SEBI Listing Regulations | |
| An NYSE listed company needs to have a majority of independent directors. [NYSE Listed Company Manual Section 303A.01] | The board of a listed company must have a combination of executive and non-executive directors, including at least one female director, and not less than 50 percent of the board of directors shall comprise of non-executive directors. The board of directors of the 500 largest listed entities, as determined by market capitalization at the end of the most recent financial year, were required to have at least one independent female director by April 1, 2019 and the board of directors of the 1,000 largest listed entities, as determined by market capitalization at the end of the most recent financial year, were required to have at least one independent female director by April 1, 2020.
No listed entity shall appoint a person or continue the directorship of any person as a non-executive director who has attained the age of 75 years unless a special resolution is passed to that effect, in which case the explanatory statement annexed to the notice for such motion shall indicate the justification for appointing such a person, if: (i) the chairperson of the board of directors is a non-executive director, at least one-third of the board of directors must be comprised of independent directors; (ii) the company does not have a regular non-executive chairperson, at least half of the board of directors must be comprised of independent directors; and (iii) the regular non-executive chairperson is a promoter of the listed company or is related to any promoter or person occupying management positions at the level of board of director or at one level below the board of directors, at least half of the board of directors of the listed company must consist of independent directors. | |
| The requirements under the SEBI Listing Regulations which become applicable to a listed entity on the basis of market capitalization criteria continue to apply to such entity even if when it falls below the specified thresholds. | ||
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| A director must meet certain criteria in order to qualify as “independent”. An NYSE listed company must disclose the identity of its independent directors and the basis upon which it is determined that they are independent. [NYSE Listed Company Manual Section 303A.02 ] | A director must meet certain criteria in order to qualify as an “independent director”. The appointment, reappointment or removal of an independent director of a listed entity, shall be subject to the approval of shareholders by way of a special resolution. No independent director, who resigns from a listed entity, shall be appointed as an executive or whole-time director on the board of the listed entity, its holding, subsidiary or associate company or on the board of a company belonging to its promoter group, unless a period of one year has elapsed from the date of resignation as an independent director. | |
| Executive Sessions | ||
| Non-management directors need to meet at regularly scheduled executive sessions without management. [NYSE Listed Company Manual Section 303A.03] | The board of directors of a listed company must meet at least four times a year, with a maximum time gap of 120 days between any two meetings. The independent directors of the listed company must hold at least one meeting in each fiscal year without the presence of the non-independent directors and the members of management, and all the independent directors have to endeavor to be present at such meeting. | |
| Nominating/Corporate Governance Committee | ||
| An NYSE listed company needs to have a nominating/corporate governance committee composed entirely of independent directors. [NYSE Listed Company Manual Section 303A.04] | A listed company needs to have a nomination and remuneration committee. The nomination and remuneration committee shall comprise of at least three directors and all directors must be non-executive directors with at least two-thirds of the directors being independent directors. | |
|
Listed companies in India are not required to constitute a separate corporate governance committee. The Companies Act 2013 and the SEBI Listing Regulations prescribe the corporate governance requirements which include, inter alia, obligations regarding the appointment of internal auditors, the constitution of the board of directors as per the prescribed composition and the constitution of an audit committee and a nomination and remuneration committee. | ||
| The nominating/corporate governance committee needs to have a written charter that addresses certain specific committee purposes and responsibilities and provides for an annual performance evaluation of the committee. [NYSE Listed Company Manual Section 303A.04] | The nomination and remuneration committee must have the terms of reference specified in the SEBI Listing Regulations and the Companies Act 2013 such as formulating criteria to determine the qualifications, positive attributes and independence of directors, formulating criteria to evaluate the performance of directors, recommending to the board of directors a remuneration policy for directors, key managerial personnel and other employees and devising a policy on diversity of the board of directors. | |
| Compensation Committee | ||
| An NYSE listed company needs to have a compensation committee composed entirely of independent directors. Compensation committee members must satisfy certain additional independence requirements set forth in Section 303A.02 of the NYSE Listed Company Manual by the deadline specified therein. [NYSE Listed Company Manual Section 303A.05] | A listed company is permitted to have a combined nomination and remuneration committee. All members of the nomination and remuneration committee must be non-executive directors and at least two-thirds must be independent directors. The chairperson of the nomination and remuneration committee must be an independent director. | |
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| The compensation committee needs to have a written charter that addresses certain specific rights, purposes and responsibilities of the committee, and provides for an annual performance evaluation of the committee. [NYSE Listed Company Manual Section 303A.05]
On or before December 1, 2023, FPIs must adopt and enforce a clawback policy consistent with the requirements of NYSE Listed Company Manual Section 303A.14. [NYSE Listed Company Manual Section 303A.14] |
The terms of reference and the role of the nomination and remuneration committee have been specified under the Companies Act 2013 and SEBI Listing Regulations and must include, inter alia, formulating the policy relating to the remuneration of directors, key managerial personnel and other employees, formulating criteria to determine the qualifications, positive attributes and independence of directors and formulating criteria to evaluate the performance of directors. | |
| Audit Committee | ||
| An NYSE listed company needs to have an audit committee with at least three members. All the members of the audit committee must satisfy the independence requirements of Rule 10A-3 under the Exchange Act and the requirements of NYSE Corporate Governance Standard 303A.02. [NYSE Listed Company Manual Sections 303A.06 and 303A.07] | A listed company must have a qualified and independent audit committee with a minimum of three directors as members and at least two-thirds of such members must be independent directors. In case of a listed entity having outstanding equity shares with superior voting rights, the audit committee must consist of only independent directors. All members of the audit committee should be financially literate and at least one member must have accounting or related financial management expertise. | |
|
The audit committee needs to have a written charter that addresses certain specific purposes of the committee, provides for an annual performance evaluation of the committee and sets forth certain specific minimum duties and responsibilities. [NYSE Listed Company Manual Section 303A.07] |
The terms of reference and the role of the audit committee of a listed company have been specified in the SEBI Listing Regulations and the Companies Act 2013 and include, inter alia, oversight of the listed company’s financial reporting process and disclosure of its financial information to ensure that such information is correct, sufficient and credible, the recommendation for appointment and remuneration of the auditors of the listed company, and the review of the auditor’s independence and performance. | |
| Internal Audit Function | ||
| An NYSE listed company needs to have an internal audit function to provide management and the audit committee with ongoing assessments of the company’s risk management processes and system of internal control. A company may choose to outsource this function to a third-party service provider other than its independent auditor. [NYSE Listed Company Manual Section 303A.07] | A listed company must appoint an internal auditor to conduct an internal audit of the functions and activities of the company. The auditor must review the accounts of the company and submit a report along with financial statements of the company placed before the company in a general meeting. It is the role of the audit committee to review the adequacy of the company’s internal audit function and all internal audit reports relating to internal control weaknesses of the company. The audit committee should also evaluate the internal financial controls and risk management systems of the company. | |
|
In addition, a listed company must put in place procedures to inform board members about risk assessment and minimization procedures. The board of directors is responsible for framing, implementing and monitoring the company’s risk assessment plan. Further, the top 1000 listed companies (determined on the basis of market capitalization as at the end of the immediately previous financial year) and companies qualifying as a ‘high value debt listed entity’ must establish a risk management committee, consisting of at least three members with a majority of them being board members including at least one independent director, and, in case of a listed entity having outstanding equity shares with superior voting rights, at least two-thirds of the risk management committee shall comprise independent directors. The board of directors shall define the roles and responsibilities of the risk management committee.
The board may delegate the monitoring and review of the risk management plan to the risk management committee. | ||
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| Shareholder Approval of Equity Compensation Plans | ||
| Shareholders must be given the opportunity to vote on all equity-compensation plans and material revisions thereto, with limited exemptions. [NYSE Listed Company Manual Section 303A.08] | Under the SEBI (Share Based Employee Benefits and Sweat Equity) Regulations, 2021, shareholders’ approval is required for all equity compensation plans and material revisions thereto. | |
| Corporate Governance Guidelines/Code of Ethics | ||
| An NYSE listed company needs to adopt and disclose corporate governance guidelines. [NYSE Listed Company Manual Section 303A.09] | A listed company is required to comply with all mandatory corporate governance requirements as prescribed under the Companies Act 2013 and the SEBI Listing Regulations, and disclose such compliance to stock exchanges in the corporate governance report contained in the listed company’s annual report. The listed company should also state in its annual report the extent to which it has complied with the non-mandatory corporate governance requirements. The listed entity is also required to submit a compliance report on corporate governance on a quarterly basis. | |
| An NYSE listed company needs to adopt and disclose a code of business conduct and ethics for directors, officers and employees, and promptly disclose any waivers of the code for directors or executive officers. [NYSE Listed Company Manual Section 303A.10] | A listed company needs to adopt a code of conduct (or code of ethics), which is applicable to all members of the board of directors and senior management. The company’s annual report and the yearly compliance report on corporate governance must both disclose any non-compliance with any requirement of the compliance report on corporate governance and contain a declaration signed by the CEO stating that all board members and senior management personnel have complied with the code of conduct. | |
| Certifications as to Compliance | ||
| The CEO of each NYSE listed company has to certify on an annual basis that he or she is not aware of any violation by the company of the NYSE corporate governance listing standards. This certification, as well as the CEO/CFO certification required under Section 302 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002, must be disclosed in the company’s annual report to shareholders. [NYSE Listed Company Manual Section 303A.12] | The CEO and the CFO are required to provide an annual certification on the true and fair view of the company’s financial statements and compliance with existing accounting standards, applicable laws and regulations. In addition, a listed company is required to submit a quarterly compliance report and an annual corporate governance report to stock exchanges which must include a certificate from either the auditors or the practicing company secretary regarding the company’s compliance with the conditions of corporate governance. A listed company is also required to submit a secretarial compliance report to stock exchanges annually. | |
| Posting of Charters and Guidelines on Website | ||
| An NYSE listed company is required to post the charters of its audit, compensation, and nominating/corporate governance committees, its corporate governance guidelines, and its code of business conduct and ethics on the company’s website, and to state in its proxy statement or annual report that these documents are so posted. The listed company’s website address must be included in such postings. [NYSE Listed Company Manual Sections 303A.04, 303A.05, 303A.07, 303A.09 and 303A.10] | A listed company must maintain a functional website containing information about the company including, inter alia, information regarding the composition of various board committees, the company’s code of conduct, details of certain policies, a copy of its annual report and contact information. | |
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Memorandum and Articles of Association
Our main objective is to carry on banking and related activities. Our objective and purpose can be found in clauses A and B of our Articles.
Under the Articles, a director may not vote, participate in discussions or be counted for the purpose of a quorum with respect to any decision relating to whether we will enter into any contract or arrangement if the director is directly or indirectly interested in such contract or arrangement. The Board of Directors may not hold meetings in the absence of a quorum. Under the Companies Act, the quorum for meetings of the Board is one-third of the total number of directors (any fraction contained in that one-third being rounded off as one) or two directors, whichever is higher. However, where the number of interested directors is equal to or exceeds two-thirds of the total number of directors present, the remaining number of directors (i.e., directors who are not interested) present at the meeting, being not less than two, will constitute the quorum during such time. Pursuant to the SEBI Listing Regulations, the quorum for meetings of the Board shall be one-third of its total strength or three directors, whichever is higher, including at least one independent director.
Pursuant to the Companies Act, our directors have the power to borrow money for business purposes only with the consent of the shareholders (with certain limited exceptions) through a special resolution (with three-fourths majority).
Sections 172 to 187 of the Articles set forth certain rights and restrictions relating to dividend distributions. One of these restrictions is that dividends may be approved only at a general meeting of shareholders, but in no event in an amount greater than the amount recommended by the Board of Directors.
Subject to the Companies Act, the profits of a company are divisible among shareholders in proportion to the amount of capital paid up on the shares held by those shareholders. In the event of liquidation, any surplus will be distributed in proportion to the capital paid up or which ought to have been paid up on the shares held by the shareholders at the time of commencement of the winding-up. The Board of Directors may make calls on shareholders in respect of all money unpaid on the shares held by them and not by the conditions of allotment thereof.
The rights and privileges of any class of shareholders may not be modified without the approval of three-fourths of the issued shares of that class or the sanction of a special resolution passed at a separate meeting of the holders of the issued shares of that class.
The annual general meeting shall be called for at a time during business hours at our registered office or at some other place within Mumbai as the Board of Directors may determine. The notice of the meeting shall specify it as the “annual general meeting.” Any general meeting of the shareholders of the Bank other than its annual general meeting is called an “extraordinary general meeting.” The Board of Directors is required to call an extraordinary general meeting upon the request of a set number of shareholders, as set forth in the Companies Act.
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PRINCIPAL SHAREHOLDERS
The following table contains information relating to the beneficial ownership of our equity shares as of March 31, 2023 by:
| • | each person or group of affiliated persons known by us to beneficially own 5 percent or more of our equity shares; and |
| • | our individual directors and their relatives as a group. |
Beneficial ownership is determined in accordance with the rules of the SEC and includes voting and investment power with respect to equity shares. Unless otherwise indicated, the persons listed in the table have sole voting and sole investment control with respect to all equity shares beneficially owned. All shares issued in India have the same voting rights. We have not issued different classes of securities.
We were founded by our promoter HDFC Limited, a housing finance company in India. As of March 31, 2023, HDFC Group held an aggregate of 20.87 percent of our equity shares. See “Business—Proposed Transaction.”
| Number of Shares | Percentage of Total Equity Shares Outstanding |
|||||||
| HDFC Group |
1,164,625,834 | 20.87 | % | |||||
| Directors and relatives |
4,706,178 | 0.08 | % | |||||
One ADS is represented by three equity shares. The ADSs are represented by underlying equity shares. As of March 31, 2023, Indian equity shares totaling 1,028,115,525 were held in the form of ADSs and constituted 18.43 percent of the Bank’s share capital. In our records, the depositary, JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A., was the only shareholder with respect to equity shares underlying ADSs. We are unable to estimate the number of record holders of ADSs in the United States.
Other than the Proposed Transaction, there are no arrangements known to the Bank, the operation of which may at a subsequent date result in a change in control of the company.
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RELATED PARTY TRANSACTIONS
The following is a summary of transactions we have engaged in with our promoter and principal shareholder, HDFC Limited, and its subsidiaries and other related parties, including those in which we or our management have a significant equity interest.
All transactions with HDFC group companies and the other related parties listed below are on terms that we believe are as favorable to us as those that could be obtained from a non-affiliated third-party in an arm’s-length transaction. In addition, the RBI guidelines stipulate that we can only transact business with HDFC Limited and its affiliates on an arm’s-length basis.
Housing Development Finance Corporation Limited (“HDFC Limited”)
Home Loans
We participate in the home loan business by sourcing loans for HDFC Limited. Under this arrangement, HDFC Limited approves and disburses the loans, which are kept on the books of HDFC Limited, and we are paid a sourcing fee. We also have an option (the right but not the obligation) to buy home loans for a value of up to 70 percent of the loans that were sourced by the Bank under this arrangement. During fiscal year 2023, we purchased home loans aggregating Rs. 369,101.3 million from HDFC Limited under the above arrangement, some of which qualified as priority sector advances. We earned Rs. 5,691.5 million from HDFC Limited in fiscal year 2023 as fees for sourcing these loans. We paid Rs. 8,444.4 million to HDFC Limited towards administration and servicing of these loans. An amount of Rs. 744.2 million was receivable from HDFC Limited as of March 31, 2023. An amount of Rs. 770.6 million was payable to HDFC Limited as of March 31, 2023.
Property
We have facilities located on properties owned or leased by HDFC Limited. In fiscal year 2023, we paid an aggregate of Rs. 15.6 million as rental fees and maintenance charges to HDFC Limited for use of these properties. As of March 31, 2023, an amount of Rs. 2.9 million was payable to HDFC Limited. We believe that we pay market rates for these properties. As of March 31, 2023, HDFC Limited held a deposit of Rs. 3.2 million that we have paid to secure these leased properties.
Other Transactions
We also enter into foreign exchange and derivative transactions with HDFC Limited. The notional principal amount and the mark to market gains in respect of foreign exchange and derivative contracts outstanding as of March 31, 2023 were Rs. 94,451.2 million and Rs. 2,081.2 million respectively. We have issued a guarantee of Rs. 3.5 million on behalf of HDFC Limited. We earned Rs. 10.0 million by rendering of various services to HDFC Limited. As of March 31, 2023, an amount of Rs. 0.6 million was receivable from HDFC Limited towards these services.
During fiscal year 2023, we paid a dividend of Rs. 13,401.5 million to HDFC Limited.
HDFC Life Insurance Company Limited (“HDFC Life”)
In fiscal year 2023, we paid HDFC Life Rs. 2,783.4 million as our contribution towards superannuation, gratuity and insurance premiums. In the same period, we received fees and commissions from HDFC Life aggregating Rs. 24,852.4 million for the sale of insurance policies and other services. As of March 31, 2023, Rs. 1,910.87 million was receivable from HDFC Life. During fiscal year 2023, we received Rs. 14,846.9 million for debt securities sold to HDFC Life and we paid Rs. 256.8 million for debt securities purchased from HDFC Life. As of March 31, 2023, HDFC Life had invested Rs. 7,650.0 million in the Bank’s bonds. During fiscal year 2023, we paid a dividend of Rs. 247.0 million to HDFC Life.
HDFC Asset Management Company Limited (“HDFC AMC”)
In fiscal year 2023, we earned Rs. 0.6 million from HDFC AMC towards referral fees and other services rendered. As of March 31, 2023, an amount of Rs. 0.1 million was receivable from HDFC AMC.
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HDFC Ergo General Insurance Company Limited (“HDFC Ergo”)
We paid Rs. 2,741.4 million for insurance premiums to HDFC Ergo in fiscal year 2023. During fiscal year 2023, we received Rs. 1,716.9 million for the sale of insurance policies and other services rendered. As of March 31, 2023, an amount of Rs. 144.4 million was receivable from HDFC Ergo. As of March 31, 2023, HDFC Ergo had invested Rs. 200.0 million in the Bank’s bonds. We have given a guarantee of Rs. 5.0 million on behalf of HDFC Ergo. During fiscal year 2023, we received Rs. 5,600.7 million for debt securities sold to HDFC Ergo.
HDFC Credila Financial Services Limited (“Credila”)
During fiscal year 2023, we earned Rs. 196.6 million in fees from Credila for sourcing education loans. As of March 31, 2023, Rs. 54.2 million was receivable from Credila.
HDFC Pension Management Company Limited (“HDFC PMC”)
We have issued a guarantee of Rs. 0.1 million on behalf of HDFC PMC, which is a subsidiary of HDFC Life.
HDFC Investments Limited (“HDFC Investments”)
During fiscal year 2023 we paid a dividend of Rs. 4,650.0 million to HDFC Investments.
HDFC Holdings Limited (“HDFC Holdings”)
During fiscal year 2023, we paid a dividend of Rs. 0.2 million to HDFC Holdings.
Key Management Personnel (“KMP”)
In fiscal year 2023, we paid total remuneration of Rs. 205.8 million to Mr. Sashidhar Jagdishan, our Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer, and Mr. Kaizad Bharucha, our Executive Director. As of March 31, 2023, the outstanding balance of the loans given to Mr. Sashidhar Jagdishan was Rs. 5.0 million. During fiscal year 2023, we paid dividends aggregating to Rs. 66.4 million to Mr. Sashidhar Jagdishan and Mr. Kaizad Bharucha.
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TAXATION
Indian Taxation
The following is a summary of the principal Indian tax consequences for non-resident investors of the ADSs and the equity shares issuable on surrender of ADSs for equity shares (conversion). The summary is based on the provisions of Section 115AC and other applicable provisions of the Income Tax Act, 1961 (43 of 1961) (Indian Income Tax Act) and the Depositary Receipt Scheme, 2014 promulgated by the Government of India (the “Depositary Receipt Scheme”) (together, the “Section 115AC Regime”). Further, it only addresses the tax consequences for persons who are non-residents, as defined in the Indian Income Tax Act, who acquire ADSs or equity shares (upon conversion) and who hold such ADSs or equity shares (upon conversion) as capital assets as per the Indian Income Tax Act, and does not address the tax consequences which may be relevant to other classes of non-resident investors, including dealers. The summary assumes that the person continues to remain a non-resident when income by way of dividends and capital gains is earned.
EACH INVESTOR IS ADVISED TO CONSULT HIS/HER TAX ADVISOR ABOUT THE PARTICULAR TAX CONSEQUENCES APPLICABLE TO HIS/HER INVESTMENT IN THE ADSs.
The following discussion describes the material Indian income tax and stamp duty consequences of the purchase, ownership and disposal of the ADSs.
This summary is not intended to constitute a complete analysis of the tax consequences under Indian law of the acquisition, ownership and sale of the ADSs (or equity shares upon conversion) by non-resident investors. Investors should therefore consult their tax advisors about the tax consequences of such acquisition, ownership and sale including, specifically, tax consequences under Indian law, the laws of the jurisdiction of their residence, any tax treaty between India and their country of residence or the United States, the country of residence of the overseas depositary bank (the “Depositary”), as applicable, and, in particular, the Section 115AC regime. The Indian Income Tax Act is amended every year by the Finance Act of the relevant year. Some or all of the tax consequences of the Section 115AC regime may be modified or amended by future amendments to the Indian Income Tax Act.
Taxation of Distributions
Prior to April 1, 2020, Indian companies distributing dividends were subject to a dividend distribution tax on the amount of any dividends distributed. The Finance Act 2020 amended Section 115-O of the Indian Income Tax Act such that Indian companies are no longer required to pay dividend distribution tax on dividends declared, distributed or paid (whichever is earlier) after March 31, 2020. However, such dividends received on our shares are no longer tax-exempt to recipients under Section 10(34) of the Indian Income Tax Act (other than those where tax under section 115-O or 115BBDA has already been paid).
Further, the provisions of Section 115BBDA, which deals with tax on dividends to be paid by a resident specified assesse, i.e., persons other than domestic companies, fund/university/trust/institution/other entities referred to in clauses (iv), (v), (vi) and (via) under section 10(23C) and a trust or institution registered under section 12A or section 12AA or section 12AB, provide that tax at a rate of 10.0 percent on dividend income above Rs. 1 million is no longer applicable. In addition, section 115AC of the Indian Income Tax Act provides that if total income of a non-resident includes income by way of dividends on ADRs, then the same shall be taxable at the rate of 10.0 percent plus applicable surcharge and cess. Accordingly, dividends distributed to the Depositary in respect of the equity shares underlying the ADSs, dividends distributed to ADS holders in respect of the ADSs, and dividends distributed to the holders of the equity shares following conversion of the ADSs into shares are taxable in the hands of holders at 10.0 percent plus applicable surcharge and cess.
Distribution to non-residents of bonus ADSs or bonus shares or rights to subscribe for equity shares for the purposes of this section, (“Rights”) made with respect to ADSs or equity shares should not be subject to Indian tax provided there is no disproportionate or non-uniform allotment.
Taxation of Capital Gains in Relation to ADSs
The taxation of capital gains in the hands of the non-resident investor in the time of ADSs and after conversion of ADSs into equity shares is set forth below.
Transfer of ADSs Between Non-Residents
The transfer of ADSs by a non-resident to another non-resident outside India is covered under Section 115AC of the Indian Income Tax Act. However, pursuant to a specific exemption under Section 47(viia) of the Indian Income Tax Act, this is not considered a “transfer”, and therefore is not liable to capital gains tax in India.
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Conversion of ADSs into Equity Shares
The receipt of equity shares by a non-resident upon conversion of ADSs should not constitute a taxable event for Indian income tax purposes as per the provisions of section 47(x) of the Indian Income Tax Act.
Sale of Equity Shares Received Upon Conversion of ADSs
The Finance Act, 2018 has withdrawn the exemption granted to gains arising on account of transfer of a long term capital asset being equity shares listed on a recognized stock exchange. To tax such gains, new section 112A has been inserted under the Act. However, for the purpose of computing the period of holding of such equity share, provisions of Explanation 1(he) to section 2(42A) provides that the period of holding of the ADSs shall also be considered. If, on the other hand, equity shares received upon conversion of ADSs and the total period of holding is below 12 months from the date of request for redemption, and the sale is through a recognized stock exchange and STT is paid in respect of such sale, then the gains realized are considered short term capital gains. Such gains are taxable at the rate of 15.0 percent, plus the applicable surcharge and education cess, under Section 111A(1)(b)(i) of the Indian Income Tax Act.
In respect of a sale and purchase of equity shares entered into on a recognized stock exchange, both the buyer and the seller are required to pay STT on the basis of the transaction value of the securities, if the transaction is a delivery-based transaction, which means that the transaction involves actual delivery or transfer of shares. The seller of the shares is required to pay applicable STT of the transaction value of the securities if the transaction is a non-delivery based transaction, which means that the transaction is settled without taking actual delivery or transfer of the shares, as would be the case with our equity shares.
For the purpose of computing capital gains tax on the sale of the equity shares, the cost of acquisition of equity shares received in exchange for ADSs will be determined on the basis of the prevailing price of the equity shares on the BSE or the NSE as of the date on which the depositary gives notice to its custodian for the delivery of such equity shares upon redemption of the ADSs. A non-resident holder’s holding period (for the purpose of determining the applicable Indian capital gains tax) in respect of equity shares received in exchange for ADSs commences on the date on which a request for redemption of the ADSs was made by the relevant Depositary to its custodian.
The provision of the Double Taxation Avoidance Agreement (the “DTAA”) entered into by the Government of India with the country of residence of the non-resident investor will be applicable to the extent they are more beneficial to the non-resident investor section 90(2). The India-United States income tax treaty does not limit India’s ability to tax capital gains. However, section 90(2A) has made the beneficial provision clause provided under section 90(2) subject to the provisions of General Anti-Avoidance Rules under Chapter X-A.
Tax on Buyback of Shares
As per section 115QA of the Indian Income Tax Act, a company listed on the stock exchange is required to pay the additional income tax on distributed income on the buyback of shares. Distributed income has been defined under the Act as the difference between the money received by the shareholder on buyback and the issue price of the shares which the Company would have received at the time of issuance of the shares.
Tax Deduction at Source and Return of Income
Tax on dividends, long term and short term capital gains, if payable, as discussed above, upon a sale of equity shares, is to be deducted at source by the person responsible for paying the non-resident, in accordance with the relevant provisions of the Indian Income Tax Act, and the non-resident will be entitled to a certificate evidencing such tax deduction in accordance with the provisions of Section 203 of the Indian Income Tax Act. However, as per the provisions of Section 195 of the Indian Income Tax Act, any income other than income from salaries or other specific sections provided for the purpose of withholding tax shall be as per the Indian Income Tax Act or the provisions of the DTAA subject to Chapter X-A of the Act, (whichever is more beneficial to the assessee), unless a lower withholding tax certificate is obtained from the tax authorities. Further, the non-resident investor must furnish a certificate of his or her residence in a country outside India as per section 90(4) of the Indian Income Tax Act, and such other documents as may be prescribed as per the provision of section 90(5) of the Indian Income Tax Act, to get the benefit of the applicable DTAA. The withholding tax rates are subject to the recipients of income furnishing details, as may be prescribed, to the payer. Failure to provide such details will result in the applicable withholding tax rate being the higher of the rates in force or 20.0 percent, in accordance with section 206AA of the Indian Income Tax Act.
As per provisions of Section 115A, if a non-resident has income from dividends, interest, royalty or fees for technical services only during the year and tax has been deducted on the same and the rate of tax deduction is not less than the rate specified in Section 115A, then the non-resident is not required to file the return of income in India.
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Capital Losses
Neither Section 115AC nor the Depositary Receipt Scheme deals with capital losses arising on a transfer of equity shares in India. In general terms, losses arising from a transfer of a capital asset in India can only be set off against capital gains on transfer of another capital asset. Furthermore, a long term capital loss can be set off only against a long term capital gain. To the extent that losses are not absorbed in the year of transfer, they may be carried forward for a period of eight assessment years immediately succeeding the assessment year for which the loss was first determined by the assessing authority and may be set off against the capital gains assessable for such subsequent assessment years. In order to set off capital losses as above, the non-resident investor would be required to file appropriate and timely tax returns in India and undergo the customary assessment procedures.
Stamp Duty
There is no stamp duty on the sale or transfer of ADSs outside India.
Generally, the transfer of ordinary shares in physical form would be subject to Indian stamp duty at the applicable rate of the market value of the ordinary shares on the trade date, and such stamp duty customarily is borne by the transferee, i.e., the purchaser. In order to register a transfer of equity shares in physical form, it is necessary to present a stamped deed of transfer. An acquisition of shares in physical form from the depositary in exchange for ADSs representing such equity shares will not render an investor liable for Indian stamp duty. We will be required to pay stamp duty at the applicable rate on the share certificate. However, since our equity shares are compulsorily deliverable in dematerialized form (except for trades of up to 500 equity shares, which may be delivered in physical form), there would be no stamp duty payable in India on transfer.
Other Taxes
At present, there is no wealth tax, gift tax or inheritance tax which may apply to the ADSs or the underlying shares.
Material United States Federal Income Tax Consequences
The following summary describes certain material United States federal income tax consequences relating to an investment in our ADSs or equity shares as of the date hereof. This summary is based on the Internal Revenue Code, its legislative history, existing final, temporary and proposed Treasury Regulations, rulings and judicial decisions, all as of the date hereof and all of which are subject to prospective and retroactive rulings and changes.
This summary does not purport to address all United States federal income tax consequences that may be relevant to a particular investor, and you are urged to consult your own tax advisor regarding your specific tax situation. The summary applies only to investors who own ADSs or equity shares as “capital assets” (generally, property held for investment) under the Internal Revenue Code, and does not address the tax consequences that may be relevant to investors in special tax situations, including, for example:
| • | insurance companies; |
| • | regulated investment companies and real estate investment trusts; |
| • | tax-exempt organizations; |
| • | broker-dealers; |
| • | traders in securities that elect to mark-to-market; |
| • | banks or certain other financial institutions; |
| • | United States investors whose functional currency is not the United States dollar; |
| • | certain former citizens or residents of the United States subject to Section 877 of the Internal Revenue Code; |
| • | investors that hold our ADSs or equity shares as part of a hedge, straddle or conversion transaction; or |
| • | holders that own, directly, indirectly or constructively, 10.0 percent or more of our total combined voting stock. |
Further, this summary does not address the alternative minimum tax consequences of an investment in ADSs or equity shares, or the indirect consequences to owners of equity or partnership interests in entities that own our ADSs or equity shares. In addition, this summary does not address the United States federal estate or gift, state, local and foreign tax consequences of an investment in our ADSs or equity shares.
You should consult your own tax advisor regarding the United States federal, state, local and foreign and other tax consequences of purchasing, owning and disposing of our ADSs or equity shares in your particular circumstances.
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Taxation of U.S. Holders
You are a “U.S. Holder” if you are, for United States federal income tax purposes, a beneficial owner of ADSs or equity shares and you are:
| • | an individual who is a citizen or resident of the United States; |
| • | a corporation (or other entity taxable as a corporation for United States federal income tax purposes) created or organized in or under the laws of the United States, any state thereof or the District of Columbia; |
| • | an estate, the income of which is subject to United States federal income tax regardless of its source; or |
| • | a trust, if a court within the United States is able to exercise primary supervision over its administration and one or more United States persons have the authority to control all substantial decisions of the trust, or if the trust has made a valid election to be treated as a United States person. |
If a partnership holds ADSs or equity shares, the tax treatment of a partner will generally depend upon the status of the partner and upon the activities of the partnership. Partners of partnerships holding our ADSs or equity shares should consult their own tax advisors.
For United States federal income tax purposes, a U.S. Holder of an ADS will generally be treated as the owner of the equity shares represented by the ADS. Accordingly, no gain or loss will be recognized upon the exchange of an ADS for equity shares. A U.S. Holder’s tax basis in the equity shares will be the same as the tax basis in the ADS surrendered therefore, and the holding period in the equity shares will include the period during which the holder held the surrendered ADS.
The U.S. government has expressed concerns that parties to whom ADSs are released before the underlying shares are delivered to the depositary (“pre-release”), or intermediaries in the chain of ownership between holders of ADSs and the issuer of the security underlying the ADSs, may be taking actions that are inconsistent with the claiming of foreign tax credits by holders of ADSs. These actions would also be inconsistent with the claiming of the reduced rate of tax, described below, applicable to dividends that constitute qualified dividend income received by certain non-corporate holders. Accordingly, the availability of the reduced tax rate for qualified dividend income received by certain non-corporate U.S. Holders, each described below, could be affected by actions taken by such parties or intermediaries.
This discussion assumes that we are not, and will not become, a passive foreign investment company (“PFIC”) for United States federal income tax purposes, as described below.
Distributions on ADSs or Equity Shares
The gross amount of cash distributions made by us to a U.S. Holder, with respect to ADSs or equity shares generally, will be taxable to such U.S. Holder as ordinary dividend income when such U.S. Holder receives the distribution, actually or constructively, to the extent paid out of our current or accumulated earnings and profits (as determined for United States federal income tax purposes).
Subject to the discussion above regarding “pre-release”, if dividends constitute qualified dividend income (“QDI”), individual U.S. Holders of our ADSs or equity shares will generally pay tax on such dividends at a reduced rate, provided certain holding period requirements and other conditions are satisfied. Assuming we are not a PFIC in the taxable year in which we pay the dividends or in the preceding taxable year, dividends paid by us will be QDI if we are a qualified foreign corporation (“QFC”) at the time the dividends are paid. We believe that we are currently, and will continue to be, a QFC, so we expect all dividends paid by us to be QDI for United States federal income tax purposes. Distributions in excess of our current and accumulated earnings and profits (as determined for United States federal income tax purposes) will be treated first as a non-taxable return of capital, reducing such U.S. Holder’s tax basis in the ADSs or equity shares. Any distribution in excess of such tax basis will be treated as capital gain and will be either long term or short term capital gain depending upon whether the U.S. Holder held the ADSs or equity shares for more than one year. However, we currently do not, and we do not intend to, calculate our earnings and profits under United States federal income tax principles. Therefore, a U.S. Holder should expect that a distribution generally will be reported as dividend income. Dividends paid by us generally will not be eligible for the dividends-received deduction available to certain United States corporate shareholders and will generally be treated as “passive income” for purposes of computing allowable foreign tax credits for U.S. tax purposes. You should consult your tax advisor regarding the availability of the foreign tax credit under your particular circumstances.
The amount of any cash distribution paid in Indian rupees will equal the United States dollar value of the distribution, calculated by reference to the exchange rate in effect at the time the distribution is received by the depositary, in the case of ADSs, or by the U.S. Holder, in the case of equity shares, regardless of whether the payment is in fact converted to United States dollars at that time. Generally, a U.S. Holder should not recognize any foreign currency gain or loss if such Indian rupees are converted into United States dollars on the date received, and it is expected that the depositary will, in the ordinary course, convert foreign currency received by it as distributions into United States dollars on the date of receipt. However, if the Indian rupees are not converted into United States dollars on the date of receipt, gain or loss may be recognized upon a subsequent sale or other disposition of the Indian rupees. Such foreign currency gain or loss, if any, will be United States source ordinary income or loss.
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Sale or Exchange of ADSs or Equity Shares
A U.S. Holder will generally recognize capital gain or loss upon the sale, exchange or other disposition of ADSs or equity shares measured by the difference between the United States dollar value of the amount received and the U.S. Holder’s tax basis (determined in United States dollars) in the ADSs or equity shares. Any gain or loss will be long term capital gain or loss if the ADSs or equity shares in the sale, exchange or other taxable disposition have been held for more than one year, and will generally be United States source gain or loss. The holding period for equity shares withdrawn from the depositary facility will include the holding period of the ADSs exchanged therefor. Your ability to deduct capital losses is subject to limitations. Under certain circumstances described under “—Indian Taxation—Taxation of Capital Gains in Relation to ADSs”, you may be subject to Indian tax upon the disposition of ADSs or equity shares. In such circumstances and subject to applicable limitations, a U.S. Holder entitled to the benefits of the India-United States income tax treaty may be able to credit the Indian tax against the U.S. Holder’s United States federal income tax liability. You should consult your tax advisor regarding the availability of the foreign tax credit under your particular circumstances.
For cash-basis U.S. Holders who receive foreign currency in connection with a sale or other taxable disposition of equity shares, the amount realized will be based upon the United States dollar value of the foreign currency received with respect to such equity shares as determined on the settlement date of such sale, exchange or other taxable disposition.
Pursuant to the Treasury Regulations applicable to foreign currency transactions, accrual-basis U.S. Holders may elect the same treatment required of cash-basis taxpayers with respect to a sale, exchange or other taxable disposition of ADSs or equity shares, provided that the election is applied consistently from year to year. Such election cannot be changed without the consent of the Internal Revenue Service (the “IRS”). Accrual-basis U.S. Holders that do not elect to be treated as cash-basis taxpayers for this purpose may have foreign currency gain or loss for United States federal income tax purposes because of differences between the United States dollar value of the foreign currency received prevailing on the date of such sale, exchange or other taxable disposition and the value prevailing on the date of payment. Any such foreign currency gain or loss will generally be treated as ordinary income or loss that is sourced from within the United States, in addition to the gain or loss, if any, recognized on the sale, exchange or other taxable disposition of ADSs or equity shares.
Medicare Tax
Certain U.S. Holders who are individuals, estates, or trusts are required to pay a 3.8 percent Medicare surtax on all or part of that holder’s “net investment income”, which includes, among other items, dividends on, and capital gains from the sale or other taxable disposition of, the ADSs or equity shares, subject to certain limitations and exceptions. Prospective investors should consult their own tax advisors regarding the effect, if any, of this surtax on their ownership and disposition of the ADSs or equity shares.
Passive Foreign Investment Company Rules
U.S. Holders generally will be subject to a special, adverse tax regime that would differ in certain respects from the tax treatment described above if we are, or were to become, a PFIC for United States federal income tax purposes. Although the determination of whether a corporation is a PFIC is made annually, and thus may be subject to change, based on an active banking exception, we do not believe that we are, nor do we expect to become, a PFIC. However, the matter is not free from doubt. We urge you to consult your own tax advisor regarding the potential application of the PFIC rules.
Information with Respect to Foreign Financial Assets
Individuals (and, under proposed Treasury Regulations, certain entities) who are U.S. Holders that own “specified foreign financial assets”, including stock of a non-U.S. corporation not held through a financial institution, with an aggregate value in excess of certain dollar thresholds, may be required to file an information report with respect to such assets on IRS Form 8938 with their United States federal income tax returns. Penalties apply for failure to properly complete and file IRS Form 8938. U.S. Holders are encouraged to consult their tax advisors regarding the application of this reporting requirement to their ownership of our ADSs or equity shares.
Taxation of Non-U.S. Holders
A “Non-U.S. Holder” is a beneficial owner of our ADSs or equity shares that is neither a U.S. Holder nor a partnership or other entity or arrangement treated as a partnership for U.S. federal income tax purposes. If a partnership holds our ADSs or equity shares, the tax treatment of a partner will generally depend upon the status of the partner and upon the activities of the partnership. Partners in partnerships holding our ADSs or equity shares should consult their own tax advisors.
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Distributions on ADSs or Equity Shares
Non-U.S. Holders generally will not be subject to United States federal income or withholding tax on dividends received from us with respect to ADSs or equity shares, unless such income is considered effectively connected with the Non-U.S. Holder’s conduct of a United States trade or business for United States federal income tax purposes (and, if required by an applicable income tax treaty, the income is attributable to a permanent establishment maintained in the United States).
Sale or Exchange of ADSs or Equity Shares
Non-U.S. Holders generally will not be subject to United States federal income tax on any gain realized upon the sale, exchange or other taxable disposition of ADSs or equity shares unless:
| • | such gain is considered effectively connected with the Non-U.S. Holder’s conduct of a United States trade or business (and, if required by an applicable income tax treaty, the income is attributable to a permanent establishment maintained in the United States); or |
| • | such Non-U.S. Holder is an individual that is present in the United States for 183 days or more during the taxable year of the disposition, and certain other conditions are met. |
In addition, if you are a corporate Non-U.S. Holder, any effectively connected dividend income or gain (subject to certain adjustments) may be subject to an additional branch profits tax at a rate of 30.0 percent (or such lower rate as may be specified by an applicable income tax treaty).
Backup Withholding and Information Reporting
In general, dividends on ADSs or equity shares, and payments of the proceeds of a sale, exchange or other taxable disposition of ADSs or equity shares, paid to a U.S. Holder within the United States or through certain U.S.-related financial intermediaries, are subject to information reporting and may be subject to backup withholding at a rate currently equal to 24.0 percent, unless the U.S. Holder:
| • | is a corporation or other exempt recipient; or |
| • | provides an accurate taxpayer identification number and certifies that no loss of exemption from backup withholding applies to such U.S. Holder. |
Non-U.S. Holders generally are not subject to information reporting or backup withholding. However, such Non-U.S. Holders may be required to provide a certification to establish their non-U.S. status in connection with payments received within the United States or through certain U.S.-related financial intermediaries.
Backup withholding is not an additional tax. Holders generally will be allowed a credit of the amount of any backup withholding against their United States federal income tax liability or may obtain a refund of any amounts withheld under the backup withholding rules that exceed such income tax liability by filing a refund claim with the IRS.
Foreign Account Tax Compliance Act
Sections 1471 through 1474 of the Internal Revenue Code (provisions commonly known as FATCA) impose (a) certain reporting and due diligence requirements on foreign financial institutions and (b) potentially require such foreign financial institutions to deduct a 30.0 percent withholding tax from (i) certain payments from sources within the United States and (ii) “foreign pass thru payments” (which is not yet defined in current guidance) made to certain non-U.S. financial institutions that do not comply with such reporting and due diligence requirements or certain other payees that do not provide required information. The United States has entered into a number of IGAs with other jurisdictions with respect to FATCA which may modify the operation of this withholding. The Bank, as well as relevant intermediaries such as custodians and depositary participants, are classified as financial institutions for these purposes. Given that India has entered into a Model 1 IGA with the United States for giving effect to FATCA, Indian financial institutions such as the Bank are also required to comply with FATCA, based on the terms of the IGA and relevant rules made pursuant thereto.
Under current guidance, it is not clear whether or to what extent payments on ADSs or equity shares will be considered “foreign pass thru payments” subject to FATCA withholding or the extent to which withholding on “foreign pass thru payments” will be required under the applicable IGA. However, under current guidance, even if withholding were required pursuant to FATCA with respect to payments on ADSs or equity shares, such withholding would not apply prior to two years after the date on which final regulations on this issue are published. Investors should consult their own tax advisers on how the FATCA rules may apply to payments they receive in respect of the ADSs or equity shares.
Should any withholding tax in respect of FATCA be deducted or withheld from any payments arising to any investor, neither the Bank nor any other person will pay additional amounts as a result of the deduction or withholding.
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SUPERVISION AND REGULATION
The main legislation governing commercial banks in India is the Banking Regulation Act 1949 (the “Banking Regulation Act”). The provisions of the Banking Regulation Act are in addition to and not, save as expressly provided in the Banking Regulation Act, in derogation of the Companies Act 2013 and any other law currently in force. Other important laws include the Reserve Bank of India Act 1934, the Negotiable Instruments Act 1881, the Securitisation and Reconstruction of Financial Assets and Enforcement of Security Interest Act 2002 (the “SARFAESI Act”) and the Bankers’ Books Evidence Act 1891. Additionally, the RBI, from time to time, issues guidelines to be followed by banks. Compliance with all regulatory requirements is evaluated with respect to our financial statements under Indian GAAP.
RBI Regulations
Commercial banks in India are required under the Banking Regulation Act to obtain a license from the RBI to carry on banking business in India. Before granting the license, the RBI must be satisfied that certain conditions are complied with, including (i) that the bank is or will be in a position to pay its present and future depositors in full as their claims accrue; (ii) that the affairs of the bank are not being or are not likely to be conducted in a manner detrimental to the interests of present or future depositors; (iii) that the general character of the proposed management of the bank will not be prejudicial to the public interest or the interest of its depositors; (iv) that the bank has adequate capital and earnings prospects; (v) that public interest will be served if a license is granted to the bank; (vi) that having regard to the banking facilities available in the proposed principal area of operations of the bank, the potential scope for expansion of banks already in existence in the area and other relevant factors, the grant of the license would not be prejudicial to the operation and consolidation of the banking system consistent with monetary stability and economic growth; and (vii) any other condition, the fulfillment of which would, in the opinion of the RBI, be necessary to ensure that the carrying on of banking business in India by the bank will not be prejudicial to the public interest or the interests of the depositors. The RBI can cancel the license if the bank fails to meet the above conditions or if the bank ceases to carry on banking operations in India.
Being licensed by the RBI, we are regulated and supervised by the RBI. It requires us to furnish statements, information and certain details relating to our business. The RBI has issued guidelines and for commercial banks on recognition of income, classification of assets, valuation of investments, maintenance of capital adequacy and provisioning for non-performing and restructured assets among others. The RBI has set up a Board for Financial Supervision (“Board”), under the chairmanship of its Governor, with the primary objective of undertaking consolidated supervision of the financial sector comprised of commercial banks, financial institutions and non-banking financial companies (“NBFCs”). This Board oversees the functioning of the Department of Banking Supervision, Department of Non-Banking Supervision and Financial Institutions Division of the RBI and gives directions relating to regulatory and supervisory issues.
Entry of New Banks in the Private Sector
In February 2013, the RBI released guidelines for licensing of new banks in the private sector. The key items covered under these guidelines are as follows: (i) promoters eligible to apply for banking licenses; (ii) corporate structure; (iii) minimum voting equity capital requirements for new banks; (iv) regulatory framework; (v) foreign shareholding cap; (vi) corporate governance; (vii) prudential norms; (viii) exposure norms; and (ix) business plan. The RBI has permitted private sector entities owned and controlled by Indian residents and entities in the public sector in India to apply to the RBI for a license to operate a bank through a wholly owned non-operative financial holding company (“NOFHC”), subject to compliance with certain specified criteria. Such a NOFHC is permitted to be the holding company of the bank as well as any other financial services entity, with the objective that the holding company ring-fences the regulated financial services entities in the group, including the bank, from other activities of the group. Pursuant to these guidelines, two banks, namely IDFC First Bank and Bandhan Bank, commenced banking operations in fiscal year 2016.
In November 2014, the RBI released guidelines on licensing of payments banks (“Payments Banks Guidelines”) and small finance banks (“Small Finance Banks Guidelines”) in the private sector. The objective of setting up of payments banks is to further financial inclusion by providing (i) small savings accounts and (ii) payments/remittance services to migrant labor workforce, low-income households, small businesses, other unorganized sector entities and other users. Previously, payments banks were allowed to accept deposits of up to Rs. 0.1 million. Payments banks are not allowed to undertake lending activities or issue credit cards. In August 2015, the RBI gave in-principle approvals to 11 applicants to set up payments banks. Further, on April 8, 2021, the RBI enhanced the end-of-day maximum balance limit to Rs. 0.2 million per individual customer of the respective payments bank.
The objective of setting up small finance banks (“SFBs”) is to further financial inclusion by (i) providing savings vehicles, and (ii) supplying credit to small business units, small and marginal farmers, micro and small industries, and other unorganized sector entities, through high-tech and low-cost operations. SFBs primarily undertake basic banking activities, such as the acceptance of deposits and lending to unserved and underserved sections of society, including small business units, small and marginal farmers, micro and small industries and unorganized sector entities, with no restriction in their area of operations. The minimum paid-up equity capital requirement for such banks is Rs. 1,000.0 million. The foreign shareholding in payments banks would be as per the FDI policy for private sector banks, as amended from time to time. In September 2015, the RBI granted “in-principle” approval to 10 applicants to set up SFBs. All 10 applicants received their final license.
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The guidelines issued in 2014 stated that after gaining experience in dealing with SFBs, the RBI would consider “on-tap” licensing of these banks. Accordingly, in December 2019, the RBI released guidelines for “on-tap” licensing of SFBs (the “December 2019 Guidelines”). Pursuant to the December 2019 Guidelines, the minimum paid-up voting equity capital for SFBs is Rs. 2,000.0 million, subject to a few exceptions. Further, the RBI, in its circular dated March 28, 2020, issued certain modifications to the Payments Bank Guidelines and the Small Finance Banks Guidelines to harmonize them with the December 2019 Guidelines. The December 2019 Guidelines stated that a Standing External Advisory Committee (“SEAC”) comprising eminent persons with experience in banking, financial sector and other relevant areas, will evaluate the applications and that the constituent members of the SEAC will be announced by the RBI. In March 2021, the RBI announced the constituent members of the SEAC, who will have a tenure of three years.
In August 2016, the RBI released Guidelines for “On Tap” Licensing of Universal Banks in the Private Sector (the “2016 Guidelines”). The guidelines aim at moving from the “stop and go” licensing approach (wherein the RBI notifies the licensing window during which a private entity may apply for a banking license) to a continuous or “on-tap” licensing regime. Among other things, the 2016 Guidelines specify conditions for the eligibility of promoters, corporate structure and foreign shareholdings. One of the key features of the 2016 Guidelines is that, unlike the February 2013 guidelines (mentioned above), the 2016 Guidelines make the NOFHC structure non-mandatory in the case of promoters being individuals or standalone promoting/converting entities that do not have other group entities. Based on the applications received, the RBI has been issuing licenses to the entities to act as universal banks.
In May 2016, the RBI issued the Reserve Bank of India (Ownership in Private Sector Banks) Directions 2016. These guidelines prescribed requirements regarding shareholding and voting rights in relation to all private sector banks licensed by the RBI to operate in India.
In June 2020, the RBI set up an internal working group to examine and review the extant licensing and regulatory guidelines relating to ownership and control, corporate structure of private sector banks and other related issues. The group submitted its report in October 2020, and some of the key recommendations were as follows: (i) the cap on promoters’ stakes over the course of 15 years may be raised from the current level of 15.0 percent to 26.0 percent of the paid-up voting equity share capital of the bank; (ii) the RBI may introduce regulations in relation to the issuance of ADRs and GDRs by banks, which ensure that such issuances are not used by dominant shareholders to indirectly enhance their voting power, including mandating prior approval by the RBI before entering into agreements with depositories, requiring a provision in the depository agreement assigning no voting rights to depositories and a mechanism for disclosure of the details of the ultimate depository receipt holders so that indirect holdings can be disclosed along with direct holdings; (iii) large corporate/industrial houses may be allowed as promoters of banks only after necessary amendments to the Banking Regulations Act; (iv) NOFHCs should continue to be the preferred structure for all new licenses to be issued for Universal Banks. However, NOFHC structures should be mandatory only in cases where the individual promoters, promoting entities and converting entities have other group entities; and (v) listing requirements for small finance banks, payments banks and universal banks.
By a press release dated November 2021 (the “November 2021 Press Release”), the RBI accepted a few recommendations suggested by the internal working group in the report dated October 2020. One of the recommendations that was accepted with modifications, was the adjustment of initial capital requirements for new banks: (i) for universal banks from Rs. 5.0 billion to Rs. 10.0 billion; (ii) for SFBs from Rs. 3.0 billion to Rs. 2.0 billion; and (iii) for UCBs transiting to SFBs from Rs. 1.0 billion to Rs. 1.5 billion initial paid-up voting equity share capital/net worth), which has to be further increased to Rs. 3.0 billion (present Rs. 2.0 billion) within five years. The amendments to the extant guidelines will be notified in due course, and all the stakeholders are to be guided by the decisions in the report.
On January 16, 2023, the RBI issued the Reserve Bank of India (Acquisition and Holding of Shares or Voting Rights in Banking Companies) Directions, 2023 (“2023 Acquisition Directions”) which is to be read in conjunction with the Guidelines on Acquisition and Holding of Shares or Voting Rights in Banking Companies issued by the RBI on the same date (together, the “2023 Directions.”).
Financial Holding Company Structure in India
The RBI constituted a Working Group in June 2010 to examine the feasibility of introducing a Financial Holding Company (“FHC”) Structure in India under the chairpersonship of the Deputy Governor. In May 2011, the Working Group submitted its report to recommend a roadmap for the introduction of a holding company structure in the Indian financial sector together with the required regulatory, supervisory and legislative framework. The report served as a guiding document for the introduction of an alternate organizational structure for banks and financial conglomerates in India. Key recommendations of the Working Group were as follows: (i) FHC structure; (ii) regulatory framework; (iii) statutory and taxation related changes; (iv) caps on expansion in non-banking business; (v) capital raising; and (vi) transitioning to the FHC structure.
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In August 2013, the RBI issued a discussion paper titled “Banking Structure in India—The Way Forward”. The key recommendations in the paper relate to: (i) adoption of the FHC structure; (ii) differential licensing (allowing banks to be licensed to provide only specified services); (iii) consolidation of large-sized Indian banks; (iv) requiring large foreign banks to operate through subsidiaries in India and (v) the reduction of the Government’s ownership of state-owned banks to ease the burden on the state where these banks will have to be capitalized to comply with Basel III requirements.
On April 7, 2014, the RBI had introduced a new category of NBFCs called NOFHCs and, accordingly, amended the Non-Banking Financial (Non-Deposit Accepting or Holding) Companies Prudential Norms (Reserve Bank) Directions, 2007. The RBI directions define a NOFHC as a non-deposit-taking NBFC that holds the shares of a banking company and the shares of all other financial services companies in its group, whether regulated by RBI or by any other financial regulator, to the extent permissible under the applicable regulatory prescriptions.
Under the guidelines for “on-tap” licensing of universal banks in the private sector, the RBI has made the NOFHC structure non-mandatory in the case of promoters being individuals or standalone promoting/converting entities that do not have other group entities. Under the December 2019 Guidelines, if there is an intermediate company between the promoting entity and the small finance bank, such an intermediate company should be an NOFHC. However, if the small finance bank is set up under a holding company structure without an NOFHC, such holding company is required to be registered as an NBFC-core investment company (“CIC”) with the RBI.
In a report submitted by the internal working group of the RBI in October 2020, certain recommendations were made relating to NOFHCs, including: (i) NOFHCs should continue to be the preferred structure for all new licenses to be issued for universal banks; however, NOFHC are mandatory only in cases where the individual promoters, promoting entities, and converting entities have other group entities; (ii) while banks licensed before 2013 may move to an NOFHC structure at their discretion, once the NOFHC structure attains a tax-neutral status, all banks licensed before 2013 must move to the NOFHC structure within 5 years from announcement of tax-neutrality; (iii) until the NOFHC structure is made feasible and operational, the concerns with regard to banks undertaking different activities through subsidiaries, joint ventures or associates should be addressed through suitable regulations; and (iv) banks currently under the NOFHC structure may be allowed to exit from such a structure if they do not have other group entities in their corporate structure.
In the November 2021 Press Release, the RBI clarified that where the NOFHC structure is mandatory, the promoters/promoting entities should be eligible to set up a Universal Bank/Small Finance Bank.
Regulations Relating to the Opening of Banking Outlets
Section 23 of the Banking Regulation Act provides that banks must obtain the prior permission of the RBI to open new banking outlets. The RBI may cancel a license for violations of the conditions under which it was granted.
The RBI issues instructions and guidelines to banks on branch authorization from time to time. Centers are categorized as Tier 1 to Tier 6 based on population (as per the 2011 census) and classified in the following manner:
| • | Tier 1—100,000 and above; |
| • | Tier 2—50,000 to 99,999; |
| • | Tier 3—20,000 to 49,999; |
| • | Tier 4—10,000 to 19,999; |
| • | Tier 5—5,000 to 9,999; and |
| • | Tier 6—Less than 5,000. |
The RBI, with effect from September 19, 2013, granted general permission to domestic scheduled commercial banks like us to open banking outlets in Tier 1 to Tier 6 centers, subject to reporting to the RBI and prescribed conditions such as (i) at least 25 percent of the total number of banking outlets opened during the fiscal year must be opened in unbanked rural (Tier 5 and Tier 6) centers, which are defined as centers that do not have a brick and mortar structure of any scheduled commercial bank for customer-based banking transactions; and (ii) the total number of banking outlets opened in Tier 1 centers during a fiscal year cannot exceed the total number of banking outlets opened in Tier 2 to Tier 6 centers and all centers in the north eastern states of India and the state of Sikkim. The RBI also permitted banks to open banking outlets in Tier 1 centers over and above the number permitted in accordance with the paragraph above, as an incentive for opening more banking outlets in underbanked districts of underbanked states, subject to specified conditions.
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The RBI also permitted scheduled commercial banks to install off-site/mobile ATMs at centers/places identified by them, without the need to get permission from the RBI in each case. This, however, is subject to certain conditions, including for closure/shifting of any such off-site/mobile ATMs, wherever the RBI considers it necessary. Banks need to report full details of the off-site ATMs installed by them in terms of the above general permission as a part of the periodic reports submitted to the RBI.
In May 2017, the RBI further liberalized the branch authorization policy. Some of the key changes made pursuant to the revised guidelines were as follows:
| • | A concept of “banking outlets” was introduced. A banking outlet for a domestic scheduled commercial bank has been defined as a fixed point service delivery unit, manned by either bank’s staff or its business correspondent where services of acceptance of deposits, encashment of checks/cash withdrawal or lending of money are provided for a minimum of four hours per day for at least five days a week. |
| • | At least 25.0 percent of the total number of “banking outlets” opened during a fiscal year must be opened in unbanked rural centers (Tier 5 and Tier 6). The definition of unbanked rural centers has been modified to mean a rural (Tier 5 and Tier 6) center that does not have a CBS-enabled banking outlet of a scheduled commercial bank. |
| • | The restriction on the number of banking outlets that may be opened in Tier 1 centers was removed. |
Appointment of Auditors
The appointment of the auditors of banks is subject to the approval of the RBI. The RBI can direct a special audit in the interest of the depositors or in the public interest. In April 2021, the RBI issued guidelines for the appointment of statutory central auditors (“SCAs”) and statutory auditors (“SAs”) of commercial banks (excluding regional rural banks (“RRBs”)) pursuant to which the commercial banks are required to receive prior approval from the RBI for the appointment of SCAs and SAs. The guidelines provide for eligibility criteria for SCAs and SAs, and also provide the number of joint auditors a bank is required to appoint based on its assets size.
Capital Adequacy Requirements
The RBI issued guidelines for the implementation of the New Capital Adequacy Framework (“Basel II”). In order to maintain consistency and harmony with international standards, foreign banks in India and Indian banks having operational presence outside India were advised to adopt the Standardized Approach for Credit Risk and Basic Indicator Approach for Operational Risk with effect from March 31, 2008, while other commercial banks were advised to adopt these approaches with effect from March 31, 2009.
Under these guidelines, we were required to maintain a minimum ratio of capital to risk-adjusted assets and off-balance sheet items of 9.0 percent, at least 6.0 percent of which must be Tier I capital. Until March 31, 2013, we were also required to ensure that our Basel II minimum capital requirement continued to be higher than the prudential floor of 80.0 percent of the minimum capital requirement computed as per the Basel I framework for credit and market risks. In May 2013, the RBI withdrew the requirement of parallel run and prudential floor for implementation of Basel II vis-à-vis Basel I.
In May 2012, the RBI released guidelines on implementation of Basel III capital regulations in India with effect from April 1, 2013. The RBI also generally issues and updates the master circular on “Basel III Capital Regulations” consolidating all relevant guidelines on Basel III, with the most recent Master Circular being issued on May 12, 2023. The key items covered under these guidelines include: (i) improving the quality, consistency and transparency of the capital base; (ii) enhancing risk coverage; (iii) graded enhancement of the total capital requirement; (iv) introduction of capital conservation buffer and countercyclical buffer; and (v) supplementing the risk-based capital requirement with a leverage ratio. One of the major changes in the Basel III capital regulations is that the Tier I capital will predominantly consist of common equity of the banks which includes common shares, reserves and stock surplus. Innovative instruments and perpetual non-cumulative preference share will not be considered a part of Common Equity Tier-I (“CET-I”) capital. Basel III also defines criteria for instruments to be included in Tier II capital to improve their loss absorbency. The guidelines also set out criteria for loss absorption through conversion/write-off of all non-common equity regulatory capital instruments at the point of non-viability. The point of non-viability is defined as a trigger event upon the occurrence of which non-CET-I and Tier II capital instruments issued by banks in India may be required to be, at the option of the RBI, written off or converted into common equity. Under the Basel III capital regulations, the capital funds of a bank are classified into CET-I, Additional Tier I (“AT-I”) and Tier II capital. Tier I capital, comprised of, among others, CET-I and AT-I, provides the most permanent and readily available support against unexpected losses. CET-I capital is comprised of, amongst others, paid-up equity capital, stock surplus (share premium), reserves consisting of any statutory reserves, capital reserves and revaluation reserves, subject to certain conditions. By its circular dated March 1, 2016, the RBI allowed banks, at their discretion, to include foreign currency translation reserves arising due to the translation of financial statements of their foreign operations in terms of Accounting Standard (“AS”) 11 as CET-I capital at a discount of 25.0 percent, subject to certain conditions. Further, the RBI permitted deferred tax assets which relate to timing differences (other than those related to accumulated losses) to be recognized in the CET-I capital up to 10.0 percent of a bank’s CET-I capital, at the discretion of banks (instead of full deduction from CET-I capital), subject to certain terms and conditions.
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AT-I capital is comprised of, among others, perpetual non-cumulative preference shares and debt capital instruments eligible for inclusion as AT-I capital. Regulatory adjustments/deductions such as equity investments in financial subsidiaries (in accordance with the directions of the RBI), intangible assets, deferred tax assets (in the manner and to the extent, specified by the RBI), gaps in provisioning and losses in the current period and those brought forward from the previous period were required to be deducted from CET-I capital in a phased manner and fully deducted therefrom by March 31, 2017. Capital instruments, which no longer qualified as non-CET-I capital or Tier II capital, were phased out beginning January 1, 2013, and completely derecognized from regulatory capital by March 31, 2022.
Tier II capital consists of, amongst others, revaluation reserves at a discount of 55.0 percent, general provisions and loss reserves (allowed up to a maximum of 1.25 percent of the total credit risk-weighted assets), preference shares capital instruments (which combine features of both equity and debt securities) such as perpetual cumulative preference shares, redeemable non-cumulative preference shares/redeemable cumulative preference shares and debt capital instruments (which should be fully paid up, with a fixed maturity of minimum five years and should not contain clauses that permit step-ups or other incentives to redeem). In its circular dated March 1, 2016, the RBI has stated that revaluation reserves arising out of a change in the carrying amount of a bank’s property consequent to its revaluation may, at the discretion of the bank, be considered as CET-I capital. As of January 1, 2013, capital instruments which are not Basel III compliant (such as capital debt instruments with step-ups) are being phased out in a gradual manner (at a rate of 10.0 percent per year). In April 2018, the RBI advised all banks to create an Investment Fluctuation Reserve (the “IFR”) with effect from fiscal year 2019, with a view to building up adequate reserves to protect against an increase in yields in the future. The IFR is eligible for inclusion in Tier II capital, and in March 2020, the RBI clarified that there is no ceiling on the percentage of IFR which may be included as part of Tier II capital.
The Basel III capital regulations require banks to maintain a minimum CET-I capital ratio of 5.5 percent, a minimum Tier I capital ratio of 7.0 percent and a capital conservation buffer of 2.5 percent of its risk-weighted assets with the minimum total capital adequacy ratio of 9.0 percent of its risk-weighted assets. The transitional arrangements for the implementation of Basel III capital regulations in India began from April 1, 2013, and the guidelines were to be fully phased-in and implemented as of March 31, 2019. In January 2019, the RBI decided to defer the implementation of the last tranche of the capital conservation buffer from March 31, 2019 to March 31, 2020. In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, the RBI implemented the last tranche of the capital conservation buffer effective October 1, 2021. See also “Risk Factors—Pandemic or similar public health crises may have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations”.
Risk-adjusted assets considered for determining the capital adequacy ratios are the aggregation of risk-weighted assets of credit risk, market risk and operational risk.
In respect of credit risk, the risk adjusted assets and off-balance sheet items considered for determining the capital adequacy ratio are the risk-weighted total of certain funded and non-funded exposures. Degrees of credit risk expressed as percentage weighting have been assigned to various balance sheet asset items and conversion factors to off-balance sheet items. The value of each item is multiplied by the relevant weight and/or conversion factor to arrive at risk-adjusted values of assets and off-balance sheet items. Standby letters of credit and general guarantees are treated similarly to funded exposures and are subject to a 100.0 percent credit conversion factor. The credit conversion factor for certain off-balance sheet items such as performance bonds, bid bonds and standby letters of credit related to particular transactions is 50.0 percent while that for short-term self-liquidating trade-related contingencies such as documentary credits collateralized by the underlying shipments is 20.0 percent. The credit conversion factor for other commitments like formal standby facilities and credit lines is either 20.0 percent or 50.0 percent, based on the original maturity of the facility. Differential risk weights for credit exposures linked to their external credit rating or asset class have been prescribed.
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The RBI has prescribed a matrix of risk weights varying from 35.0 percent to 75.0 percent (since revised to a maximum of 50.0 percent for loans sanctioned on or after June 7, 2017) for individual housing loans based on the size of the loan and the loan-to-value ratios. In October 2020, as a countercyclical measure, the RBI decided to rationalize the risk weights, irrespective of the amount. The risk weights for all new housing loans to be sanctioned on or after October 16, 2020 and up to March 31, 2022 would be required to be 35.0 percent for the loan to value ratio of less than and equal to 80.0 percent, and 50.0 percent for loan to value ratio of greater that 80.0 percent and less than and equal to 90.0 percent. In April 2022, this rationalization was extended to loans sanctioned up to March 31, 2023. In relation to the retail portfolio, retail claims were required to be assigned a risk-weight of 75.0 percent, except as provided otherwise by the RBI for non-performing assets. “Low value of individual exposures” was one of the four qualifying criteria which prescribed that the maximum aggregated retail exposure to one counterparty shall not exceed the absolute threshold limit of Rs. 50.0 million. In order to reduce the cost of credit for this segment, which consists of individuals and small businesses (i.e., with turnover of up to Rs. 500.0 million), and also to harmonize the maximum exposure limit with the existing RBI regulations on the Basel III framework, the RBI increased threshold limit for aggregated retail exposure to a counterparty to Rs. 75.0 million from October 12, 2020. The risk weight of 75.0 percent would apply to all fresh exposures and also to existing exposures where incremental exposure may be taken by the banks up to the revised limit of Rs. 75.0 million. Consumer credit, including personal loans, but excluding credit card receivables, carry a risk weight of 100.0 percent. The risk weight for capital markets exposure and credit card receivables is 125.0 percent, or higher corresponding to the rating of the exposure, or lack of such rating. Exposure to venture capital funds is risk-weighted at 150.0 percent. Other loans/credit exposures are risk-weighted based on their ratings or turnover. The RBI has also prescribed detailed guidelines for the capital treatment of securitization exposures under the RBI Master Directions on Securitisation of Standard Assets, 2021, as updated from time to time. In September 2022, the RBI made a risk weight of zero percent applicable in respect of exposures guaranteed under any existing or future schemes launched by the (i) Credit Guarantee Fund Trust for Micro and Small Enterprises, (ii) the Credit Risk Guarantee Fund Trust for Low Income Housing, and (iii) for individual schemes under the National Credit Guarantee Trustee Company Limited, subject to certain conditions. Previously, the RBI had permitted banks to derive risk weights for their unrated exposures based on the ratings available for a specific rated debt, subject to the condition that (i) the bank’s facility ranks pari passu or senior to the specific rated debt in all respects and (ii) the maturity of the unassessed claim is not later than the maturity of the rated claim. These bank loan ratings were to be published by External Credit Assessment Institutions (“ECAIs”). In October 2022, the RBI advised that a bank loan rating, without ECAIs having disclosed the name of the banks and the corresponding credit facilities rated by them, shall not be eligible for being reckoned for capital computation by banks. Banks shall treat such exposures as unrated and assign applicable risk weights.
The RBI requires banks in India to compute the capital requirements for operational risk under the “Basic Indicator Approach”. Under this approach, banks must hold capital for operational risk equal to the average over the previous three years of a fixed percentage of positive annual gross income. The BCBS has set this percentage at 15.0 percent, which has been followed by the RBI. On 26 June 2023, the RBI issued Master Direction on Minimum Capital Requirements for Operational Risk. These directions aim at replacing the existing approaches viz. basic indicator approach, the standardized approach / alternative standardized approach and advanced measurement approach for measuring minimum operational risk capital requirements by a new Standardized Approach. These directions are not in effect as on date and the effective date for its implementation will be communicated separately by the RBI. Until then, the minimum operational risk regulatory capital requirements shall be computed in accordance with the instructions contained Master Circular – Basel III Capital Regulations.
Banks are required to maintain a capital charge for market risks on their trading books in respect of securities included under the held-for-trading and available-for-sale categories, open gold position, open foreign exchange position limits, trading positions in derivatives and derivatives entered into for hedging trading book exposures. With effect from fiscal year 2015, banks are also required to quantify incurred credit valuation adjustment losses and standard credit valuation adjustment capital charge on their derivatives portfolio.
In order to align RBI regulations for banks with Basel III standards, the RBI in February 2023 released the “Draft Guidelines on Minimum Capital Requirements for Market Risk – under Basel III” for comments of stakeholders and members of the public. Among other things, the draft guidelines set out which instruments are to be included in the “trading book” (which are subject to market risk capital requirements) and which are to be included in the “banking book” (which are subject to credit risk capital requirements). The final guidelines will be applicable to all commercial banks and come into effect from April 1, 2024.
The minimum Common Equity Tier 1 capital of 5.5 percent of risk-weighted assets is required to be maintained by the banks along with a capital conservation buffer (“CCB”) of 2.5 percent of risk-weighted assets, in the form of Common Equity Tier 1 capital. In its press release from January 2023, the RBI confirmed that the Bank continues to be a domestic systemically important bank (“D-SIB”) with an additional CET-I requirement of 0.2 percent. The capital requirement, including the CCB and the additional requirement, is 11.7 percent. In September 2014, the RBI reviewed its guidelines on Basel III capital regulations with a view to facilitate issuance of non-equity regulatory capital instruments by banks under Basel III framework. Accordingly, certain specific eligibility criteria of such instruments were amended. These amendments were also intended to incentivize investors and to increase the investor base.
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In December 2021, the RBI has given general permission to banks (other than foreign banks, SFBs, payment banks and RRBs), which meet the regulatory capital requirements, to contribute capital to overseas branches and subsidiaries, retain profits in them and repatriate/transfer profits therefrom with the approval of their respective board of directors, but without having to obtain prior approval from the RBI.
Domestic Systemically Important Banks
In July 2014, the RBI released a framework for dealing with D-SIBs. The D-SIB framework requires that the RBI disclose the names of banks designated as D-SIBs. Banks identified as systemically important based on their size, interconnectedness in the financial system, complexity and lack of readily available substitutes or financial infrastructure would be required to maintain additional CET-I capital ranging from 0.2 percent to 1.0 percent of risk-weighted assets (“RWAs”). D-SIBs may implement the increased capital requirement in a phased manner from April 2016 to April 2019. Our Bank has been classified as a domestic systemically important bank by the RBI during fiscal year 2018. The higher capital requirements under the bucketing structure, as provided in the D-SIB Framework, in the form of additional CET-I, were phased in beginning on April 1, 2018, and became fully effective from April 1, 2019. The RBI, in its circular dated June 28, 2019, reduced the minimum leverage ratio from 4.5 percent to 4.0 percent for D-SIBs and 3.5 percent for other banks, with effect from October 1, 2019. In its press release dated January 2, 2023, the RBI has confirmed that the Bank continues to be a D-SIB with an additional CET-I requirement of 0.2 percent (making the Bank’s aggregate capital requirement 11.7 percent).
Countercyclical Capital Buffer
In February 2015, the RBI released guidelines for implementation of Countercyclical Capital Buffer (“CCCB”). The CCCB regime requires banks to build up a buffer of capital in good times which may be used to maintain flow of credit to the real sector in difficult times. It also achieves the broader macro-prudential goal of restricting the banking sector from indiscriminate lending in the periods of excess credit growth that have often been associated with the building up of system-wide risk. While the framework for CCCB has taken effect, the activation of CCCB will take place when notified by the RBI. Some of the key points mentioned in the guidelines are as follows: (i) CCCB may be maintained in the form of CET I capital or other fully loss absorbing capital only, and the amount of the CCCB may vary from 0.0 percent to 2.5 percent of total risk-weighted assets of the banks; (ii) the CCCB decision would normally be pre-announced with a lead time of four quarters; however, depending on the CCCB indicators, the banks may be advised to build up the requisite buffer in a shorter time period; and (iii) banks will be subject to restrictions on discretionary distributions (including dividend payments, share buybacks and staff bonus payments) if they do not meet the requirement on CCCB. The RBI has not activated the CCCB yet and, in its notification dated April 20, 2023, has stated that it is not necessary to activate CCCB at this point in time.
Loan Loss Provisions and Non-Performing Assets
In 2021, the RBI issued guidelines on income recognition, asset classification, provisioning standards and the valuation of investments applicable to banks, which are revised from time to time. These guidelines are applied for the calculation of impaired assets under Indian GAAP. Whereas our consolidated financial statements are prepared in accordance with U.S. GAAP, loan loss provision is made in accordance with ASC 326 and ASC 450 and as described under “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations” and under Note 2i “Summary of Significant Accounting Policies—Allowance for credit losses” to our consolidated financial statements. The principal features of the RBI guidelines are set forth below.
In January 2023, the RBI released a discussion paper on “Introduction of Expected Credit Loss Framework for Provisioning by Banks”. The proposed framework includes certain key requirements pursuant to which banks would (i) have to classify financial assets (primarily loans, including irrevocable loan commitments, and investments classified as “held-to-maturity” or “available-for-sale”) into one of three categories (Stage 1, Stage 2 and Stage 3), depending upon each asset’s assessed credit losses at the time of initial recognition as well as on each subsequent reporting date and (ii) make necessary provisions. According to the paper, sufficient time shall be provided for implementation of such framework. In order to enable a seamless transition and as permitted under the Basel guidelines, banks would be provided with an option to phase out the effect of increased provisions on CET-I capital over a maximum period of five years.
Non-Performing Assets
According to the RBI’s “Master Circular on Prudential norms on Income Recognition, Asset Classification and Provisioning pertaining to Advances” (as updated on April 1, 2023), an asset, including a leased asset, becomes a non-performing asset (“NPA”) when it ceases to generate income for the bank.
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The RBI guidelines stipulate the criteria for determining and classifying an NPA. An NPA is a loan or an advance where:
| • | interest and/or an installment of principal remain overdue (as defined below) for a period of more than 90 days in respect of a term loan; |
| • | the account remains “out-of-order” (as defined below) in respect of an overdraft (“OD”) or cash credit (“CC”) for more than 90 days; |
| • | the bill remains overdue for a period of more than 90 days in the case of bills purchased and discounted; |
| • | the installment of principal or interest thereon remains overdue for two crop seasons for short-duration crops; |
| • | the installment of principal or interest thereon remains overdue for one crop season for long-duration crops; |
| • | the amount of a liquidity facility remains outstanding for more than 90 days, in respect of securitisation transactions undertaken in accordance with the RBI (Securitisation of Standard Assets) Directions, 2021; or |
| • | in respect of derivative transactions, the overdue receivables representing the positive mark-to-market value of a derivative contract, if remain unpaid for a period of 90 days from the specified due date for payment. |
Effective March 31, 2022, the RBI has directed that banks should classify an account as an NPA only if the interest imposed at specified rests remains overdue for more than 90 days.
“Overdue”
Any amount due to the Bank under any credit facility is “overdue” if it is not paid on the due date fixed by the Bank. Borrower accounts shall be flagged as overdue by the banks as part of their day-end processes for the due date, irrespective of the time when such processes are run. In November 2021 the RBI has clarified that the exact dates for repayment of the loan, the frequency of payment, the breakup between principal and interest and examples of SMA/NPA classification, etc. shall be specified in the loan agreement and that the borrower shall be apprised of the same at the time of loan sanction and also at the time of any subsequent changes to the sanction terms/loan agreement until full repayment of the loan. For new loans, these rules shall be complied with by December 31, 2021; for existing loans, compliance with the rules shall be ensured at the time of review/renewal.
“Out-of-Order” Status
An OD/CC account is treated as “out-of-order” if the outstanding balance remains continuously in excess of the sanctioned limit/drawing power for 90 days. In circumstances where the outstanding balance in the CC/OD account is less than the sanctioned limit/drawing power, but (i) there are no credits continuously for a period of 90 days; or (ii) the credits are not sufficient to cover the interest debited during the previous 90-day-period (including the day for which the day end process is being run), these accounts should be treated as “out-of-order”. The definition of “out of order” shall be applicable to all loan products being offered as an overdraft facility, including those which are not meant for business purposes or which have no credits other than interest repayments.
Asset Classification
Banks are required to classify NPAs into the following three categories based on the period for which the asset has remained non-performing and the realizability of the dues:
Sub-standard Assets: Assets that remained NPA for a period less than or equal to 12 months. Such an asset has well-defined credit weaknesses that jeopardize the liquidation of the debt and is characterized by the distinct possibility that the Bank will sustain some loss if deficiencies are not corrected.
Doubtful Assets: An asset will be classified as doubtful if it remains in the substandard category for a period of 12 months. A loan classified as doubtful has all the weaknesses inherent in assets that are classified as sub-standard, with the added characteristic that the weaknesses make collection or liquidation in full, on the basis of currently known facts, conditions and values, highly questionable and improbable.
Loss Assets: Assets on which losses have been identified by the Bank or internal or external auditors or on inspection by the RBI, but the amount of which has not been written off fully. Such an asset is considered uncollectable and of such little value that its continuance as a bankable asset is not warranted, although there may be some salvage or recovery value.
There are separate asset classification guidelines that will apply to projects under implementation before the commencement of their commercial operation.
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In September 2020, the RBI directed Indian banks to put in place or upgrade their systems by June 30, 2021, in order to ensure the completeness and integrity of the automated asset classification (classification of advances and investments as NPA/NPI), provisioning calculation and income recognition processes.
Restructured Assets
The RBI has issued prudential norms on the restructuring of advances by banks. The guidelines essentially deal with the norms/conditions, the fulfillment of which is required to maintain the category of the restructured account as a “standard asset”. A standard asset can be restructured by rescheduling principal repayments and/or the interest element, subject to compliance with certain conditions, but must be separately disclosed as a restructured asset.
In case of a restructuring, accounts classified as “standard” shall be immediately downgraded to non-performing assets (“NPAs”), i.e “sub-standard”. Upon restructuring, NPAs continue to have the same asset classification as prior to restructuring. In addition, the RBI has specified guidelines regarding the upgrade of the asset classification.
In May 2013, the RBI issued additional guidelines in relation to restructured assets wherein such regulatory forbearance regarding asset classification on restructured accounts will be withdrawn for all restructurings with effect from April 1, 2015, with the exception of provisions related to changes in “Date of Commencement of Commercial Operations” (“DCCO”) in respect of infrastructure as well as non-infrastructure project loans. This implies that a standard account would immediately be classified as a sub-standard account upon restructuring. These guidelines are also applicable to non-performing assets, which, upon restructuring, would continue to have the same asset classification as prior to the restructuring and may be classified into lower categories in accordance with applicable asset classification norms based on the pre-restructuring repayment schedule. However, the standard asset classification may be retained, subject to specified conditions, in respect of certain loans granted for infrastructure projects given the importance of the infrastructure sector in national growth and development and the uncertainty involved in obtaining approvals from various authorities. The RBI in its circular dated February 7, 2020, issued guidelines regarding the deferment of the DCCO for projects in non-infrastructure and commercial real estate (“CRE”) sectors, and clarified that deferment in certain instances will not be treated as restructuring.
Resolution of Stressed Assets
In April 2023, the RBI issued the “Master Circular on Prudential norms on Income Recognition, Asset Classification and Provisioning pertaining to Advances,” which consolidated the Reserve Bank of India (Prudential Framework for Resolution of Stressed Assets) Directions, 2019. In 2019, the RBI replaced the erstwhile framework for the resolution of stressed assets (including the framework for revitalizing distressed assets, the joint lenders forum mechanism, strategic debt restructuring, and the scheme of sustainable structuring of stressed assets).
As per the existing guidelines, the lenders must recognize developing stress in loan accounts, immediately on default. Lenders must put in place policies approved by their board of directors for the resolution of stressed assets, including the timelines for such resolution, and they are expected to implement the resolution plan before default occurs. If a default occurs, lenders have a review period of 30 days within which their resolution strategy must be decided. The RBI guidelines provide the timelines within which the banks are required to implement the resolution plan, depending on the aggregate exposure of the borrower to the lender. For large accounts with the aggregate exposure of the lenders being Rs. 20 billion or more, the RBI has specified that the resolution plan must be implemented within 180 days from the end of the review period. If implementation of the resolution plan is delayed, lenders are required to make an additional provision of 20.0 percent of the total outstanding in addition to any provisions already made and those provisions required to be made as per the asset classification status of the borrower, subject to a total provision of 100.0 percent of the total amount outstanding. Lenders are required to make appropriate disclosures of implemented resolution plans in their financial statements under “Notes on Accounts”.
The RBI has also directed lenders to recognize incipient stress in loan accounts, immediately on default, by classifying such assets as special mention accounts (“SMA”). The duration for which the principal or interest is overdue (i.e., 30-90 days) determines the relevant sub-category. The instructions on SMA classification of borrower accounts are applicable to all loans, except for agricultural advances governed by crop season-based asset classification norms; loans classified as NPAs may be upgraded as “standard assets” only after the arrears of interest and principal have been paid by the borrower in full.
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As a result of the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, the RBI through its circulars from August 2020 and September 2020 had issued certain guidelines in relation to the resolution of distressed assets, with the intent to facilitate the revival of real sector activities and mitigate the impact on the ultimate borrowers. The RBI had provided a window under the prudential framework described above to enable lenders to implement a resolution plan in respect of (i) eligible corporate exposures without a change in ownership and (ii) personal loans, while classifying such exposures as “standard”, subject to specified conditions. The lending institutions were permitted to provide resolution under such a facility only to borrowers who were experiencing financial distress as a result of COVID-19. The RBI also provided specific thresholds (ceilings or floors, as the case may be) for certain key ratios that were to be considered by the lending institutions in the resolution assumptions with respect to an eligible borrower. In May 2021, on account of the resurgence of the COVID-19 pandemic in India, the RBI had issued an additional set of measures broadly in line with the circulars referred to above. The RBI permitted lending institutions to offer a limited window to individual borrowers and small businesses to implement resolution plans in respect of their credit exposures while continuing to classify the same as “standard” upon implementation of the resolution plan, subject to certain specified conditions. In respect of individuals which had availed themselves of business loans and small businesses where resolution plans had been implemented under the guidelines set out in the circular from August 2020 described above, lending institutions were permitted until September 30, 2021, as a one-time measure, to review the working capital sanctioned limits and/or drawing power based on a number of factors, including a reassessment of the borrower’s working capital cycle, a reduction in the borrower’s margins, without such review being treated as restructuring. By March 31, 2022, the margins and working capital limits were to be restored to the levels set by the resolution plan implemented under the circular from August 2020. The circular also listed the disclosure requirements for the lending institutions with respect to the resolution plans implemented. In June 2021, the threshold for eligible borrowers who may be considered for resolution under the framework as determined under the May 2021 circular was raised from Rs. 250.0 million to Rs. 500.0 million. In August 2020, May 2021 and June 2021, the RBI also issued guidelines for the restructuring of existing loans to micro, small and medium enterprises classified as “standard”, without a downgrade in the asset classification, subject to certain conditions.
Framework for Compromise Settlements and Technical Write-offs
On June 8, 2023, the RBI issued a regulatory framework governing compromise settlements and technical write-offs which will be applicable to all the regulated entities. The framework defines compromise settlement as a negotiated arrangement to fully settle the borrower’s claims, involving a sacrifice of the amount due from the borrower by the regulated entities. Technical write-off refers to cases where the non-performing assets remain outstanding at borrowers’ loan account level, but are written off by the regulated entity for accounting purposes without waiving claims against the borrower and without prejudice to the recovery of such claims. The framework requires the regulated entities to have a board approved policy which lays down the process to be followed when undertaking compromise settlements and technical write-offs. Among other things, the framework provides that:
| (i) | compromise settlements where the time for payment of the agreed settlement amount exceeds three months shall be treated as restructuring as defined in the “Prudential Framework on Resolution of Stressed Assets” dated June 7, 2019 issued by the RBI; and |
| (ii) | in case of partial technical write-offs, the prudential requirements in respect of residual exposure, including provisioning and asset classification, shall be with reference to the original exposure. |
Act Relating to Recovery of NPAs
As a part of the financial sector reforms, the Government introduced the SARFAESI Act. The SARFAESI Act provides banks and other lenders with increased powers in the recovery of the collateral underlying NPAs.
Provisioning and Write-Offs
Provisions are based on guidelines specific to the classification of assets. The following guidelines apply to various asset classifications:
Standard Assets
Banks are required to make general provisions for standard assets at the rates mentioned in the guidelines calculated based on the loan amount funded and outstanding on a global loan portfolio basis. The provisioning requirement for housing loans at teaser rates is 2.0 percent and will reduce to 0.40 percent after one year from the date on which the teaser rates are reset at higher rates if the accounts remain standard. In November 2012, the RBI increased the provisioning requirement for restructured standard assets from 2.0 percent to 2.75 percent. In May 2013, the RBI increased the provisioning requirement for all types of accounts restructured to 5.0 percent with effect from June 1, 2013. For the stock of restructured standard accounts as of May 31, 2013, this increase was required to be implemented in a phased manner by March 31, 2016. The provisioning requirements for other loans range from 0.25 percent to 1.0 percent on the outstanding loans based on the type of exposure. Derivative exposures, such as credit exposures computed as per the current marked-to-market value of the contract arising on account of the interest rate and foreign exchange derivative transactions and gold are subject to the same provisioning requirement applicable to the loan assets in the standard category of the concerned counterparties. All conditions applicable for the treatment of the provisions for standard assets would also apply to the aforesaid provisions for derivatives and gold exposures.
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The RBI has introduced incremental provisioning requirements with effect from April 1, 2014, for banks’ exposures to entities with unhedged foreign currency exposure (“UFCE”). Banks are required to collect specific information from its customers and assess the extent to which a customer is exposed to unhedged foreign currency on account of volatility in the exchange rate of the rupee vis-à-vis foreign currencies and calculate the incremental provisions based on the methodology prescribed by the RBI. In October 2022, the RBI reviewed all existing guidelines in relation to UFCE and issued the Reserve Bank of India (Unhedged Foreign Currency Exposure) Directions, 2022. These directions came into force on January 1, 2023 and apply to all commercial banks excluding Payments Banks and Regional Rural Banks (as defined by the RBI). Among other things, these directions clarify the definition of “entities” for which banks shall assess UFCE.
The RBI has encouraged banks to make provisions at higher rates in respect of advances to stressed sectors of the economy, and advised the banks to (i) put in place a Board-approved policy for making provisions for standard assets at rates higher than the regulatory minimum based on evaluation of risk and stress in various sectors; and (ii) review, at least on a quarterly basis, the performance of various sectors of the economy, to which the bank has an exposure, to evaluate the present and emerging risks and stress therein. The review may include quantitative and qualitative aspects as well as sector specific parameters.
Sub-Standard Assets
A general provision of 15.0 percent on total outstanding loans is required without making any allowance for the Export Credit Guarantee Corporation of India guarantee cover and securities available. The unsecured exposures which are identified as sub-standard are subject to an additional provision of 10.0 percent, i.e., a total of 25.0 percent on the outstanding balance. However, unsecured loans classified as sub-standard in relation to infrastructure lending, where certain safeguards such as escrow accounts are available, are subject to an additional provision of only 5.0 percent (i.e., a total of 20.0 percent on the outstanding balance).
Unsecured exposure is defined as exposure where the realizable value of security, as assessed by the Bank, approved valuers or the RBI’s inspecting officers, is not more than 10.0 percent, ab initio, of the outstanding exposure. Exposure includes all fund and non-fund based exposures (including underwriting and similar commitments). Security means tangible security, properly discharged to the Bank and will not include intangible securities such as guarantees and comfort letters.
Doubtful Assets
A 100.0 percent provision is made against the unsecured portion of the doubtful asset. In cases where there is a secured portion of the asset, depending upon the period for which the asset remains doubtful, a 25.0 percent to 100.0 percent provision is required to be made against the secured asset as follows:
| • | Up to one year: 25.0 percent provision. |
| • | One to three years: 40.0 percent provision. |
| • | More than three years: 100.0 percent provision. |
Loss Assets
The entire asset is required to be written off or 100.0 percent of the outstanding amount is required to be provided for.
Floating Provisions
In June 2006, the RBI issued prudential standards on the creation and utilization of floating provisions (provisions which are not made in respect of specific non-performing assets or are made in excess of regulatory requirements for provisions for standard assets). Floating provisions must be held separately and cannot be reversed by credit to the profit and loss account. The RBI has permitted banks to utilize a prescribed percentage of the floating provisions held by them for making specific loan loss allowances for impaired accounts under extraordinary circumstances. Until the utilization of such provisions, they can be netted off from gross non-performing assets to arrive at disclosure of net non-performing assets, or alternatively, can be treated as part of Tier II capital within the overall ceiling of 1.25 percent of credit RWAs.
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Provisioning Coverage Ratio
With a view to ensuring counter-cyclical provisioning in the banking system, the RBI mandated that banks should augment their provisioning cushions consisting of specific provisions against NPAs as well as floating provisions (to the extent not used at Tier II capital) and ensure that their total Provisioning Coverage Ratio (“PCR”), including the above floating provisions, is not less than 70.0 percent as of September 30, 2010. Under the current regime (i) the PCR of 70.0 percent may be computed with reference to the gross NPA position in the relevant banks as of September 30, 2010; (ii) the surplus of the provision under PCR over the amount required by the guidelines would be treated as a “countercyclical provisioning buffer”; and (iii) banks may utilize up to a prescribed percentage of the countercyclical provisioning buffer/floating provisions held by them for making specific provisions for NPAs during periods of system-wide downturn, with prior approval of the RBI. The RBI released a discussion paper on the dynamic loan loss provisioning framework in March 30, 2012. The framework proposes to replace the existing standards of general provisioning and recommends that banks make provisions on their loan book based on historical loss experience for different asset classes. Banks can draw down from dynamic provisions during periods of downturn. The RBI has advised that the dynamic provision framework is expected to be in place with improvement in the system.
Regulations Relating to Sale of Assets to Asset Reconstruction Companies (“ARCs”)
The SARFAESI Act provides for the sale of financial assets by banks and financial institutions to asset reconstruction companies. The RBI has also issued guidelines to banks on the process to be followed for the sale of financial assets to asset reconstruction companies. These guidelines provide that a Bank may sell financial assets to an asset reconstruction company provided the asset is an NPA. A bank could also sell a standard asset only if (i) the asset is under consortium or multiple banking arrangement; (ii) at least 75.0 percent by value of the asset is classified as non-performing in the books of other banks and financial institutions; and (iii) at least 75.0 percent by value of the banks and financial institutions in the consortium or multiple banking arrangements agree to the sale of the asset to a securitization company or a reconstruction company. Banks selling financial assets must ensure that there is no known liability being transferred to them and that they do not assume any operational, legal or any other type of risks relating to the financial assets sold. Further, banks cannot sell financial assets at a contingent price with an agreement to bear a part of the shortfall on ultimate realization. However, banks may sell specific financial assets with an agreement to share any surplus realized by the asset reconstruction company in the future. While each bank is required to make its own assessment of the value offered in the sale before accepting or rejecting an offer for purchase of financial assets by an asset reconstruction company, in consortium or multiple banking arrangements where more than 75.0 percent, by value of the banks or financial institutions, accept the offer, the remaining banks or financial institutions are obliged to accept the offer. Consideration for the sale may be in the form of cash or bonds/debentures issued by the asset reconstruction company or trusts set up by it to acquire financial assets. Banks can also invest in security receipts or pass-through certificates issued by the asset reconstruction company or trusts set up by it to acquire the financial assets.
In June 2019, the RBI permitted asset reconstruction companies to acquire assets from other asset reconstruction companies subject to stipulated conditions. In December 2019, the RBI restricted asset reconstruction companies from buying financial assets from a bank or financial institution which is a sponsor of the asset reconstruction company, lender to the asset reconstruction company or a subscriber to the asset reconstruction fund, or an entity in the group to which the asset reconstruction companies belong.
In July 2020, the RBI published a fair practices code for asset reconstruction companies to ensure transparency and fairness in their operation. The asset reconstruction companies registered with the RBI are advised to put in place a fair practices code duly approved by their board and publish the code in the public domain for the information of all stakeholders.
In April 2021, the RBI set up a committee to undertake a comprehensive review of the existing legal and regulatory framework applicable to ARCs and recommend measures to improve the effectiveness of ARCs, in particular the role of ARCs in the resolution of distressed assets, including under the Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code 2016. In September 2021, the committee submitted its report, which had recommendations primarily related to acquisition, securitization and reconstruction of financial assets and liquidity and trading of security receipts. Further recommendations were concerned with governance and transparency, minimum net owned fund requirements, legal topics and taxation topics.
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Guidelines on Sale and Purchase of Non-Performing Assets (“NPAs”) among Banks, Financial Institutions and Non-banking Financial Institutions
In order to increase the options available to banks for resolving their NPAs and to develop a healthy secondary market for NPAs, in July 2005, the RBI issued guidelines for the purchase and sale of NPAs among banks, financial institutions and NBFCs. In terms of these guidelines, banks’ boards are required to establish policies covering, among others, a valuation procedure to be followed to ensure that the economic value of financial assets is reasonably estimated based on the assessed cash flows arising out of repayment and recovery prospects. Purchases and sales of NPAs must be without recourse to the seller, on a cash basis, with the entire consideration being paid up-front, and after the sale there should not be any known liability devolving on the seller. Previously, an asset needed to be classified by the seller as non-performing for at least two years to be eligible for sale and the purchasing bank needed to have held the NPA in its books for at least 15 months before it could sell the asset to another bank.
In February 2014, the RBI issued guidelines wherein the requirement of a minimum holding period of two years by the seller in relation to sale transactions with other banks, financial institutions and NBFCs, was removed. These guidelines reduce the purchasing bank’s holding period requirement to 12 months before it can sell the asset to another bank, financial institution or NBFC. In accordance with these RBI guidelines, the asset cannot be sold back to the original seller.
Further, to incentivize the early sale of NPAs to securitization companies and reconstruction companies, banks are allowed to spread over any shortfall, if the sale value is lower than the net book value, over a period of two years for NPAs sold up to March 31, 2016. In its circular of June 2016, the RBI has further extended the dispensation of amortizing the shortfall on the sale of NPAs to securitization companies and reconstruction companies to March 31, 2017. However, in respect of NPAs sold during the period from April 1, 2016 to March 31, 2017, banks may amortize the shortfall over a period of only four quarters from the quarter in which the sale took place.
In April 2023, the RBI issued the master circular on Asset Reconstruction Companies, which consolidates instructions and guidelines previously issued by the RBI in relation to asset reconstruction companies.
In January 2023, RBI released a discussion paper on securitization of stressed assets. The paper proposes to enable securitization of NPAs through a special purpose entity, similar to securitization of standard assets. While currently, there is no corresponding mechanism for securitization of NPAs through this route, the SARFAESI Act provides for securitization of NPAs through Asset Reconstruction Companies (“ARCs”).
Guidelines on Sale of Standard Assets
The RBI first issued guidelines for the securitization of standard assets in February 2006. The guidelines provided that for a transaction to be treated as a securitization, a two-stage process must be followed. In the first stage there must be a sale of a single asset or pooling and transferring of assets to a bankruptcy remote special purpose vehicle (“SPV”) in return for immediate cash payment and in the second stage repackaging and selling the security interests representing claims on incoming cash flows from the asset or pool of assets to third-party investors should be effected. Further, for enabling the transferred assets to be removed from the balance sheet of the seller in a securitization structure, the isolation of assets or “true sale” from the seller or originator to the SPV is an essential prerequisite. Also, an arm’s-length relationship must be maintained between the originator, the seller and the SPV.
Certain regulatory standards for capital adequacy, valuation, profit and loss on sale of assets, income recognition and provisioning, accounting treatment for securitization transactions and disclosure standards have been prescribed. The guidelines are applicable for originators and have prescribed provisions for service providers like: credit enhancers, liquidity support providers and underwriters and investors. Quarterly reporting to the audit sub-committee of the board of directors by originating banks of the securitization transactions has also been prescribed. Apart from banks, these guidelines are also applicable to financial institutions and NBFCs.
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In May 2012, the RBI revised the guidelines on transfer of assets through securitization and direct assignment of cash flows. These guidelines govern the securitization of debt obligations of a homogenous pool of obligors as well as the direct sale or transfer of a single standard asset. The roles of both the selling and purchasing banks have been defined more clearly. All on-balance sheet standard assets except those expressly disallowed in the guidelines are eligible for securitization subject to being held by the originating bank for a minimum holding period. The guidelines also prescribe a minimum retention requirement, i.e., the minimum part of the securitized debts that the originator is required to retain during the term of securitization. Overseas banking outlets of Indian banks cannot undertake securitization in other jurisdictions unless there is a minimum retention requirement in that jurisdiction. These requirements have been established to ensure that the originator exercises due diligence with regard to the securitized assets. The guidelines also establish the upper limit on the total retained exposure of the originator, the disclosures to be made by the originators, applicability of capital adequacy and asset classification and provisioning norms to these transactions. The norms also stipulate stress testing and extensive monitoring requirements on the purchased portfolios. Transactions which do not meet the requirements established by the guidelines will be assigned very high-risk weights under capital adequacy norms. The guidelines on transfer of assets through securitization and direct assignment of cash flows do not apply to:
| • | transfer of loan accounts of borrowers by a bank to other banks, financial institutions or NBFCs, at the request of the borrower; |
| • | inter-bank participations; |
| • | trading in bonds; |
| • | sale of the entire portfolio of assets consequent upon a decision to exit the line of business completely (which should have the approval of the board of directors of the bank); |
| • | consortium and syndication arrangements and arrangement under a corporate debt restructuring mechanism; and |
| • | any other arrangements/transactions specifically exempted by the RBI. |
In June 2020, the RBI released the draft framework for the securitization of standard assets and for the sale of loan exposures. The framework proposes to revisit the guidelines for the sale of both standard and distressed loan exposures, and will apply to all scheduled commercial banks and NBFCs (including housing finance companies).
In September 2021, the RBI issued master directions on securitization of standard assets and sale of loan exposures. These directions are applicable to all banks, financial institutions, SFBs and NBFCs. The aim of the revised directions was to develop a strong and robust securitization market in India, while incentivizing simpler securitization structures, and to align the regulatory framework with the Basel guidelines on securitization, which have become effective January 1, 2018, and the IFRS requirements. Among other things, the guidelines prescribe minimum retention requirements (“MRR”) based on the maturity of the underlying loan assets and different average maturities for residential mortgage-backed securities (“RMBS”). The directions also prescribe conditions for the transfer of loan assets.
Salient features of the securitization of standard assets are as follows: (i) transactions that result in the issuance of multiple tranches of securities reflecting different credit risks will be treated as securitization transactions and accordingly covered under the securitization guidelines; (ii) a securitization external ratings-based approach has been introduced for calculation of risk weighted assets for credit risk of securitization exposures. For unrated securitization exposures, the lender shall maintain capital charge equal to the actual exposure. A differential credit risk has been prescribed for securitizations under the “standardised approach”; (iii) a special form of securitization, called the “simple, transparent and comparable securitization” (“STC”), has been prescribed with clearly defined criteria and preferential capital treatment; (iv) the definition of securitization has been modified to allow single-asset securitizations; (v) securitization of exposures purchased from other lenders has been allowed; (vi) carve-outs for RMBS in prescriptions regarding minimum holding periods (“MHP”), MRR and reset of credit enhancements have been introduced; and (vi) criteria for transfers of credit risk have been prescribed, which if met will exempt the originator from maintaining capital against the exposures so transferred.
Salient features of the sale of loan exposures (in contrast to the erstwhile guidelines) are as follows: (i) the sale of standard assets may be made by assignment, novation or loan participation contracts (either funded participation or risk participation), whereas the sale of stressed assets may be made by assignment or novation only; (ii) direct assignment transactions shall be classified as a special form in these guidelines; (iii) the requirement of MRR for sale of loans has been abolished; (iv) the price discovery process has been deregulated to follow the lenders’ policy; (v) stressed assets may be sold to any entity that is permitted to take on loan exposures by its statutory or regulatory framework; and (vi) some of the existing conditions for the sale of NPAs have been consolidated and standardized.
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Regulations Relating to Making Loans
The provisions of the Banking Regulation Act govern loans made by banks in India. The RBI issues directions covering the loan activities of banks. Major guidelines include norms for bank lending to the priority sector, non-bank financial companies, guidelines on banks’ benchmark lending rates, base rates and norms for loans against shares.
In terms of Section 20(1) of the Banking Regulation Act, a bank cannot grant any loans and advances against the security of its own shares. A banking company is prohibited from entering into any commitment for granting any loans or advances to or on behalf of any of its directors, or any firm in which any of its directors has an interest as a partner, manager, employee or guarantor or any other company (not being a subsidiary of the banking company or a company registered under Section 8 of the Companies Act or a Government company), or the subsidiary or the holding company of such a company of which any of the directors of the bank is a director, managing agent, manager, employee or guarantor or in which he holds substantial interest, or any individual in respect of whom any of its directors is a partner or guarantor. There are certain exceptions in this regard which exclude any transaction which the RBI may specify by general or special order as not being a loan or advance for the purpose of such section. The Government may, on the recommendation of the RBI and subject to conditions as it may deem fit to impose, exempt any banking company from the restriction on lending to the subsidiary, holding company or any other company in which any of the directors of the banking company is a director, managing agent, manager, employee, guarantor or in which such person holds substantial interest.
In the context of granting greater functional autonomy to banks, effective October 18, 1994, the RBI decided to remove restrictions on the lending rates of scheduled commercial banks for credit limits of over Rs. 0.2 million. Banks were given the freedom to fix the lending rates for such credit limits subject to the Benchmark Prime Lending Rate (“BPLR”) and spread guidelines. The BPLR system, however, fell short of its original objective of bringing transparency to lending rates. This was mainly because under the BPLR system, banks could lend below BPLR. Banks consequently were advised by the RBI to switch over to the system of Base Rate with effect from July 1, 2010. The Base Rate system was aimed at enhancing transparency in lending rates of banks and enabling better assessment of transmission of the monetary policy. The Base Rate included all elements of the lending rates that were common across all categories of borrowers. Banks were allowed to choose any benchmark to arrive at their Base Rate for a specific tenor that could be disclosed. For loans sanctioned up to June 30, 2010, the BPLR was applicable. However, for loans sanctioned up to June 30, 2010, but renewed from July 1, 2010, the Base Rate was applicable.
In December 2015, the RBI issued revised guidelines on computing interest rates on advances based on the marginal cost of funds. The revised guidelines were issued with a view to improve transmission of policy rates into bank lending rates, improve transparency in the methodology followed by banks for determining interest rates on advances, and ensuring the availability of bank credit at interest rates which are fair to the borrowers as well as the banks. The guidelines came into effect from April 1, 2016. Pursuant to the revised guidelines, all rupee loans sanctioned and credit limits renewed with effect from April 1, 2016, will be priced with reference to the marginal cost of funds-based lending rate system (“MCLR”). Actual lending rates will be determined by adding the components of spread to the MCLR. Banks will review and publish their MCLR of different maturities every month on a pre-announced date. The guidelines provide that existing loans and credit limits linked to the Base Rate may continue until repayment or renewal. Certain types of loans, including fixed rate loans with tenor over three years and loans linked to a market-determined external benchmark, are exempt from provisions of MCLR. The existing borrowers will have the option to move to MCLR-linked loans at mutually acceptable terms.
With effect from October 1, 2019 all new floating rate personal or retail loans and floating rate loans to micro and small enterprises are required to be linked to an external benchmark. Banks can adopt any of the following benchmarks: (i) RBI policy repo rate, (ii) Government of India 3-Months Treasury Bill yield published by Financial Benchmarks India Private Ltd (“FBIL”), (iii) Government of India 6-Months Treasury Bill yield published by FBIL, and (iv) any other benchmark market interest rate published by FBIL. However, adoption of multiple benchmarks by the same bank is not permitted within a loan category. The RBI in its circular dated February 26, 2020 extended the requirement to link external benchmarks to new floating rate loans granted to medium enterprises, from April 1, 2020.
Directed Lending
Priority Sector Lending
The guidelines on lending to the priority sector are set forth in the RBI Master Directions on Priority Sector Lending—Targets and Classification as updated from time to time. The priority sector is broadly comprised of agriculture, micro, small and medium enterprises (“MSMEs”), export credit, education, housing, social infrastructure, renewable energy, and others subject to certain limits.
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The priority sector lending targets are linked to the adjusted net bank credit (“ANBC”) or the credit equivalent amount of off-balance sheet exposures (“CEOBE”), whichever is higher, as on the corresponding date of the previous year. Domestic banks and foreign banks having 20 or more branches in India, are required to achieve total priority sector lending equivalent to 40.0 percent of their ANBC or CEOBE, whichever is higher. Of the total priority sector advances, agricultural advances are required to be 18.0 percent of ANBC or CEOBE, whichever is higher. Advances to weaker sections are required to be 11.5 percent of ANBC or CEOBE for fiscal year ending March 31, 2023, whichever is higher, and 12.0 percent of ANBC or CEOBE for fiscal year ending March 31, 2024, whichever is higher. Within the 18.0 percent target for agriculture, a target of 9.5 percent and 10 percent of ANBC or CEOBE, whichever is higher, is prescribed for small and marginal farmers for the fiscal year ending March 31, 2023 and fiscal year ending March 31, 2024, respectively. The targets for small and marginal farmers, and weaker sectors will be implemented in a phased manner through fiscal year 2024. Banks have also been directed to ensure that their overall direct lending to non-corporate farmers does not fall below the system-wide average of the achievements over the last three years (which will be notified by the RBI at the beginning of each year; the percentage applicable to fiscal year 2023 was 13.78 percent). The target for micro enterprises is set at 7.5 percent.
Loans to individuals up to Rs. 3.5 million in metropolitan centers (with populations of 1.0 million or more) and loans up to Rs. 2.5 million in other centers for the purchase or construction of a dwelling unit per family (provided the overall cost of the dwelling unit in the metropolitan center and at other centers does not exceed Rs. 4.5 million and Rs. 3.0 million, respectively), excluding loans granted by banks to their own employees, are to be treated as part of priority sector lending. Loans to individual borrowers for educational purposes, including vocational courses up to Rs. 2.0 million, are also to be treated as part of priority sector lending. Investments by banks in securitized assets and outright purchases of loans representing loans to various categories of the priority sector (except “others”) are eligible for classification under the priority sector only if certain criteria are fulfilled.
Bank loans up to a limit of Rs. 50.0 million per borrower for building social infrastructure for activities, namely schools, drinking water facilities and sanitation facilities and loans up to a limit of Rs. 100.0 million per borrower for building health care facilities including under “Ayushman Bharat” in certain eligible centers as prescribed by the RBI are treated as priority sector lending. Further, Bank loans up to a limit of Rs. 300.0 million to borrowers for purposes like solar-based power generators, biomass-based power generators, windmills, micro-hydel plants and for non-conventional energy-based public utilities like street lighting systems, and remote village electrification are also treated as priority sector lending.
Scheduled commercial banks (excluding SFBs, RRBs, UCBs and LABs) are permitted to co-lend with all registered Non-Banking Financial Companies (including Housing Finance Companies) for lending to the priority sector.
Banks are required to ensure compliance with priority sector lending targets on a quarterly basis. Domestic scheduled commercial banks having a shortfall in lending to priority sector targets are allocated amounts for contribution to the Rural Infrastructure Development Fund established with the National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development or funds with other financial institutions, as may be decided by the RBI, as and when funds are required by them. The interest rates on banks’ contributions to these schemes and periods of deposits, among other things, are fixed by the RBI from time to time. Additionally, as per RBI guidelines, non-achievement of priority sector targets and sub-targets is taken into account by the RBI when granting regulatory clearances and approvals for various purposes. While computing priority sector achievement, a simple average of all quarters will be arrived at and considered for computation of overall shortfall/excess at the end of the year. Beginning in fiscal year 2022, the RBI assigns weightages to incremental priority sector credit in identified districts. A higher weight (125 percent) will be assigned in the identified districts where the credit flow is comparatively lower and a lower weight (90 percent) will be assigned in the identified districts where the credit flow is comparatively higher. This will be valid for up to fiscal year 2024 and will be reviewed thereafter. The districts not further specified will continue to have an existing weightage of 100 percent.
Further, foreign banks with less than 20 branches are directed to achieve a total priority sector lending target of 40.0 percent of ANBC or CEOBE, whichever is higher, out of which up to 32.0 percent can be in the form of lending for exports and not less than 8.0 percent can be to any other priority sector.
In order to enable banks to achieve the priority sector lending target and sub-targets, the RBI, in its circular dated April 7, 2016, has introduced the Priority Sector Lending Certificates (“PSLC”) Scheme. The scheme permits banks to purchase PSLCs in the event of a shortfall from those banks that have achieved a surplus in their priority sector lending targets. There are four kinds of PSLCs:
| (i) | PSLC Agriculture: counting for achievement towards the total agriculture lending target; |
| (ii) | PSLC SF/MF: counting for achievement towards the sub-target for lending to small and marginal farmers; |
| (iii) | PSLC Micro Enterprises: counting for achievement towards the sub-target for lending to micro enterprises; and |
| (iv) | PSLC General: counting for achievement towards the overall priority sector target. |
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The RBI has permitted bank loans to registered NBFCs (other than MFIs) for on-lending purposes to be classified as priority sector loans, within the relevant categories as outlined above, subject to the condition that a bank’s loans to registered NBFCs (other than MFIs) and HFCs for on-lending purposes will only be permitted up to an overall limit of 5.0 percent of an individual bank’s total priority sector lending. The RBI clarified that a bank’s loan for on-lending will continue to be classified under the priority sector until the date of their repayment or maturity. The RBI also clarified that bank loans made to HFCs for on-lending for the purpose of housing will continue on an on-going basis. Furthermore, existing loans disbursed under the on-lending model will continue to be classified under the applicable priority sector until the date of repayment/maturity.
Export Credit
The RBI also requires banks to make loans to exporters. We provide export credit for pre-shipment and post-shipment requirements of exporters in rupees as well as foreign currencies. Export credit in the agriculture and MSME sectors is permitted to be classified as priority sector lending in the corresponding agriculture and MSME categories. Export credit (other than in the agriculture and MSME categories) is permitted to be classified as priority sector lending in the following manner: (i) the incremental export credit extended by domestic banks over the corresponding date of the preceding year, up to 2.0 percent of ANBC or CEOBE, whichever is higher, subject to a limit of Rs. 400.0 million per borrower will be classified as priority sector lending; (ii) the incremental export credit extended by foreign banks with 20 or more branches over the corresponding date of the preceding year, up to 2.0 percent of ANBC or CEOBE, whichever is higher; and (iii) export credit extended by foreign banks with less than 20 branches up to 32.0 percent of ANBC or CEOBE, whichever is higher.
Lending to Infrastructure Sector and Affordable Housing Sector
In order to allow banks to provide long-term funds for project loans to the infrastructure sector and the affordable housing sector, the RBI, in July 2014, issued guidelines for the issuance of long-term bonds by banks for financing infrastructure sector loans and lending to the affordable housing sector. Under these guidelines, banks are permitted to issue long-term fully paid, redeemable and unsecured bonds with a minimum maturity of seven years to enable lending to long-term projects in certain specified infrastructure sub-sectors and the affordable housing sector as prescribed in the guidelines. To encourage lending to these sectors, these long-term bonds are not subject to cash reserve ratio (“CRR”) or statutory liquidity ratio (“SLR”) requirements. These bonds are also not included in the computation of ANBC for the purposes of priority sector lending targets subject to the guidelines. However, any infrastructure or affordable housing loans acquired from other banks and financial institutions will require the prior approval of the RBI to avail themselves of these regulatory incentives.
Credit Exposure Limits
As a prudential measure aimed at better risk management and avoiding the concentration of credit risks, the RBI has advised banks to fix limits on their exposure to specific industries and sectors and has prescribed regulatory limits on banks’ exposures to individual borrowers and borrower groups. In addition, banks are also required to observe certain statutory and regulatory exposure limits in respect of advances against or investments in shares, convertible debentures or bonds, units of equity-oriented mutual funds and all exposures to venture capital funds (“VCFs”).
The RBI limits exposure to individual borrowers to not more than 15.0 percent of the capital funds of a Bank and limits exposure to a borrower group to not more than 40.0 percent of the capital funds of a bank. See also “Large Exposures Framework” discussed below. The capital funds for this purpose are comprised of Tier I and Tier II capital, as defined under the capital adequacy standards and as per the published accounts as of March 31 of the previous year. The infusion of Tier I or Tier II capital, either through domestic or overseas issuances, after the published balance sheet date is also eligible for inclusion in the capital funds for determining the exposure ceiling. In the case of infrastructure projects, such as power, telecommunications, road and port projects, an additional exposure of up to 5.0 percent of capital funds is allowed in respect of individual borrowers and up to 10.0 percent in respect of group borrowers. Banks may, in exceptional circumstances and with the approval of their boards, consider increasing their exposure to an individual borrower or a borrower group by a further 5.0 percent of capital funds. With effect from May 2008, the RBI revised the prudential limit to 25.0 percent of capital funds in respect of a bank’s exposure to oil companies to which specified oil bonds have been issued by the Government of India. Banks need to make appropriate disclosures in their annual financial statements in respect of exposures where they have exceeded the prudential exposure limits during the year.
Banks’ exposures to a single NBFC (excluding gold loan companies) will be restricted to 20 percent of their eligible capital base (Tier I capital). Banks’ exposures to a group of connected NBFCs or group of connected counterparties having NBFCs in their respective group will be restricted to 25 percent of their Tier I Capital. The exposure of a bank to a single NBFC which is predominantly engaged in lending against collateral of gold jewelry (i.e., such loans comprising 50 percent or more of their financial assets), shall not exceed 7.5 percent of the bank’s capital funds (Tier I plus Tier II Capital). However, this exposure ceiling may increase by 5 percent, i.e., up to 12.5 percent of the banks’ capital funds if the additional exposure is on account of funds lent by such NBFCs to the infrastructure sector. Banks may also consider fixing internal limits for their aggregate exposure to all NBFCs combined.
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Exposure includes credit exposure (funded and non-funded credit limits) and investment exposure (including underwriting and similar commitments). The sanctioned limits or outstanding amount, whichever is higher, would be included when arriving at the exposure limit. However, in the case of fully drawn term loans, where there is no scope for re-drawing of any portion of the sanctioned limit, banks may consider the outstanding as the exposure. For the purpose of exposure norms, banks shall compute their credit exposures, arising on account of the interest rate and foreign exchange derivative transactions and gold, using the Current Exposure Method. While computing credit exposures, banks may exclude “sold options”, provided that the entire premium or fee or any other form of income is received or realized.
Credit exposure comprises the following elements:
| • | all types of funded and non-funded credit limits; and |
| • | facilities extended by way of equipment leasing, hire purchase finance and factoring services. |
Apart from limiting exposures to an individual or a group of borrowers, as indicated above, the RBI guidelines also require banks to consider fixing internal limits for aggregate commitments to specific sectors, so that their exposures are evenly spread across various sectors. These limits are subject to a periodic review by banks.
In August 2016, the RBI has issued a circular imposing certain restrictions on lending by banks to large borrowers. The circular aims to mitigate the risk posed to the banking system by large loans to single corporate borrowers, and also encourage large corporates with borrowings from the banking system above a cut-off level to tap the market for their working capital and term loan needs. As per the circular, which is effective April 1, 2017, banks are required to keep exposures to specified borrowers within a normally permitted lending limit (“NPLL”) specified in the circular from the fiscal year succeeding that in which the borrower is identified as a specified borrower. For incremental exposures in excess of the NPLL, banks are required to maintain an additional provision of 3.0 percent on such excess. Additional risk weight of 75.0 percent over and above the applicable risk weight for the exposure to the specified borrower is also required to be maintained by the Bank in case of any incremental exposure. The guidelines define “specified borrowers” as having an aggregate fund-based credit limit (as described in the circular) of over Rs. 250.0 billion at any time during fiscal year 2018; Rs. 150.0 billion at any time during fiscal year 2019; and Rs. 100.0 billion at any time from April 1, 2019, onwards.
In December 2018, the RBI issued guidelines in relation to bank credit to large borrowers. The guidelines state that borrowers having a fund-based working capital limit of Rs. 1,500.0 million and above from the banking system, will need to have a loan component of at least 40.0 percent. Accordingly, for such borrowers’ drawings up to 40.0 percent of the total fund-based working capital limits shall only be allowed from the loan component, and drawings in excess of this may be allowed as a cash credit facility. These guidelines became effective on April 1, 2019, and with effect from July 1, 2019, the mandatory loan component was revised to 60.0 percent. The RBI also specified that with effect from April 1, 2019, the undrawn portion of cash credit/overdraft limits sanctioned to large borrowers, irrespective of whether unconditionally cancellable or not, will be subject to a credit conversion factor of 20.0 percent.
Large Exposures Framework
In June 2019, the RBI issued the revised Large Exposures Framework, which aims to align the exposure norms for Indian banks with BCBS standards. The guidelines came into effect from April 1, 2019, except for certain provisions which came into effect from April 1, 2020. The framework defines “large exposures” and governs banks’ exposures to counterparties. The framework prescribes that the sum of all exposure values of a bank to a single counterparty must not be higher than 20.0 percent of the bank’s available eligible capital base at all times, and that to a group of connected counterparties must not be higher than 25.0 percent of the bank’s available eligible capital base. Tier I capital fulfilling the criteria mentioned in the Basel III guidelines issued by RBI is required to be considered as eligible capital base for this purpose.
In terms of the Large Exposure Framework, banks’ exposures to a single NBFC are restricted to 20.0 percent of their available eligible capital base. Banks exposures to NBFCs predominantly engaged in lending against gold will continue to be governed by limits prescribed in the RBI circular dated May 18, 2012. The RBI in its circular from February 2021 exempted from the framework lending by foreign sovereigns or their central banks that are (i) subject to a 0.0 percent risk weight under the Basel III guidelines; and (ii) where such lending is denominated in the domestic currency of that sovereign and met out of resources of the same currency. Further, through its circular issued in March 2021, the RBI determined that non-centrally cleared derivatives exposures will continue to be outside the purview of exposure limits until September 30, 2021. Under the Banking Regulation Act, Indian branches of foreign banks are required to maintain minimum paid up capital and reserves, and in order to meet this requirement, deposit with the RBI either cash or unencumbered approved securities. In September 2021, the RBI allowed the Indian branches of foreign banks to include cash and/or encumbered approved securities which has been availed as interest-free funds from the bank’s head office or remittable surplus retained in Indian books of accounts to mitigate/offset the large exposure framework only to their Head office, subject to certain conditions. Foreign banks are allowed to exclude derivative contracts executed prior to April 1, 2019 when computing the derivative exposure of their head offices (including overseas branches). The RBI has also clarified that double counting of the funds placed with the RBI to fulfill the requirement to maintain minimum paid-up capital and reserves under the Banking Regulation Act as both capital and credit risk mitigation is not allowed.
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The RBI has issued separate guidelines in relation to the Large Exposure Framework for NBFCs.
Regulations Relating to Capital Market Exposure Limits
The RBI has issued guidelines on financing to participants in the capital markets. These guidelines place a ceiling on the overall exposure of a bank to the capital markets.
The aggregate exposure that a bank has to the capital markets in all forms (both fund- and non-fund-based) must not exceed 40.0 percent of its net worth (both for the stand-alone and the consolidated bank) as of March 31 of the previous year. Within this overall ceiling, the bank’s direct investment in shares, convertible bonds/debentures, units of equity-oriented mutual funds and exposure to VCFs must not exceed 20.0 percent of its net worth (both for the stand-alone and the consolidated Bank). Net worth is comprised of the aggregate of paid-up capital, free reserves (including share premium but excluding revaluation reserves), investment fluctuation reserve and credit balance in the profit and loss account, less the debit balance in the profit and loss account, accumulated losses and intangible assets. There are guidelines on loans against equity shares in respect of amount, margin requirement and purpose.
The following exposures are subject to the ceiling:
| • | direct investment in equity shares, convertible bonds, convertible debentures and units of equity-oriented mutual funds, the fund assets of which are not exclusively invested in corporate debt; |
| • | advances against shares, bonds, debentures or other securities or advances without security to individuals for investment in shares (including in primary offerings and employee stock option plans), convertible bonds, convertible debentures and units of equity-oriented mutual funds; |
| • | advances for any other purposes where shares or convertible bonds or convertible debentures or units of equity-oriented mutual funds are taken as primary security; |
| • | advances for any other purposes to the extent secured by collateral of shares, convertible bonds, convertible debentures or units of equity-oriented mutual funds (i.e., where the primary security other than shares or convertible bonds or convertible debentures or units of equity-oriented mutual funds does not fully secure the advances); |
| • | secured and unsecured advances to stockbrokers and guarantees issued on behalf of stockbrokers and market makers; |
| • | loans sanctioned to companies against the security of shares/bonds/debentures or other securities or on a clean basis for meeting a promoter’s contribution to the equity of new companies; |
| • | bridge loans to companies against expected equity flows/issues; |
| • | underwriting commitments taken up by banks in respect of primary issues of shares or convertible bonds or convertible debentures or units of equity-oriented mutual funds; |
| • | financing to stockbrokers for margin trading; |
| • | all exposure to venture capital funds (both registered and unregistered); and |
| • | irrevocable payment commitments issued by custodian banks in favor of stock exchanges. |
Regulations Relating to Other Loan Exposures
The RBI requires banks to have put in place a policy for exposure to real estate with the approval of their boards. The policy is required to include exposure limits, collateral cover and margins and credit authorization. The RBI has also permitted banks to extend financial assistance to Indian companies for the acquisition of equity in overseas joint ventures or wholly owned subsidiaries or in other overseas companies, new or existing, as strategic investments. Banks are not, however, permitted to provide companies “acquisition finance” to acquire companies in India.
Limits on Intra-group Transactions and Exposures
In February 2014, the RBI issued guidelines on the management of intra-group transactions and exposures which have been in effect since October 1, 2014. These guidelines contain both quantitative limits for the financial intra-group transactions and exposures (“ITEs”) and prudential measures for the non-financial ITEs to ensure that the banks engage in ITEs in a prudent manner in order to contain the concentration and contagion risk arising out of ITEs. These measures are aimed at ensuring an arm’s-length relationship in dealings with group entities and prescribe minimum requirements with respect to group risk management and group-wide oversight and prudential limits on intra-group exposures. Effective October 2014, a bank’s exposure to a non-financial or unregulated financial services entity in its group will be capped at 5.0 percent of its paid-up capital and reserves and its exposure to a regulated financial services company in its group will be capped at 10.0 percent of its paid-up capital and reserves. In the event a bank’s current intra-group exposure is more than the limits stipulated in the guidelines, that bank was required to bring the exposure within the limits by no later than March 31, 2016. Any exposure beyond the permissible limits subsequent to March 31, 2016, is deducted from CET-I capital of the bank.
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Regulation Relating to Country Risk Management
The RBI has issued detailed guidelines on country risk management that cover banks’ exposure to those countries to which they have a net funded exposure of 1.0 percent or more of their total assets, which became effective in fiscal year 2005. These guidelines have been consolidated in the RBI’s Master Circular on Prudential Norms on Income Recognition, Asset Classification and Provisioning pertaining to Advances dated April 1, 2023. The countries are categorized into seven risk categories, namely: insignificant, low, moderate, high, very high, restricted and off-credit. Required provisioning is based on exposures exceeding 180 days on a graded scale ranging from 0.25 percent to 100.0 percent. Banks may maintain a lower level of provisioning of 25.0 percent of the requirement in respect of exposures with a contractual maturity of less than 180 days.
Regulations Relating to Investments
Exposure Limits
Credit exposure limits specified by the RBI in respect of a bank’s lending to individual borrowers and borrower groups apply in respect of non-convertible debt instruments. Within the overall capital market exposure ceiling, a bank’s direct investments in equity securities, convertible bonds and debentures and units of equity-oriented mutual funds should not exceed 20.0 percent of its net worth as of March 31 of the previous year. A bank’s aggregate investment in subordinated bonds eligible for Tier II capital status issued by other banks or financial institutions is restricted to up to 10.0 percent of the investing bank’s capital funds (Tier I plus Tier II capital). Investments in the instruments issued by banks or financial institutions that are eligible for capital status are either risk-weighted or deducted from the investee bank’s capital, for capital adequacy purposes, depending upon the extent of investment as prescribed by the RBI under the Basel III capital regulations.
In order to contain the risks arising out of investment by banks in non-statutory liquidity ratio (“non-SLR”) securities, and, in particular, the risks arising out of investment in bonds through private placement, the RBI has issued detailed guidelines on investment by banks in non-SLR securities. Banks have been advised to restrict their new investments in unlisted securities to 10.0 percent of their total non-SLR investments as of March 31 of the previous year. Banks are permitted to invest in unlisted non-SLR securities within this limit, provided that such securities comply with disclosure requirements for listed companies as prescribed by the SEBI. Banks’ investments in unlisted non-SLR securities may exceed the limit of 10.0 percent by an additional 10.0 percent, provided further that the investment is on account of investments in securitization papers issued for infrastructure projects and bonds/debentures issued by securitization companies or reconstruction companies set up under the SARFAESI Act and registered with the RBI. Investments in security receipts issued by securitization companies or reconstruction companies registered with the RBI, investments in asset-backed securities and mortgage-backed securities, that are rated at or above the minimum investment grade and investments in unlisted convertible debentures will not be treated as unlisted non-SLR securities for computing compliance with the prudential limits. The guidelines relating to listing and rating requirements of non-SLR securities do not apply to investments in VCFs, commercial paper, certificates of deposit and mutual fund schemes where any part of the corpus can be invested in equity. Banks are not permitted to invest in unrated non-SLR securities, except in the case of unrated bonds of companies engaged in infrastructure activities, within the overall ceiling of 10.0 percent for unlisted non-SLR securities.
The total investment by banks in liquid/short-term debt schemes (by whatever name called) of mutual funds with a weighted average maturity of the portfolio of not more than one year, will be subject to a prudential cap of 10.0 percent of their net worth as on March 31 of the previous year. The weighted average maturity would be calculated as the average of the remaining period of maturity of securities weighted by the sums invested.
Non-Performing Investments
The RBI has defined non-performing investments (“NPI”) as those where principal or interest is unpaid for more than 90 days including preference shares where a fixed dividend is not paid or declared. The non-availability of the latest balance sheet of a company in whose equity securities a bank has invested will also render those equity shares NPI. If any credit facility availed of by the issuer is an NPA in the books of the Bank, investment in any of the securities issued by the same issuer would also be treated as a NPI and vice versa. However, if only preference shares have been classified as an NPI, the investment in any of the other performing securities issued by the same issuer may not be classified as an NPI and any performing credit given to that borrower need not be treated as an NPA.
Restrictions on Investments in a Single Company
In terms of Section 19(2) of the Banking Regulation Act, no banking company may hold shares in any company except as provided in sub-section (1), whether as pledgee, mortgagee or absolute owner of an amount exceeding 30.0 percent of the paid-up share capital of that company or 30.0 percent of its own paid-up share capital and reserves, whichever is lower. Further, in terms of Section 19(3) of the Banking Regulation Act, banks must not hold shares, whether as pledgee, mortgagee or absolute owner, in any company in the management of which the managing director, any other director or manager of the Bank is in any manner concerned or interested.
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Limit on Transactions through Individual Brokers
Guidelines issued by the RBI require banks to empanel brokers for transactions in securities. These guidelines also require that a disproportionate part of the bank’s business should not be transacted only through one broker or a few brokers. The RBI specifies that not more than 5.0 percent of the total transactions through empaneled brokers can be transacted through one broker during a year. If for any reason this limit is breached, the RBI has stipulated that the board of directors of the bank concerned should be informed on a half-yearly basis of such occurrences. The above limit is not applicable to banks’ dealings through Primary Dealers.
Repo Directions
In July 2018, the RBI has issued the Repurchase Transactions (Repo) (Reserve Bank) Directions, 2018. These directions are applicable to repurchase transactions (repo), excluding repo/reverse repo transactions under Liquidity Adjustment Facility and Marginal Standing Facility. The directions also cover repo contracts where a third entity (known as the Tri-Party Agent) acts as an intermediary between two parties to the repo to facilitate services like collateral selection and payment and settlement.
Valuation of Investments
The RBI has issued guidelines for the categorization and valuation of banks’ investments. The salient features of the guidelines are given below.
| • | Banks are required to classify their entire portfolio of approved securities under three categories: “held for trading”, “available for sale” and “held to maturity”; banks must decide the category of investment at the time of acquisition. |
| • | Held to maturity (“HTM”) investments compulsorily include: (i) recapitalization bonds received from the Government; (ii) investments in subsidiaries and joint ventures; and (iii) investment in the long-term bonds (with a minimum residual maturity of seven years) issued by companies engaged in infrastructure activities. The minimum residual maturity of these bonds must be of seven years at the time of investment in these bonds. Once invested, banks may continue to classify these investments under the HTM category even if the residual maturity falls below seven years subsequently. HTM investments also include any other investments identified for inclusion in this category subject to the condition that such investments cannot exceed 25 percent of total investments. Banks are permitted to exceed the limit of 25 percent of investments for the HTM category provided the excess is comprised only of investments eligible for the SLR and the aggregate of such investments in the HTM category does not exceed a specified percentage of the prescribed demand and time liabilities. |
| • | Profit on the sale of investments in the HTM category is appropriated to the capital reserve account after being recognized in the profit and loss account. Loss on any sale is recognized in the profit and loss account. |
| • | Investments under the held for trading (“HFT”) category must be sold within 90 days. |
| • | Available for sale (“AFS”) and HFT securities are required to be valued at market or fair value at prescribed intervals. The market price of the security available from the stock exchange, the price of securities in subsidiary general ledger transactions, the RBI price list or prices declared by the Primary Dealers Association of India jointly with the Fixed Income Money Market and Derivatives Association of India serves as the “market value” for investments in AFS and HFT securities. |
| • | Profit or loss on the sale of investments in both the HFT and AFS categories is recorded in the profit and loss account. |
| • | Shifting of investments from or to the HTM category is permitted only under exceptional circumstances with the approval of the board of directors once a year, normally at the beginning of the accounting year; shifting of investments from AFS to HFT may be done, subject to depreciation, if any, applicable on the date of transfer, with the approval of the board of directors, the asset liability management committee or the investment committee; shifting from HFT to AFS is generally not permitted, save for under exceptional circumstances where banks are not able to sell the security within 90 days due to tight liquidity conditions, or extreme volatility, or the market becoming unidirectional, in which case transfer is permitted only with the approval of the board of directors, the asset liability management committee or the investment committee. |
The one-time transfer of securities to/from the HTM category with the approval of the board of directors is permitted to be undertaken at the beginning of the accounting year. Banks shall have the option to shift excess securities from the HTM category to the ATS/HFT during the quarter in which the HTM ceiling is progressively brought down to the limits as indicated in sub-section 6(iv)(a) of the Master Direction – Classification, Valuation and Operation of Investment Portfolio of Commercial banks (directions) 2021 dated August 25, 2021, as amended from time to time. The transfer of securities from the HTM to the AFS/HFT category is subject to certain conditions, among others: (i) security originally placed under the HTM category at a discount shall be transferred to the AFS/HFT category at the acquisition price/book value; (ii) security originally placed under the HTM category at a premium shall be transferred to the AFS/HFT category at the amortised cost; and (iii) following the transfer, securities shall be immediately re-valued, and resultant depreciation, if any, shall be provided.
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HTM securities are not marked-to-market and are carried at acquisition cost. Any premium on acquisition of held to maturity securities is amortized.
Depreciation or appreciation for each basket within the AFS categories is aggregated. While net depreciation is provided for, net appreciation in each basket, if any, is not recognized except to the extent of depreciation already provided.
Investments in security receipts or pass-through certificates issued by asset reconstruction companies or trusts set up by asset reconstruction companies are valued at the lower of redemption value of the security receipts or the net book value of the underlying financial asset.
The banks are permitted to exceed the limit of 25.0 percent of the total investments under the HTM category provided that the excess comprised only SLR securities and investments are made by banks under targeted long-term repo operations as specified by the RBI. Currently, the total SLR securities held under the HTM category should not be more than 19.5 percent of Net Demand and Time Liabilities (“NDTL”) as on the last Friday of the second preceding fortnight. Banks are granted a special dispensation until March 31, 2024 enhancing their HTM limit to 23.0 percent of NDTL, for SLR securities acquired between September 1, 2020 and March 31, 2024. The enhanced limit will be restored in a phased manner over three quarters beginning with the quarter ending June 30, 2024.
In January 2022, the RBI released a discussion paper about the review of prudential norms for classification, valuation and operations of investment portfolios of commercial banks. The paper proposes to comprehensively align the prudential framework with global standards, while retaining certain elements considering the domestic context.
Prohibition on Short Selling
The RBI does not permit short selling of securities by banks, except short selling of central government securities subject to stipulated conditions. The RBI has permitted scheduled commercial banks to undertake short sales of central government securities, subject to the short position being covered within a maximum period of three months, including the day of trade. The short positions must be covered only by an outright purchase of an equivalent amount of the same security or through a long position in the when issued market or allotment in primary auction.
In February 2015, the RBI permitted re-repo of government securities, including state development loans and treasury bills, acquired under reverse repo subject to conditions prescribed by the RBI.
In September 2014, scheduled commercial banks and primary dealers or bond houses were permitted to execute the sale leg of short sale transactions in relation to government securities in the over the counter market. In its circular dated October 29, 2015, the RBI has allowed custodians and banks to short-sell in the government bond market with primary members or individual bank customers, who invest through lenders.
The Short Sale (Reserve Bank) Directions, 2018 came into force with effect from July 26, 2018 allowing certain regulated entities which have the approval of the regulators, to undertake short sales. Under the directions, the maximum amount of a security (face value) that can be short sold are either liquid securities up to 2.0 percent of the total outstanding stock of each security, or Rs. 5,000.0 million, whichever is higher, and other securities up to 1.0 percent of the total outstanding stock of each security, or Rs. 2,500.0 million, whichever is higher. Liquid securities are securities identified and published by the Fixed Income Money Market and Derivatives Association of India (“FIMMDA”)/Financial Benchmarks India Limited (“FBIL”) as a “liquid security” for the purpose of short sale transactions. In January 2023, these directions were made applicable to short sale transactions in dated sovereign green bonds issued by the Government.
Regulations Relating to Deposits
The RBI has permitted banks to independently determine rates of interest offered on fixed deposits. However, banks are not permitted to pay interest on current account deposits. From April 1, 2010, payment of interest on a savings account deposit is calculated on a daily product basis against the previous practice of interest being payable on the minimum balance held in the account during the period from the tenth day to the last calendar day of the month. With effect from October 25, 2011, the RBI permitted banks to offer varying rates of interest on savings deposits of resident Indians subject to the following conditions:
| • | each bank will have to offer a uniform interest rate on savings bank deposits up to Rs. 0.1 million, irrespective of the amount in the account within this limit. While calculating interest on such deposits, banks are required to apply the uniform rate set by them on end-of-day balance up to Rs. 0.1 million; and |
| • | for any end-of-day savings bank deposits over Rs. 0.1 million a bank may provide differential rates of interest, if it so chooses, by ensuring that it does not discriminate in interest paid on such deposits, between one deposit and another of similar amount, accepted on the same date, at any of its offices. |
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With effect from December 16, 2011, the RBI also permitted banks the flexibility to offer varying rates of interest on Non-Resident (External) (“NRE”) and Non-Resident (Ordinary) (“NRO”) deposit accounts. However, banks are not permitted to offer rates of interest on NRE or NRO deposit accounts that are higher than those offered on domestic rupee deposit accounts of the same tenor and maturity.
Previously, banks were required to pay interest of 4.0 percent per annum on domestic savings deposits, rupee-denominated NRE Accounts Scheme and NRO Scheme savings deposits. In respect of savings and term deposits accepted from employees, banks are permitted to pay an additional interest of 1.0 percent over the interest payable on deposits from the public.
The RBI has prescribed minimum and maximum maturity thresholds for certain types of deposits.
The RBI has permitted banks the flexibility to offer varying rates of interest on domestic term deposits of the same maturity based on the size of these deposits, subject to the following conditions:
| • | a single term deposit is of Rs. 20.0 million and above; and |
| • | interest on deposits is paid in accordance with the schedule of interest rates disclosed in advance by the bank and not pursuant to negotiation between the depositor and the bank. |
The RBI has permitted banks to offer differential interest rates based on whether the term deposits are with or without premature withdrawal facility, subject to all term deposits of individuals (held individually or jointly) of Rs. 1.5 million and below having a premature withdrawal facility.
To achieve greater financial inclusion, banks have been advised by the RBI to offer a basic savings bank deposit (“BSBD”) account without any requirement of minimum balance and without carrying a charge for the stipulated basic minimum services that would make such accounts available as a normal banking service to all. The RBI, in its circular dated June 10, 2019, advised banks to offer the following minimum facilities: (i) deposit of cash at banking outlets as well as ATMs and CDMs, (ii) receipt or payment of monies through any electronic channel or by means of deposit or collection of cheques drawn by the central or state government agencies and departments, (iii) no limit on the number and value of deposits that can be made in a month, (iv) a minimum of four withdrawals in a month, including ATM withdrawal, (v) the provision of ATM cards or ATM-cum-debit cards, and (vi) value-added services in addition to such minimum facilities as described here, including the issuance of cheque books. The holders of BSBD accounts will not be eligible to open any other savings bank deposit account in the bank in which such holder maintains a BSBD account. In addition, BSBD accounts shall be subject to the RBI’s KYC and anti-money laundering requirements for opening bank accounts.
On March 3, 2016, the RBI issued the Master Direction on Interest Rates on Deposits. The master direction is applicable to all scheduled commercial banks, SFBs, payment banks and local area banks accepting deposits in rupees and foreign currency. This master direction consolidates instructions on rules and regulations framed by the RBI under various acts including banking issues and foreign exchange transactions.
On July 6, 2017, the RBI released guidelines titled “Customer Protection – Limiting Liability of Customers in Unauthorised Electronic Banking Transactions”, for customer protection by limiting the liability of customers in unauthorized electronic banking transactions. Under these guidelines, banks have been directed to (i) put in place appropriate internal control systems and procedures to ensure safety and security of electronic banking transactions carried out by customers; and (ii) facilitate ease of reporting and monitoring of unauthorized transactions by customers to banks. Further, indicators have been identified by the RBI to banks on situations where liability may or may not be accorded to the customers in case of unauthorized transactions, and the limits on and timelines for such liability of customers for third-party breaches. On January 4, 2019, these guidelines have been extended to apply to non-bank prepaid payment instruments issuers.
In February 2021, the RBI issued the Master Direction on Digital Payment Security Controls with the aim of providing necessary guidelines for regulated entities (including scheduled commercial banks) to set up robust governance structures and implement common universal standards of security controls for digital payment products and services like internet banking, mobile payments, and card payments. Regulated entities were required to prepare a policy for digital payment products and services, and to conduct risk assessments with regard to the safety and security of digital payments products and associated processes and services, including providing for online dispute resolution mechanisms to resolve disputes and grievances of customers relating to digital payments. The guidelines came into effect in August 2021.
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FCNR(B) Deposits
The RBI has granted general permission to non-resident Indians and Persons of Indian Origin (“PIOs”) to open Foreign Currency Non-resident (Bank) (“FCNR(B)”) accounts with authorized Indian banks. These FCNR(B) accounts can be funded by: (i) interest accruing on the account; (ii) interest on investment; (iii) maturity proceeds if such investments were made from the relevant FCNR(B) account; (iv) transferring funds from other NRE/FCNR(B) accounts; or (v) any other funds which are repatriable under the prevailing RBI regulations. The RBI permits FCNR(B) deposit holders to avail themselves of credit facilities (both offshore and onshore) and offer their FCNR(B) deposits as collateral for such facilities, subject to certain terms and conditions.
As an accelerated measure to increase foreign currency flows into the country, the RBI had, in September 2013, introduced a United States dollar-rupee swap window for fresh FCNR(B) dollar funds, mobilized for a minimum tenor of three years and more. Under the swap arrangement, a bank could sell United States dollars in multiples of US$ 1.0 million to the RBI and simultaneously agree to buy the same amount of United States dollars at the end of the swap period. The swap was undertaken at a fixed rate of 3.5 percent per annum. The swap window was open till November 30, 2013.
In August 2013, the RBI exempted the FCNR(B)/NRE deposits raised by banks during a specified period having maturity of three years and above from maintenance of CRR and SLR. The RBI also permitted exclusion of loans made in India against these FCNR(B)/NRE deposits from the ANBC computation for priority sector lending targets. The exemption granted on incremental FCNR(B)/NRE deposits from maintenance of CRR/SLR was withdrawn with effect from the fortnight beginning March 8, 2014.
In November 2021, in view of the discontinuance of LIBOR as a benchmark rate, the RBI permitted banks to offer interest rates on FCNR(B) deposits using the widely accepted “Overnight Alternative Reference Rate for the respective currency” with upward revisions of the interest rates capped at 50 basis points. The relevant section of the Master Direction—RBI (Interest Rate on Deposits) Directions 2016 was amended accordingly. From July 7, 2022 to October 31, 2022, the RBI had permitted banks to raise fresh FCNR(B) and NRE deposits without reference to the existing regulations on interest rates.
With effect from the reporting fortnight beginning July 30, 2022, the RBI has exempted incremental FCNR(B) and NRE deposits with a reference base date of July 1, 2022, from the maintenance requirement of CRR and SLR. The exemption was available for deposits mobilized up to November 4, 2022. It has been clarified that transfers from non-resident (ordinary) (“NRO”) accounts to NRE accounts shall not qualify for the relaxation.
Deposit Insurance
Demand and time deposits of up to Rs. 0.5 million accepted by scheduled commercial banks in India have to be mandatorily insured with the Deposit Insurance and Credit Guarantee Corporation (the “DICGC”), a wholly owned subsidiary of the RBI. Banks are required to pay the insurance premium to the Deposit Insurance and Credit Guarantee Corporation on a semi-annual basis. The cost of the insurance premium cannot be passed on to the customer. The RBI, in its press release dated February 4, 2020, raised the limit of insurance cover for depositors in insured banks from Rs. 0.1 million to Rs. 0.5 million per depositor, effective February 4, 2020. The DICGC, in its circular dated February 5, 2020, increased the limit of deposit insurance cover and rate of premium payable to insured banks from Rs. 10 paise per Rs. 100 of assessable deposits to Rs. 12 paise per Rs. 100 of assessable deposits per annum, effective from April 1, 2020.
Regulations Relating to Debit Cards, Credit Cards and Online Payments
On December 17, 2021, the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology issued a notification regarding the incentive scheme for promotion of RuPay Debit cards, low-value BHIM UPI transactions and person-to-merchant transactions (“P2M”). Bharat Interface for Money (“BHIM”) is a payment app that allows its users to make simple, easy and quick transactions using a Unified Payments Interface (“UPI”). The Government had decided to incentivize banks by paying them a certain percentage value of RuPay Debit card transactions (P2M) and low-value UPI transactions (up to Rs. 2,000.0) (P2M) for a period of one year, starting April 1, 2021. The scheme was only applicable to banks, which have operations in India and transactions, which are conducted in India.
On January 14, 2023, the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology issued a notification regarding the incentive scheme for promotion of digital payments i.e., RuPay Debit Cards and low-value BHIM-UPI transactions (P2M). The Government decided to incentivize banks by paying them a certain percentage value of RuPay Debit card transactions (P2M) and low-value UPI transactions (up to Rs. 2,000.0) (P2M) for a period of one year, starting April 1, 2022. The scheme is only applicable to banks with operations in India, and transactions that are conducted in India.
The RBI has issued a Master Direction on Credit Card and Debit Card—Issuance and Conduct Directions 2022. While the directions came into effect substantially on July 1, 2022, certain provisions took effect on October 1, 2022. The provisions of the master direction relating to credit cards apply to all scheduled banks and NBFCs operating in India, with an exemption for payment banks, state co-operative banks and district central co-operative banks. The provisions of the master direction relating to debit cards apply to every bank operating in India. The master direction primarily covers the general and conduct-related provisions for credit, debit and co-branded cards and complements prudential, payment, technology and cyber security-related directions.
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Digital lending
On September 2, 2022, the RBI issued Guidelines on Digital Lending to regulate digital lending, such as through web-based applications and platforms. Digital lending is defined as a remote and automated lending process, largely by use of seamless digital technologies for customer acquisition, credit assessment, loan approval, disbursement, recovery, and associated customer service. The guidelines provide for: (i) customer protection and conduct requirements (concerning the manner of collection of fees, charges, loan disbursal and other areas); (ii) technology and data requirements (concerning, among others, collection, usage and sharing of data with third parties, as well as storage of data); and (iii) regulatory and reporting requirements.
On June 8, 2023, the RBI issued “Guidelines on Default Loss Guarantee in Digital Lending” which allow regulated entities to enter into a contractual arrangement with certain other eligible entities under which the latter guarantees to compensate the regulated entity’s loss due to default up to a certain percentage of the loan portfolio of the regulated entity, as specified upfront.
Regulation Relating to Financial Statement Disclosure and Presentation
In August 2021, the RBI issued consolidated guidelines on the presentation and disclosure of financial statements, as updated from time to time. These guidelines are applicable to all banking companies licensed to operate in India, including banks incorporated outside India. Under the Banking Regulation Act, every banking company has to prepare a balance sheet and a profit and loss account in respect of all business transacted as of the last working day of the year or period. The guidelines specify general instructions for the compilation of the balance sheet and profit and loss account for the banks. Banks are required to disclose information in the notes to the financial statements and have to ensure that the balance sheet and profit and loss account reflect a true and fair picture of the financial position. Window dressing of financials, short provisioning, misclassification of NPAs, under-reporting/incorrect computation of exposure/risk weight, incorrect capitalization of expenses, capitalization of interest, among other things, are subject to penalties as provided for under the Banking Regulation Act.
Demonetization Measures
On November 8, 2016, the Government of India had announced its decision for existing bank notes of Rs. 500 and Rs. 1,000 denominations of the then existing series issued by the RBI to no longer be valid. Citizens were to return all such bank notes to banks as they could no longer be used for transactions or exchange purposes with effect from November 9, 2016. New bank notes of denominations of Rs. 500 and Rs. 2,000 were introduced to replace the old notes. Limits for the exchange of demonetized notes and withdrawal of new notes were specified which were subsequently lifted.
On May 19, 2023, the RBI through its circular titled “₹2000 Denomination Banknotes – Withdrawal from Circulation; Will continue as Legal Tender” has announced the withdrawal of all Rs. 2,000 bank notes and banks are directed to discontinue the issuance of Rs. 2,000 notes with immediate effect. The existing Rs. 2,000 notes can be deposited or exchanged by members of public until September 30, 2023.
Regulations Relating to Knowing the Customer and Anti-Money Laundering
The RBI has issued several guidelines on customer identification and monitoring of transactions. Banks have been advised to put in place systems and procedures to control financial frauds, identify money laundering and suspicious activities, and monitor high-value cash transactions. The RBI has also issued guidelines from time to time advising banks to be vigilant while opening accounts for new customers to prevent misuse of the banking system for perpetration of frauds.
Banks have been advised to ensure that a proper policy framework on KYC and AML measures duly approved by the board of directors or regulated entities (as specified in the guidelines) or any committee of the board of directors, is formulated and implemented. This framework is required to, inter alia, include procedures/process in relation to (a) customer acceptance policy; (b) customer identification procedures; (c) monitoring of transactions; and (d) risk management.
RBI guidelines require that a profile of the customers should be prepared based on risk categorization. Banks have been advised to apply enhanced due diligence for high-risk customers. The guidelines provide that banks should undertake customer identification procedures while establishing a banking relationship or carrying out a financial transaction or when the Bank has a doubt about the authenticity or the adequacy of the previously obtained customer identification data. Banks must obtain sufficient information necessary to establish the identity of each new customer and the purpose of the intended banking relationship. The guidelines also provide that banks should monitor transactions depending on the account’s risk sensitivity. Prevention of Money Laundering Rules, 2005 require every banking company, and financial institution, as the case may be, to identify the beneficial owner and take all reasonable steps to verify his identity. The term “beneficial owner” has been defined as the natural person who ultimately owns or controls a client and/or the person on whose behalf the transaction is being conducted, including a person who exercises ultimate effective control over a judicial person. The procedure for identification of the beneficial owner has been specified by the Government of India in the Prevention of Money Laundering Rules, 2005 and the regulations prescribed by the RBI from time to time.
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The KYC procedures for opening accounts have been simplified for “small accounts” in order to ensure that the implementation of the KYC guidelines do not result in the denial of the banking services to those who are financially or socially disadvantaged. A “small account” is defined as a savings account in a banking company where (i) the aggregate of all credits in a fiscal year does not exceed Rs. 0.1 million; (ii) the aggregate of all withdrawals and transfers in a month does not exceed Rs. 0.01 million; and (iii) the balance at any point of time does not exceed Rs. 0.05 million. Small accounts are permitted to remain operational initially for a period of 12 months, and thereafter for a further period of 12 months, subject to the account holder applying, and providing evidence of having applied for, any of the officially valid documents during the first twelve months of the opening of such account. In April 2020, the RBI had directed that small accounts shall remain operational between April 1, 2020 and June 30, 2020 and such other periods as may be notified by the Government.
In January 2020, the RBI also allowed the use of video-based customer identification processes for the establishment of an account relationship with individual customers, subject to certain conditions, including obtaining such customers’ informed consent.
In addition to keeping customer information confidential, banks must ensure that only information relevant to the perceived risk is collected and that the same is not intrusive in nature. Apart from addressing this concern the guidelines set out in detail the framework to be adopted by banks as regards their customer dealings and are directed towards prevention of financial frauds and money laundering transactions.
In December 2020, the RBI made it mandatory for regulated entities to upload KYC records pertaining to accounts of legal entities opened on or after April 1, 2021, with the Central KYC Registry in India. Furthermore, regulated entities are also required to upload or update the KYC data pertaining to accounts of individual customers opened prior to January 1, 2017 and accounts of legal entities opened prior to April 1, 2021, when such KYC data is updated.
In April 2021, the RBI published a notice stating that customer due diligence for members of a “self-help group” (i.e., a group of micro entrepreneurs who have agreed to contribute their savings to a common fund owned by the group, which can disburse small loans to the members of the group and may apply for loans from a bank) may be undertaken at the time the self-help group applies for a loan or other financial product from a bank.
In May 2021, the RBI advised regulated entities that in respect of the customer accounts where KYC (as required to be completed under RBI guidelines) is periodically required to be updated and such update was due and pending as on the date of the circular, no restrictions on operations of such account should be imposed until December 31, 2021 only on account of this reason. The relaxation of this rule was made in light of the COVID-19-related restrictions in various parts of the country, and was further extended until March 31, 2022.
In a bid to prevent money laundering activities, the Government enacted the Prevention of Money Laundering Act 2002 (the “PML Act”) which came into effect from July 1, 2005. The PML Act seeks to prevent money laundering and to provide for confiscation of property derived from, or involved in, money laundering and for incidental matters or matters connected therewith.
All the instructions/guidelines issued to banks on KYC norms, AML standards and obligations of the banks under the PML Act have been consolidated in the Know Your Customer Directions, 2016, issued by the RBI, as updated from time to time. The RBI issued a master circular on detection and impounding of counterfeit notes by banks in India in April 2021 and a Master Direction – Counterfeit Notes, 2023 – Detection, Reporting and Monitoring in April 2023.
The PML Act and the rules relating thereto require that banking companies, financial institutions and intermediaries (together, “Institutions”) to maintain a comprehensive record of all their transactions, including the nature and value of each transaction. Further, it mandates verification of the identity of all their clients and also requires the Institutions to maintain records of their respective clients. These details are to be provided to the authority established by the PML Act, who is empowered to order confiscation of property where the authority is of the opinion that a crime as recognized under the PML Act has been committed. In addition, the applicable exchange control regulations prescribe reporting mechanisms for transactions in foreign exchange and require authorized dealers to report identified suspicious transactions to the RBI.
Banks are advised to develop suitable mechanisms through an appropriate policy framework for enhanced monitoring of accounts suspected of having terrorist links, identification of the transactions carried out in these accounts and suitable reporting to the Director, Financial Intelligence Unit (India) (the “FIU”). Banks are required to report to the FIU:
| (a) | all cash transactions with a value of more than Rs. 1.0 million or an equivalent in foreign currency; |
| (b) | all series of cash transactions integrally connected to each other which have been valued below Rs. 1.0 million or an equivalent in foreign currency where such series of transactions has taken place within a month and the aggregate value of such transactions exceeds Rs. 1.0 million; |
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| (c) | all transactions involving receipts by non-profit organizations with a value of more than Rs. 1.0 million or an equivalent in foreign currency; |
| (d) | all cash transactions in which forged or counterfeit currency notes or bank notes have been used and where any forgery of a valuable security or a document has taken place facilitating the transaction; and |
| (e) | all other suspicious transactions whether or not made in cash and by such other ways as mentioned in the Rules. |
Pursuant to recent amendments, banks have been directed to periodically carry out AML and terrorist financing (“TF”) risk assessments to identify, assess and mitigate money laundering and terrorist financing risks related to clients, countries or geographic areas, as well as products, services, transactions or delivery channels. While assessing the AML and TF risk, banks are required to account for certain sector-specific vulnerabilities, which the relevant regulatory authority for each sector may share with them from time to time. Further, the internal risk assessment carried out by the banks should be commensurate to their size, geographical presence and complexity of their activities and structure. Banks are required to apply a risk-based approach for mitigation and management of the identified risk and should maintain board-approved policies, controls and procedures for such purposes.
Legal Reserve Requirements
Cash Reserve Ratio
Each bank is required to maintain a specific percentage of its net demand and time liabilities by way of a balance in a current account with the RBI. This is to maintain the solvency of the banking system. The amendments made to the Reserve Bank of India Act 1934 and the Banking Regulation Act during fiscal year 2007 enhanced the operational flexibility in monetary management of the RBI. The RBI (Amendment) Act 2006 came into force on April 1, 2007. Section 3 of this Act removed the floor and the ceiling rates on CRR and no interest was payable on the CRR balances of banks with effect from March 31, 2007. Scheduled commercial banks are exempted from maintaining CRR on the following liabilities:
| (a) | liabilities to the banking system in India as computed under clause (d) of the explanation to section 42(1) of the Reserve Bank of India Act 1934; |
| (b) | credit balances in Asian Clearing Union (US$) Accounts; and |
| (c) | demand and time liabilities in respect of the banks’ offshore banking units. |
In its circulars from February 2021 and May 2021, the RBI allowed scheduled commercial banks to deduct the amount equivalent to credit disbursed to “New MSME Borrowers” from their net demand and time liabilities used in the calculation of CRR. For the purpose of this exemption, “New MSME Borrowers” are those MSME borrowers who have not previously availed themselves of any credit facilities from the banking system as on January 1, 2021. This exemption is available only up to Rs. 2.5 million per borrower disbursed up to the fortnight ending December 31, 2021, for a period of one year from the date of origination of the loan or the tenure of the loan, whichever is earlier.
The CRR requirement as of March 31, 2023, was 4.5 percent of the prescribed net demand and time liabilities of the Bank. In order to address the volatility in rupee exchange rates in early 2013, the RBI in July 2013 increased the requirement of minimum daily CRR balance maintenance to 99.0 percent of the requirement with effect from the first day of the fortnight beginning July 27, 2013. In September 2013, the RBI reduced the minimum daily maintenance of the CRR from 99.0 percent of the requirement to 95.0 percent. In April 2016, the RBI further reduced this requirement to 90.0 percent, with effect from the fortnight beginning April 16, 2016. In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, the RBI, in its circular dated March 27, 2020, for a period of one year, decided to reduce the CRR of all banks by 100 basis points from 4.0 percent to 3.0 percent of their net demand and time liabilities, from the reporting period beginning on March 28, 2020 and ending on March 26, 2021. Furthermore, given strains on banks’ reporting abilities as a result of social distancing measures for staff, the RBI reduced the minimum CRR balance maintenance requirement from 90.0 percent to 80.0 percent, effective from the first day of the reporting period beginning on March 28, 2020. This one-time dispensation was further extended by the RBI until September 25, 2020 through its circular dated June 26, 2020. In its circular dated February 5, 2021, RBI decided to gradually restore the CRR in two phases. Accordingly, banks were required to maintain the CRR at 3.5 percent of their net demand and time liabilities effective from the reporting fortnight beginning March 27, 2021 and 4.0 percent of their net demand and time liabilities effective from the fortnight beginning May 22, 2021. The RBI has increased the CRR required to be maintained by every bank to 4.50 percent of its net demand and time liabilities effective from the reporting fortnight beginning May 21, 2022. See also “Risk Factors—Pandemics or similar public health crises may have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations”.
Statutory Liquidity Ratio (“SLR”)
In order to ensure liquidity in the banking system and in addition to the CRR, each bank is required to maintain a specified percentage of its net demand and time liabilities in form of liquid assets, such as cash, gold or approved securities, e.g., Government of India and State Government Securities. The exact percentage is 18.0 percent from April 11, 2020, and is fixed by the RBI from time to time. The RBI’s master circular on the SLR specifies certain liabilities which will not be included in the calculation of the SLR.
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In May 2022, the RBI instituted the Standing Deposit Facility (“SDF”) with immediate effect. Balances held by banks with the RBI under the SDF are an eligible SLR asset and form part of “cash” for the purpose of SLR-maintenance. In November 2022, the RBI further clarified that any overnight balances held by banks with RBI under SDF shall be eligible as Level 1 High Quality Liquid Assets (“HQLA”) for the computation of the liquidity coverage ratio (“LCR”).
Revisions in Constitution of Bank Assets
The capital regulations with respect to Liquidity Standards under the Basel III framework (LCR, Liquidity Risk Monitoring Tools and LCR Disclosure Standards) were revised by the RBI by way of a circular dated August 2, 2017, tore-define the “Level 1” of bank assets as comprising the following:
| i. | Cash including cash reserves in excess of required CRR. |
| ii. | For banks incorporated in India, |
| • | Reserves held with foreign central banks in excess of the reserve requirement, where a foreign sovereign has been assigned a 0 percent risk weight as per the rating by an international rating agency. |
| • | Reserves held with foreign central banks in excess of the reserve requirement, to the extent these balances cover the Bank’s stressed net cash outflows in that specific currency, in cases where a foreign sovereign has been assigned an on-0 percent risk weight as per the rating by an international rating agency, but a 0 percent risk weight has been assigned at national discretion under the Basel II framework. |
| iii. | Government securities in excess of the minimum SLR requirement. |
| iv. | Within the mandatory SLR requirement, Government securities to the extent allowed by the RBI, under Marginal Standing Facility (MSF). |
| v. | Marketable securities issued or guaranteed by foreign sovereigns satisfying all the following conditions: |
| (a) | assigned a 0 percent risk weight under the Basel II standardized approach for credit risk; |
| (b) | traded in large, deep and active repo or cash markets characterized by a low level of concentration and proven record as a reliable source of liquidity in the markets (repo or sale), even during stressed market conditions; and |
| (c) | not issued by a bank, financial institution, NBFC or any of its affiliated entities. |
In June 2014, the RBI issued guidelines in relation to LCR, liquidity risk monitoring tools and LCR disclosure standards pursuant to the publication of the “Basel III: The Liquidity Coverage Ratio” and liquidity risk monitoring tools in January 2013 and the Liquidity Coverage Ratio Disclosure Standards in January 2014 by the BCBS. The objective of the LCR standard is to ensure that a bank maintains an adequate level of unencumbered high-quality liquid assets which could be converted into cash to meet its liquidity needs for a 30-calendar-daytime horizon under a significantly severe liquidity stress scenario. The LCR requirement of 100.0 percent is being implemented in a phased manner over a period of four years, with a minimum requirement of 60.0 percent effective January 1, 2015. The prescribed LCR level as of January 1, 2018, was 90.0 percent and was required to be at the increased prescribed level of 100.0 percent on January 1, 2019. In April 2020, the RBI reduced the LCR requirement from 100.0 percent to 80.0 percent, effective between April 17, 2020 and September 30, 2020. The RBI proposed to increase the reduced LCR requirement in two phases: (i) from 80.0 percent to 90.0 percent between October 1, 2020 and March 31, 2021, and (ii) from 90.0 percent to 100.0 percent from April 1, 2021.
In 2020, banks were allowed to avail themselves of funds under the MSF by utilizing the SLR up to an additional 1.0 percent of their NDTL (i.e., cumulatively up to 3.0 percent of their NDTL). This facility, which had been available initially until June 30, 2020, was extended in phases until December 31, 2021. With effect from January 1, 2022, banks can utilize the SLR up to 2.0 percent of NDTL instead of 3.0 percent for overnight borrowing under the MSF. See also “Risk Factors—Pandemics or similar public health crises may have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations”.
Net Stable Funding Ratio
Net stable funding ratio (“NSFR”) is a global regulatory standard under the Basel III framework. The draft guidelines on NSFR were issued by the RBI by its circular dated May 28, 2015. While the RBI had published final guidelines on NSFR on May 17, 2018, which were required to be implemented from April 1, 2020, the guidelines ultimately came into effect on October 1, 2021.
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Regulations on Asset Liability Management
Since 1999, the RBI has issued several guidelines relating to ALM in banks in India. The RBI guidelines cover, inter alia, the interest rate risk and liquidity risk measurement and reporting framework, including establishing prudential limits. The guidelines require that gap statements for liquidity and interest rate risk are prepared by scheduling all assets and liabilities according to the stated and anticipated re-pricing date or maturity date. The RBI has advised banks to actively monitor the difference in the amount of assets and liabilities maturing or being re-priced in a particular period and place internal prudential limits on the gaps in each time period, as a risk control mechanism. Additionally, the RBI has advised banks to manage their asset-liability liquidity structure within negative gap limits for one day, 2-7 days, 8-14 days and 15-28 days set at 5.0 percent, 10.0 percent, 15.0 percent and 20.0 percent, respectively, of the cumulative cash outflows in the respective time buckets in order to recognize the cumulative impact on liquidity. In respect of other time periods, the RBI has directed banks to lay down internal standards in respect of liquidity gaps. In order to recognize the cumulative impact on liquidity, banks are also advised to prepare the statement of structural liquidity on a daily basis and also undertake dynamic liquidity management. Banks are required to submit the liquidity statements periodically to RBI, as specified in these guidelines.
The RBI’s Guidelines on Banks’ Asset Liability Management Framework—Interest Rate Risk issued in November 2010 mandate that banks in India evaluate interest rate risk using both methods, i.e., TGA and DGA. Banks are required to submit the TGA and DGA results from time to time to the RBI as mentioned in the guidelines.
Further, RBI guidelines on stress testing issued in 2007 have reinforced stress testing as an integral part of a bank’s risk management process, the results of which are used to evaluate the potential vulnerability to some unlikely but plausible events or movements in financial variables that affect both interest rate risk and liquidity risk in the Bank. In December 2013, the RBI specified the minimum level of stress testing to be carried out by all banks.
In November 2012, the RBI issued enhanced guidelines on liquidity risk management by banks. These guidelines consolidate various instructions on liquidity risk management that the RBI had issued from time to time, and where appropriate, harmonize and enhance these instructions in line with the principles for sound liquidity risk management and supervision issued by the BCBS. The RBI’s guidelines require banks to establish a sound process for identifying, measuring, monitoring and controlling liquidity risk, including a robust framework for comprehensively projecting cash flows arising from assets, liabilities and off-balance sheet items over an appropriate time horizon. The key items covered under these guidelines include: (i) governance of liquidity risk management including liquidity risk management policy, strategies and practices and liquidity risk tolerance; (ii) management of liquidity risk, including identification, measurement and monitoring of liquidity risk; (iii) collateral position management; (iv) intra-day liquidity position management; and (v) stress testing.
Foreign Currency Dealership
The RBI has granted us a full-fledged Authorized Dealers’ License to deal in foreign exchange through our designated banking outlets. Under this license, we have been granted permission to: engage in foreign exchange transactions in all currencies; open and maintain foreign currency accounts abroad; raise foreign currency and rupee-denominated deposits from non-resident Indians; grant foreign currency loans to on-shore and off-shore corporations; open documentary credits; grant import and export loans; handle collection of bills and funds transfer services; issue foreign currency guarantees; and enter into derivative transactions and risk management activities that are incidental to our normal functions authorized under our organizational documents and as permitted under the provisions of the Banking Regulation Act.
Our foreign exchange operations are subject to the guidelines contained in the Foreign Exchange Management Act 1999 (“Foreign Exchange Management Act”). As an authorized dealer, we are, as required, enrolled as a member of the Foreign Exchange Dealers Association of India, which prescribes the rules relating to the foreign exchange business in India.
The RBI from time to time has issued directions regarding the reporting requirements for holdings of, and dealings in, all foreign currencies, as well as foreign exchange transactions by authorized dealers like the Bank.
Simplified hedging facility guidelines were issued by the RBI by way of a circular dated November 9, 2017, to simplify the process for hedging exchange rate risk by reducing documentation requirements, avoiding prescriptive stipulations regarding products, purpose and hedging flexibility, and to encourage a more dynamic and efficient hedging culture. These guidelines stipulate operational mechanism and guidelines for resident and non-resident entities, other than individuals, for hedging exchange rate risk on transactions, contracted or anticipated, with respect to any Over the Counter (“OTC”) derivative or Exchange Traded Currency Derivative (“ETCD”) permitted under the Foreign Exchange Management Act 1999 (“FEMA”). Additionally, different facilities have been provided for hedging trade exposures (i.e., currency risks arising out of genuine trade transactions involving exports from and imports to India), invoiced in Indian Rupees in India, by way of the RBI Circular dated October 12, 2017.
In April 2020, the RBI issued revised directions on the hedging of foreign exchange risk, which aimed to ease access to the domestic foreign exchange derivative markets. The directions came into effect on September 1, 2020. The directions on the participation of “Banks in Offshore Non-deliverable Rupee Derivative Markets” issued in March 2020 came into effect on June 1, 2020.
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We are required to determine our limits on net overnight open foreign exchange positions and our foreign exchange value at risk in accordance with RBI guidelines, as applicable, and within the open position threshold prescribed by the RBI. Furthermore, we are permitted to hedge foreign currency loan exposures of Indian corporations in the form of foreign exchange forward contracts, interest rate swaps, currency swaps, currency option contracts and forward rate agreements, subject to certain conditions.
On June 1, 2022, the RBI also issued directions for non-centrally cleared derivatives contracts to improve the security of settlement of over-the-counter (“OTC”) derivatives that are not centrally cleared.
On December 12, 2022, the RBI released a master direction on Foreign Exchange Management (Hedging of Commodity Price Risk and Freight Risk in Overseas Markets) Directions, 2022 to lay down the modalities for authorized dealers for facilitating hedging of commodity price risk and freight risk in overseas markets by their customers.
Setting Up Wholly-Owned Subsidiaries by Foreign Banks
In November 2013, the RBI released its framework for establishing wholly owned subsidiaries of foreign banks in India, which aims to tighten regulatory control and encourage foreign banks to convert their existing banking outlets into wholly owned subsidiaries.
Key features of the framework include:
| • | requiring certain foreign banks, including banks with complex structures and banks belonging to jurisdictions which: (i) do not have adequate disclosure requirements; or (ii) have legislation which give preferential treatment to deposits of the home country in a winding-up proceeding, to set up a wholly owned subsidiary in order to enter the Indian market; |
| • | permitting foreign banks that do not fall under the above categories to either set up a branch office or a wholly owned subsidiary; |
| • | offering near-national treatment to wholly owned subsidiaries of foreign banks, subject to certain conditions; |
| • | requiring newly incorporated wholly owned subsidiaries to have an initial minimum paid-up voting equity capital of Rs. 5.0 billion. In the case of existing banking outlets of foreign banks that wish to convert into a wholly owned subsidiary, they must have a minimum net worth of Rs. 5.0 billion; |
| • | requiring at least 50.0 percent of the board of directors of wholly owned subsidiaries to be Indian nationals, non-resident Indians or persons of Indian origin; and |
| • | mandating that wholly owned subsidiaries comply with the priority sector lending requirements applicable to domestic commercial banks. |
Statutes Governing Foreign Exchange and Cross-Border Business Transactions
Foreign exchange and cross-border transactions undertaken by banks are subject to the provisions of the Foreign Exchange Management Act. All banks are required to monitor the transactions in all non-resident accounts to prevent money laundering. These transactions are governed by the provisions of the Foreign Exchange Management Act and the PML Act.
In terms of the guidelines prescribed by the RBI (last updated on September 1, 2020) (the “Inter-Bank Dealings Guidelines”), overseas foreign currency borrowings by a bank in India (including overdraft balances in its “nostro” accounts not adjusted within five days) should not exceed 100.0 percent of its unimpaired Tier I capital or US$ 10 million (or its equivalent), whichever is higher. The aforesaid limit applies to the aggregate amount availed of by all the offices and banking outlets in India from all their banking outlets and correspondents abroad and includes overseas borrowings in gold for funding domestic gold loans.
The following borrowings would continue to be outside the above limit:
| 1. | overseas borrowing by banks for the purpose of financing export credit subject to certain conditions prescribed by the RBI; |
| 2. | capital funds raised or augmented by the issue of Innovative Perpetual Debt Instruments and Debt Capital Instruments in foreign currency; |
| 3. | subordinated debt placed by head offices of foreign banks with their banking outlets in India as Tier II capital; and |
| 4. | any other overseas borrowing with the specific approval of the RBI. |
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Under the Inter-Bank Dealings Guidelines, Authorised dealer (“AD”) – category I banks are permitted to borrow from international/multilateral FIs without approaching the RBI on a case-by-case approval. Such FIs shall include: (i) international/multilateral FIs of which the Government is a shareholding member; (ii) FIs which have been established by more than one government; or (iii) FIs which have shareholding by more than one government and other international organizations. However, all such borrowings should be for the purpose of general banking business and not for capital augmentation.
On July 7, 2022, the RBI has introduced certain measures in order to enhance forex inflows into India. One of these measures allows AD – category I banks from July 8, 2022 to October 31, 2022 to utilise overseas foreign currency borrowing (“OFCBs”) for on-lending in foreign currency for a wider set of end-use purposes than before, subject to a negative list set out for external commercial borrowings (“ECB”) and availability of the facility will be until maturity/repayment of the OFCB. Prior to this relaxation, AD – category I banks could undertake OFCB up to a limit of 100 percent of their unimpaired Tier 1 capital or US$ 10.0 million whichever is higher, but were not allowed to on-lend the funds so borrowed in foreign currency except for the purpose of export financing.
Cyber Security Frameworks in Banks
In its circular dated June 2, 2016, the RBI directed banks to formulate a cyber security policy duly approved by their board of directors. This policy is required to be distinct from banks’ broader information technology/information security policies. Accordingly, the Bank had developed a Cybersecurity Policy and Cybersecurity framework which is to ensure appropriate cyber security practices are followed across the Bank’s information systems. The Cybersecurity policy is approved by the Bank’s Board. See also “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations—Cybersecurity”.
Outsourcing of Information Technology Services
In April 2023, the RBI issued master directions on Outsourcing of Information Technology Services to ensure that outsourcing arrangements by the regulated entities do not diminish its ability to fulfil their obligations to customers nor impede effective supervision by the RBI. The master directions state that the board and senior management of the regulated entity shall be ultimately responsible for the outsourced activity. The directions require that entities intending to outsource any of their IT activities to have a comprehensive board-approved IT outsourcing policy. The directions will come into effect on October 1, 2023.
Customer Service Standards
In June 2023, a committee constituted by the RBI submitted its report on “Customer Service Standards in RBI Regulated Entities”. Among other things, the report recommends: (i) establishing a centralized database of KYC linked to a unique customer identifier, (ii) updating model operating procedure (MOP) for hassle-free settlement of claims in accounts of deceased account-holders, (iii) imposing a regulatory cost for entities whose quality of customer service is deficient, and (iv) compensating customers in case of any injury suffered on the entities’ premises. The committee also recommends the regulated entities to adopt a nuanced approach to risk categorization of the customers.
Special Provisions of the Banking Regulation Act
Prohibited Business
Section 6 of the Banking Regulation Act specifies the business activities in which a bank may engage. Banks are prohibited from engaging in business activities other than the specified activities.
Reserve Fund
Any bank incorporated in India is required to create a reserve fund to which it must transfer not less than 25.0 percent of the profits of each year before any dividend is declared. Banks are required to take prior approval from the RBI before appropriating any amount from the reserve fund or any other free reserves. The Government may, on the recommendation of the RBI, exempt a bank from requirements relating to its reserve fund.
Restrictions on Payment of Dividends
The Banking Regulation Act requires that a bank pay dividends on its shares only after all of its capital expenses (including preliminary expenses, organization expenses, share selling commissions, brokerage on public offerings, amounts of losses and any other items of expenditure not represented by tangible assets) have been completely written off. The Government may exempt banks from this provision by issuing a notification on the recommendation of the RBI.
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Banks that comply with the following prudential requirements are eligible to declare dividends:
| • | the capital adequacy ratio must be at least 9.0 percent for the preceding two completed years and the accounting year for which the Bank proposes to declare a dividend; |
| • | Net non-performing assets must be less than 7.0 percent of advances. In the event a bank does not meet the above capital adequacy norm, but has capital adequacy of at least 9.0 percent for the fiscal year for which it proposes to declare a dividend it would be eligible to declare a dividend if its net non-performing asset ratio is less than 5.0 percent; |
| • | the bank has complied with the provisions of Sections 15 and 17 of the Banking Regulation Act; |
| • | the bank has complied with the prevailing regulations/guidelines issued by the RBI, including creating adequate provisions for the impairment of assets and staff retirement benefits and the transfer of profits to statutory reserves; |
| • | dividends should be payable out of the current year’s profits; and |
| • | the RBI has not placed any explicit restrictions on the Bank for declarations of dividends. |
Banks that comply with the above prudential requirements can pay dividends subject to compliance with the following conditions:
| • | the dividend payout ratio (calculated as a percentage of “dividends payable in a year” (excluding dividend tax) to “net profit during the year”) should not exceed 40.0 percent. The RBI has prescribed a matrix of criteria linked to the capital adequacy ratio and the net non-performing assets ratio in order to ascertain the maximum permissible range of the dividend payout ratio; and |
| • | if the financial statements for which the dividend is declared have any audit qualifications which have an adverse bearing on the profits, the same should be adjusted while calculating the dividend payout ratio. |
In case the profit for the relevant periods includes any extra-ordinary profits/income, the payout ratio shall be computed after excluding such extraordinary items for compliance with the prudential payout ratio.
In addition to the above, the master circular on “Basel III Capital Regulations” as amended and updated from time to time, also regulates the distribution of dividends by banks. The circular provides that the dividend distribution can be made by a bank only through the current year’s profit. It also requires the banks to maintain a capital conservation buffer outside the period of stress which can be drawn down if losses are incurred during a stressed period. One of the ways in which the banks can build the capital conservation buffer is by reducing the dividend payments. In case of shortfall in the prescribed capital conservation buffer, dividend payment restrictions would be imposed on the banks as per the conditions of the Basel III regulations. The circular further provides that perpetual non-cumulative preference shares and perpetual debt instruments issued by a bank for inclusion in the AT-I capital of the Bank may have a dividend stopper arrangement to stop dividend payments on common shares in the event the holders of AT-I instruments are not paid dividend or coupon.
In its circulars dated April 17, 2020 and December 4, 2020, the RBI directed banks to not make any further dividend payouts from the profits pertaining to the fiscal year ended March 31, 2020. These circulars had been issued by the RBI in light of the heightened uncertainty caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, and expected to help the banks conserve capital to retain their capacity to support the economy and absorb losses. The RBI, in April, 2021, permitted commercial banks to pay dividends on equity shares pertaining to the profits for the fiscal year ended March 31, 2021, subject to the quantum of dividend being not more than 50.0 percent of the amount determined as per the dividend payout ratio prescribed in paragraph 4 of the RBI circular on “Declaration of Dividends by Banks” from May 2005. The RBI has also directed that all banks should continue to meet the applicable minimum regulatory capital requirements after making a dividend payment. Furthermore, while declaring the dividend, the board of directors of the bank will be responsible for considering the current and projected capital position of the bank vis-à-vis the applicable capital requirements and the adequacy of provisions, taking into account the economic environment and the outlook for profitability. See also “Risk Factors—Pandemics or similar public health crises may have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations”.
Restriction on Share Capital and Voting Rights
Banks were earlier permitted to issue only ordinary shares. In January 2013, the Banking Regulation Act was amended to, inter alia, permit banks to also issue preference shares. However, guidelines governing the issuance of preference shares are yet to be issued. The amended Banking Regulation Act also permits the RBI to increase the cap on the voting rights of a single shareholder of a private bank from the existing cap of 10.0 percent to 26.0 percent in a phased manner. The RBI had issued the Ownership in Private Sector Banks Directions 2016, which stated that the voting rights in private sector banks shall be limited to the level notified by the RBI from time to time. The RBI, in a notification dated July 21, 2016, which was notified in the Gazette of India on September 17, 2016, had increased the ceiling on voting rights to 26.0 percent.
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On January 16, 2023, the RBI issued the Reserve Bank of India (Acquisition and Holding of Shares or Voting Rights in Banking Companies) Directions, 2023, which are to be read with the Guidelines on Acquisition and Holding of Shares or Voting Rights in Banking Companies.
The object of the 2023 Directions is to ensure that the ultimate ownership and control of banking companies are well diversified and the “major shareholders” of banking companies are “fit and proper” on a continuing basis. The 2023 Directions lay down the manner of acquisition of shareholding or voting rights in banking companies. Any person who intends to make an acquisition that is likely to result in the person’s aggregate holding (which includes total holding, directly or indirectly, beneficial or otherwise, of shares or voting rights and is further defined in the 2023 Directions) in a banking company reaching 5 percent or more of the paid-up capital or voting rights (referred to as a “major shareholding” in the 2023 Directions) is required to seek prior approval of the RBI. Subsequent to such acquisition, if at any point in time the aggregate holding falls below 5 percent, the person will be required to seek new approval from the RBI in case the person intends to raise the aggregate holding to 5 percent or more in the banking company. Among other things, the Reserve Bank would undertake due diligence to assess the “fit and proper” status of the applicant in order to grant the approval.
As per the 2023 Directions, approval of the RBI to acquire shares or voting rights in a banking company shall be subject to the following limits:
| (a) | Non-promoter: |
| (i) | 10 percent of the paid-up share capital or voting rights of the banking company in case of natural persons, non-financial institutions, financial institutions directly or indirectly connected with Large Industrial Houses, as referred to under the Guidelines for ‘on tap’ Licensing of Small Finance Banks in the Private Sector dated December 5, 2019 and Guidelines for ‘on tap’ Licensing of Universal Banks dated 1 August 2016 and financial institutions that are owned to the extent of 50 percent or more or controlled by individuals (including the relatives and persons acting in concert), or |
| (ii) | 15 percent of the paid-up share capital or voting rights of the banking company in case of financial institutions (excluding those mentioned above), supranational institutions, public sector undertaking and central/state government; and |
| (b) | Promoter: 26 percent of the paid-up share capital or voting rights of the banking company after the completion of 15 years from commencement of business of the banking company. During the period prior to the completion of the 15 years, the promoters of banking companies may be allowed to hold a higher percentage of shareholding as part of the licensing conditions or as part of the shareholding dilution plan submitted by the banking company and approved by the RBI with such conditions as deemed fit by the concerned authority. |
The RBI may also permit higher shareholding than the limits prescribed on a case-to-case basis under certain circumstances. While allowing such higher shareholding, the RBI may impose conditions as deemed fit (including dilution of such higher shareholding within a timeline.)
The 2023 Directions stipulate that where a person has been permitted by the RBI to have a shareholding between 10 percent to 40 percent of the paid-up equity share capital of a banking company, such shares will be required to remain locked-in for the first 5 years from the date of completion of acquisition. However, where a person has been permitted to have a shareholding of 40 percent or more of the paid-up equity share capital of a banking company, only 40 percent of paid-up equity share capital would remain locked-in for the first 5 years from the date of completion of acquisition. Further, the shares which are locked-in, shall not be encumbered under any circumstances. There is no requirement for minimum shareholding in the banking company once the lock-in period is completed.
Restriction on Transfer of Shares
RBI approval was required before a bank can register the transfer of shares to an individual or group which acquires 5.0 percent or more of its total paid-up capital under the master directions on “Prior approval for acquisition of shares or voting rights in private sector banks” issued by the RBI in November 2015. Under the directions, every person who intends to make an acquisition, or to make an agreement for an acquisition, which will, or is likely to, take the aggregate holding of such person together with shares, voting rights, compulsorily convertible debentures, bonds held by him, his relatives, associate enterprises and persons acting in concert with him, to 5.0 percent or more of the paid-up share capital of the relevant bank, or entitles him to exercise 5.0 percent or more of the total voting rights of the relevant bank, had to seek prior approval of the RBI. Existing major shareholders who have already obtained prior approval of the RBI for being a major shareholding in a bank prior to making a new acquisition were exempt, subject to certain conditions.
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The provisions of the Banking Regulation Act, 1949, read together with the 2023 Guidelines, require that any person who intends to make an acquisition where such acquisition results in any person’s aggregate holding (which includes total holding, directly or indirectly, beneficial or otherwise, of shares or voting rights) reaching 5.0 percent or more of the paid-up capital or voting rights in a banking company is required to seek prior approval of the RBI. Subsequent to such acquisition, if at any point in time the aggregate holding falls below 5.0 percent, the person will be required to seek new approval from the RBI if the person intends to raise the aggregate holding to 5.0 percent or more in the banking company. Among other things, the RBI would undertake due diligence to assess the “fit and proper” status of the applicant in order to grant the approval.
Regulatory Reporting and Examination Procedures
The RBI is empowered under the Banking Regulation Act to inspect the books of accounts and the other operations of a bank. The RBI monitors prudential parameters at regular intervals. The findings of these inspections are provided to banks, which are required to comply with the actions recommended in order to correct any discrepancies in their operations as contained in the inspection findings within a stipulated time frame. Further, banks are required to keep the inspection report confidential as per the instructions issued by the RBI. To this end and to enable off-site monitoring and surveillance by the RBI, banks are required to report to the RBI on financial and operating measures such as:
| • | assets, liabilities and off-balance sheet exposures; |
| • | the risk weighting of these exposures, the capital base and the capital adequacy ratio; |
| • | asset quality; |
| • | concentration of exposures; |
| • | connected and related lending and the profile of ownership, control and management; and |
| • | other prudential parameters. |
The RBI also conducts periodic on-site inspections of matters relating to the Bank’s capital, asset quality, management, earnings, liquidity and systems and controls on an annual basis. We have been subjected to on-site inspection by the RBI at yearly intervals. The inspection report, along with the report on actions taken by us, has to be placed before our Board of Directors. On approval by our Board, we are required to submit the report on actions taken by us to the RBI. The RBI also discusses the findings of the inspection with our management team along with members of the Audit Committee of our Board.
The RBI also conducts on-site supervision of selected banking outlets of banks with respect to their general operations and foreign exchange-related transactions.
The existing supervisory framework has been modified towards establishing a risk-based supervision framework which envisages continuous monitoring of banks through robust offsite reports to the RBI coupled with need-based on-site inspection. We have been subject to supervision under this framework with effect from fiscal year 2014.
In September 2020, the RBI published the revised long form audit report requirements. The revised formats were required to be used for the period covering fiscal year 2021 and onwards.
Penalties
The RBI is empowered under the Banking Regulation Act, to impose penalties on banks and their employees in case of infringement of any provision of the Act. The penalty may be a fixed amount or may be related to the amount involved in any contravention of the regulations. The penalty may also include imprisonment.
The RBI has issued directions from time to time levying penal interest for delayed reporting/wrong reporting/non-reporting of currency chest transactions and inclusion of ineligible amounts in currency chest balances. The intention behind the levy of penal interest was to inculcate discipline among banks so as to ensure prompt/correct reporting. Requests by banks for waiver of penal interest on grounds that delayed/wrong/non-reporting does not result in utilization of RBI’s funds or shortfall in the maintenance of CRR or SLR or that they were the result of clerical mistakes, unintentional or arithmetical errors, first time error or inexperience of staff etc., were not considered as valid grounds for the waiver of penal interest. In July 2020, the RBI revised the scheme of penalties for bank branches based on performance in rendering customer service to the members of the public, to ensure that all banking outlets provide better customer service to members of the public with regard to exchange of notes and coins.
In its order dated February 4, 2019, the RBI imposed a monetary penalty of Rs. 2.0 million on the Bank for failing to comply with the RBI’s KYC and AML standards, as set out in their circulars dated November 29, 2004 and May 22, 2008.
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In its order dated June 13, 2019, the RBI imposed a monetary penalty of Rs. 10.0 million on the Bank for failing to comply with the KYC, AML and fraud reporting standards, following an investigation into bills of entry submitted by certain importers. The penalties were imposed under Section 47A(1)(c) and Section 46(4)(i) of the Banking Regulation Act. The Bank has since implemented corrective action to strengthen its internal control mechanisms so as to ensure that such incidents do not repeat themselves.
In 2020, the Bank received one penalty for non-compliance with RBI regulations. In its order dated January 29, 2020, the RBI imposed a monetary penalty in the amount of Rs. 10.0 million on the Bank for failure to undertake ongoing due diligence with respect to 39 current accounts, which had been opened by customers of the Bank to participate in an initial public offering, but where the transactions effected were disproportionate to the declared income and profile of the customers. This penalty was imposed by the RBI using the powers conferred under the provisions of Section 47A(1)(c) read with Section 46(4)(i) of the Banking Regulation Act. The Bank has since strengthened its internal control mechanisms to ensure that such incidents are not repeated. See also “Risk Factors—We have previously been subject to penalties imposed by the RBI. Any regulatory investigations, fines, sanctions and requirements relating to conduct of business and financial crime could negatively affect our business and financial results, or cause serious reputational harm”.
The RBI, through its letter dated December 4, 2020, imposed a monetary penalty of Rs. 0.1 million on the Bank for the failure to settle transactions in Government securities in the Subsidiary General Ledger which lead to a shortage in the balance of certain securities in the Bank’s Constituent Subsidiary General Ledger account on November 19, 2020. The Bank has since enhanced its review mechanism to ensure that such incidents do not recur.
SEBI, through its order dated January 21, 2021, levied a penalty of Rs. 10.0 million on the Bank for alleged noncompliance with a SEBI interim order dated October 7, 2019 issued against BRH Wealth Kreators Ltd. (“BRH”). The penalty was levied for the sale of securities pledged by BRH Wealth Kreators Ltd to the Bank, to recover amounts outstanding under recalled credit facilities the Bank had extended to BRH. The Bank filed an appeal against the SEBI order in the Securities Appellate Tribunal (“SAT”) on February 8, 2021. The SAT through its interim order dated February 19, 2021, stayed the operation of the SEBI order dated January 21, 2021 and, through its final order dated February 18, 2022, allowed the Bank’s appeal and quashed SEBI’s order.
On May 27, 2021, the RBI levied a penalty of Rs. 100.0 million against the Bank for the marketing and sale of third-party non-financial products to the Bank’s auto loan customers, after concluding that this was in contravention of Section 6(2) and Section 8 of the Banking Regulation Act 1949. The penalty, which was imposed by the RBI using the powers conferred under the provisions of Section 47A(1)(c) read with Section 46(4)(i) of the Banking Regulation Act 1949, has been paid by us. In May 2020, following an internal inquiry arising from a whistle-blower complaint, we had determined that certain employees received unauthorized commissions from a third-party vendor of GPS products, with whom we had an agreement to offer GPS devices to our auto loan customers. The personal misconduct of these employees was in violation of our code of conduct and governance standards. We have taken disciplinary action against the employees involved, including separation of services of certain employees, discontinued sale of such third-party non-financial products, and taken certain other remedial actions.
Assets to Be Maintained in India
Every bank is required to ensure that its assets in India (including import-export bills drawn on/in India and the RBI-approved securities, even if the bills and the securities are held outside India) are not less than 75.0 percent of its demand and time liabilities in India.
Secrecy Obligations
Banks’ obligations relating to maintaining secrecy arise out of regulatory prescription and also common law principles governing the relationship between them and their customers. Banks cannot disclose any information to third parties except under certain limited and clearly defined circumstances as detailed in the guidelines issued by the RBI.
Subsidiaries and Other Investments
Banks require the prior permission of the RBI to incorporate a subsidiary. Banks are required to maintain an “arm’s-length” relationship in respect of their subsidiaries and are prohibited from taking actions such as taking undue advantage in borrowing or lending funds, transferring or selling or buying securities at rates other than market rates, giving special consideration for securities transactions, overindulgence in supporting or financing subsidiaries and financing its clients through them when it itself is not able or not permitted to do so. Banks and their subsidiaries have to observe the prudential standards stipulated by the RBI, from time to time, in respect of their underwriting commitments.
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Banks also require the prior specific approval of the RBI to participate in the equity of financial services ventures, including stock exchanges and depositories, notwithstanding the fact that such investments may be within the ceiling prescribed under Section 19(2) of the Banking Regulation Act. Further, investment by a bank in its subsidiaries, financial services companies or financial institutions should not exceed 10.0 percent of its paid-up capital and reserves. Investments by banks in companies which are not its subsidiaries and are not financial services companies would be subject to a limit of 10.0 percent of the investee company’s paid-up share capital or 10.0 percent of the Bank’s paid up share capital and reserves, whichever is less. Any investment above this limit will be subject to the RBI approval except as provided otherwise. Equity investments in any non-financial services company held by (a) a bank; (b) the bank’s subsidiaries, associates or joint ventures or entities directly or indirectly controlled by the bank; and (c) mutual funds managed by Asset Management Companies controlled by the Bank should in the aggregate not exceed 20.0 percent of the investee company’s paid-up share capital. Further, a bank’s equity investments in subsidiaries and other entities that are engaged in financial services activities together with equity investments in entities engaged in non-financial services activities should not exceed 20.0 percent of the Bank’s paid-up share capital and reserves.
Introduction of Legal Entity Identifier for Large Corporate Borrowers
Pursuant to the Statement on Developmental and Regulatory Policies dated November 2, 2017, the RBI decided to introduce the Legal Entity Identifier (“LEI”) system for all borrowers of banks having total fund-based and non-fund-based exposure of Rs. 50.0 million and above in a phased manner (and for their parent entity, as well as all subsidiaries and associates). The LEI is a 20-digit unique code to identify parties to financial transactions worldwide. Borrowers who do not obtain LEI as per the schedule are not to be granted renewal/enhancement of credit facilities.
In January 2021, the RBI announced that with effect from April 1, 2021 the LEI system shall be applicable to all payment transactions of Rs. 500.0 million and above undertaken by entities using the RBI-run centralized payment systems Real Time Gross Settlement and National Electronic Funds Transfer. In December 2021, AD category I banks have been directed to obtain the LEI from the resident entities (non-individuals) undertaking capital or current account transactions of Rs. 500.0 million and above under FEMA, with effect from October 1, 2022. In April 2022, the RBI advised non-individual borrowers enjoying aggregate exposure of Rs. 50.0 million and above from banks and financial institutions to obtain LEI codes within the specified timelines.
Guidelines for Merger/Amalgamation of Private Sector Banks
The RBI issued detailed guidelines in May 2005 on the merger or amalgamation of private sector banks and for the amalgamation of a NBFC with a banking company. The guidelines lay down the process for a merger proposal, the determination of swap ratios, disclosures, the stages at which the board of directors will get involved in the merger process and norms of buying and selling of shares by the promoters before and during the merger process.
In April 2016, the RBI issued the Reserve Bank of India (Amalgamation of Private Sector Banks) Directions, 2016. The new directions are substantially the same as the 2005 guidelines mentioned above.
Appointment and Remuneration of the Chairman, the Managing Director and Other Directors
Banks require the prior approval of the RBI to appoint their Chairman and Managing Director and any other directors and to fix their remuneration. The RBI is empowered to remove the appointee on the grounds of public interest or the interest of depositors or to ensure the proper management of the Bank. Further, the RBI may order meetings of the board of directors of banks to discuss any matter in relation to the Bank, appoint observers to these meetings and in general may make changes to the management as it may deem necessary and can also order the convening of a general meeting of the company to elect new directors.
In January 2012, the RBI issued revised guidelines relating to salary and other remuneration payable to whole-time directors, chief executive officers and other risk takers of new private sector banks. With these guidelines, the RBI aims to achieve effective governance of compensation, alignment of compensation with prudent risk taking and require banks to make appropriate disclosures in their financial statements. Banks are required to formulate and adopt a comprehensive compensation policy in line with the guidelines covering all their employees and conduct annual review thereof. The policy should cover all aspects of the compensation structure such as fixed pay, perquisites, bonus, variable pay deferrals, guaranteed pay, severance package, stock, pension plan and gratuity. These guidelines became effective from the fiscal year 2013. The guidelines also state that private sector banks would be required to obtain regulatory approval for grant of remuneration to whole-time directors/chief executive officers in terms of Section 35B of the Banking Regulation Act, on a case-by-case basis. In June 2015, the RBI issued guidelines for compensation of non-executive directors of private sector banks. The guidelines required the banks to formulate and adopt a comprehensive compensation policy for the non-executive directors (other than the part-time non-executive Chairman) in accordance with the Companies Act. The policy may provide for payment of compensation in the form of profit-related commissions (not exceeding Rs. 1.0 million per annum for each director), sitting fees and reimbursement of expenses for participation in the Board and other meetings.
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In November 2019, the RBI issued revised guidelines regarding the compensation of full-time directors, chief executive officers, material risk takers and control function staff. The revised guidelines are applicable for pay cycles which began on April 1, 2020. The revised guidelines were issued based on experience gained by the RBI and evolving international best practices. Among other things, the RBI directed all private sector banks to raise the variable portion of remuneration to at least half of the total compensation for the chief executives and full-time directors so that top management rewards reflect the “pay for performance” principle. In addition, total variable pay was limited to a maximum of 300.0 percent of the fixed pay.
On April 26, 2021, the RBI issued a circular stating that a comprehensive review of the framework regarding the governance of private banks has been carried out, and that a master direction on governance will be issued in due course. The circular also addressed several operative aspects and contained instructions with regard to the chair and meetings of the board of directors of banks, the composition of certain committees of the board of directors, the age, tenure and remuneration of directors, and the appointment of the whole-time directors (“WTDs”). Some of the key points addressed by the circular are as follows:
| • | The chair of the board shall be an independent director. |
| • | The posts of managing director (“MD”) and chief executive officer (“CEO”) or WTD cannot be held by the same person for more than 15 years. The individual will be eligible for reappointment as MD and CEO or WTD in the same bank, if considered necessary and desirable by the board of directors, after a minimum gap of three years, subject to meeting other conditions. During this three-year cooling period, the individual may not be appointed or associated with the bank or its group entities in any capacity, either directly or indirectly. |
| • | The upper age limit for a person serving as MD and CEO or WTDs in a private bank would continue to be 70 years. |
| • | An MD and CEO or WTD who is also a promoter or major shareholder, cannot hold these posts for more than 12 years. |
The circular is applicable to private banks, SFBs and wholly owned subsidiaries of foreign banks. In respect of the State Bank of India and nationalized banks, the guidelines would apply to the extent its requirements are not inconsistent with provisions of specific statutes applicable to these banks or instructions issued under such statutes. The circular is not applicable to foreign banks operating as branches in India.
The instructions came into effect from the date of the issuance of the circular. However, in order to enable a smooth transition to the revised requirements, banks were permitted to delay compliance with these instructions until October 1, 2021.
Regulations and Guidelines of the SEBI
SEBI was established in 1992 in accordance with the provisions of the Securities and Exchange Board of India Act 1992 to protect the interests of public investors in securities and to promote the development of, and to regulate, the Indian securities market, including all related matters. We are subject to SEBI regulations in respect of capital issuances as well as some of our activities, including acting as agent for collecting subscriptions to public offerings of securities made by other Indian companies, underwriting, custodial, depositary participant, and investment banking and because our equity shares are listed on Indian stock exchanges. These regulations provide for registering with SEBI and the functions, responsibilities and the code of conduct applicable for each of these activities, and compliance and disclosure requirements in relation to listed companies, including disclosures required to be made to the stock exchanges, and corporate governance requirements.
Foreign Ownership Restriction
Aggregate foreign investment from all sources in a private sector bank is permitted up to 49.0 percent of the paid-up capital under the automatic route. This limit can be increased to 74.0 percent of the paid-up capital with prior approval from the Government of India. Pursuant to a letter dated February 4, 2015, the Foreign Investment Promotion Board has approved foreign investment in the Bank up to 74.0 percent of its paid-up capital. The approval is subject to examination by the RBI for compounding on the change of foreign shareholding since April 2010. In the event the Bank is subject to any penalties or an unfavorable ruling by the RBI, this could have an adverse effect on the Bank’s results of operation and financial condition. See “Risk Factors—Foreign investment in our shares may be restricted due to regulations governing aggregate foreign investment in the Bank’s paid-up equity share capital”. The RBI had previously imposed a restriction on the purchase of equity shares of the Bank by foreign investors, under its circular dated March 19, 2012. On February 16, 2017, the RBI lifted the restriction since the foreign shareholding in the Bank was below the maximum prescribed percentage of 74.0 percent. Thereafter the RBI notified by press release on February 17, 2017, and by separate letter to us dated February 28, 2017, that the foreign shareholding in all forms in the Bank crossed the said limit of 74.0 percent again. This was due to secondary market purchases of the Bank’s equity shares during this period. Consequently, the RBI re-imposed the restrictions on the purchase of the Bank’s equity shares by foreign investors. Further, SEBI also enquired regarding the measures that the Bank has taken and will take in respect of breaches of the maximum prescribed percentage of foreign shareholding in the Bank, by its letter dated March 9, 2018. As of March 31, 2023, foreign investment in the Bank, including the shareholdings of HDFC Limited and its subsidiaries, constituted 65.74 percent of the paid-up capital of the Bank. The restrictions on the purchases of the Bank’s equity shares could negatively affect the price of the Bank’s shares and could limit the ability of investors to trade in the Bank’s shares in the market. These limitations and any consequent regulatory actions may also negatively affect the Bank’s ability to raise additional capital to meet its capital adequacy requirements or to fund future growth through issuances of additional equity shares, which could have a material adverse effect on the Bank’s business and financial results.
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On May 24, 2017, the Government announced its approval to phase out of the FIPB. The government has notified administrative ministries or departments in each relevant sector as competent authorities which will process applications for FDI requiring government approval as per the Standard Operating Procedure (“SOP”).
In accordance with the Foreign Exchange Management Act 1999 (the “Foreign Exchange Management Act”), and the Foreign Exchange Management (Non-debt) Instruments Rules, 2019 (the “NDI Rules”), an FPI may invest in the capital of an Indian banking company in the private sector under the portfolio investment scheme which limits the individual holding of an FPI below 10.0 percent of the capital of the Indian banking company. The aggregate limit for FPI investment is limited by the sectoral caps applicable to an Indian company in relation to FDI in accordance with the NDI Rules. With respect to the Bank, this limit is 74.0 percent. Subject to a resolution of the board of directors, and a special resolution of the shareholders of the Indian banking company, this limit could be decreased to 24.0 percent or 49.0 percent of the total paid-up capital of a private sector banking company before March 31, 2020. An Indian banking company which has decreased its aggregate limit of FDI investment can increase it again, to the aggregate limit of 49.0 percent or 74.0 percent. However, once the aggregate limit of FPI investment is increased, such limit cannot be reduced to a lower threshold by the Indian banking company. Further, in accordance with the 2023 Directions, any allotment or transfer of shares which will take the aggregate shareholding of an individual or a group to an equivalent of 5.0 percent or more of the Bank’s paid-up capital would require the prior approval of the RBI before we can affect the allotment or transfer of shares. Foreign banks are permitted to have presence in India either by opening banking outlets or through wholly owned subsidiaries, but not both.
Moratorium, Reconstruction and Amalgamation of Banks
A bank can apply to the high court for the suspension of its business. The high court, after considering the application of the Bank, may order a moratorium staying commencement of an action or proceedings against the relevant banking company for a maximum period of six months. Previously, during the period of moratorium, if the RBI was satisfied that it is: (a) in the public interest; or (b) in the interest of the depositors; or (c) in order to secure the proper management of the Bank; or (d) in the interests of the banking system of the country as a whole, it could prepare a scheme for the reconstruction of the Bank or amalgamation of the Bank with any other bank. Pursuant to the Banking Regulation (Amendment) Act 2020, the RBI has been permitted to initiate a scheme for reconstruction or amalgamation of a bank even where no moratorium has been imposed, if the considerations referred to above are met. In circumstances entailing reconstruction of the Bank or amalgamation of the Bank with another Bank, the RBI would invite suggestions and objections on the draft scheme prior to placing the scheme before the Government for its sanction. The Government may sanction the scheme with or without modifications. The law does not require consent of the shareholders or creditors of such banks.
Special Status of Banks in India
The special status of banks is recognized under various statutes including the erstwhile Sick Industrial Companies (Special Provisions) Act 1985 (the “SICA”), Recovery of Debts and Bankruptcy Insolvency Resolution and Bankruptcy of Individuals and Partnership Firms Act 1993 (the “DRT Act”) and the SARFAESI Act. As a bank, we are entitled to certain benefits under the DRT Act which provide for the establishment of Debt Recovery Tribunals for expeditious adjudication and recovery of debts due to any bank or Public Financial Institution or to a consortium of banks and Public Financial Institutions. Under the DRT Act, the procedures for recovery of debt have been simplified and indicative time frames have been fixed for speedy disposal of cases and no court or other authority can exercise jurisdiction in relation to matters covered by this Act, except the higher courts in India in certain circumstances. The erstwhile SICA provided for reference of “sick” industrial companies to the Board for Industrial and Financial Reconstruction (the “BIFR”). Under the SICA, other than the board of directors of a company, a scheduled Bank (where it has an interest in the “sick” industrial company by any financial assistance or obligation, rendered by it or undertaken by it) could refer the company to the BIFR. The SICA has been repealed by the Sick Industrial Companies (Special Provisions) Repeal Act 2003 (the “SICA Repeal Act”). The Ministry of Finance has notified the SICA Repeal Act, and Section 4(b) of the SICA Repeal Act came into force on December 1, 2016. Consequently, the SICA stands repealed and the BIFR and Appellate Authority for Industrial and Financial Reconstruction (“AAIFR”) have been dissolved.
The SARFAESI Act focuses on improving the rights and simplifying the procedures for enforcement of security interest of banks and financial institutions and other specified secured creditors as well as asset reconstruction companies by providing that such secured creditors can take over management control of a borrower company upon default and/or sell assets without the intervention of courts, in accordance with the provisions of the SARFAESI Act. It also provides the legal framework for the securitization and reconstruction of financial assets.
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The Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code 2016
Banks, as creditors, will benefit from the Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code 2016 (the “Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code”), which came into effect on December 1, 2016. The Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code is a comprehensive piece of legislation that provides for the efficient and timely resolution of insolvency. It amends 11 laws, including the Companies Act, the SARFAESI Act and the DRT Act. It provides for insolvency resolution processes for companies and individuals, and requires that such processes be completed within 180 days. As per the Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code, the insolvency process can end under either of two circumstances: (i) when the creditors decide to evolve a resolution plan or sell the assets of the debtor; or (ii) when the 180-day-time period for negotiations has come to an end. In case a plan cannot be negotiated during the time limit, the assets of the debtor will be sold to repay the debtor’s outstanding dues. The proceeds from the sale of assets will be distributed based on an order of priority specified under the Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code.
In order to provide relief to corporate entities, which may be facing financial distress as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code was amended with effect from June 5, 2020. Pursuant to the amendment, no application for the initiation of a corporate insolvency resolution process of a corporate debtor can be filed under the Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code, in relation to a default arising on or after March 25, 2020, for a period of six months or such further period, not exceeding one year from such date, as may be notified. The Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code (Amendment) Act 2021 provides, among others, for a pre-packaged insolvency resolution process for corporate debtors which are classified as micro, small or medium enterprises. The objective of this amendment is to provide an efficient alternative insolvency resolution process for micro, small and medium enterprises which is efficient and cost effective. See also “Risk Factors—Pandemics or similar public health crises may have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations” for further information on the COVID-19 pandemic.
On June 13, 2017, the RBI announced the constitution of an Internal Advisory Committee (the “IAC”) to focus on large stressed accounts. The IAC recommended 12 accounts totaling to approximately 25.0 percent of the current gross NPAs of the banking system for immediate reference under the Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code.
Amendments to the Banking Regulation Act 1949
The Government of India enacted the Banking Regulation (Amendment) Act 2017, which is deemed to have come into force on May 5, 2017. This amendment adds two new sections to the Banking Regulation Act. The sections enable the Government to authorize the RBI to direct banking companies to resolve specific stressed assets by initiating an insolvency resolution process, where required. The RBI has also been empowered to issue other directions for resolution, and appoint or approve for appointment, authorities or committees to advise banking companies for stressed asset resolution.
The Government enacted the Banking Regulation (Amendment) Act 2020 which, among other things, brought co-operative banks under the supervision of the RBI. The amendment also allows the RBI to prepare a scheme for the reconstruction or amalgamation of a banking company without the necessity of first making an order of moratorium.
Credit Information Bureau
The Parliament of India has enacted the Credit Information Companies (Regulation) Act 2005, pursuant to which every credit institution, including a bank, has to become a member of a credit information bureau and furnish to it such credit information as may be required of the credit institution by the credit information bureau about persons who enjoy a credit relationship with it. Other credit institutions, credit information bureaus and such other persons as the RBI specifies may access such disclosed credit information.
In August 2020, the RBI allowed lending institutions to implement viable resolution plans for eligible borrowers which had faced distress as a result of COVID-19. The lending institutions had to make the required credit reporting in relation to such restructured assets. The RBI has, through its circular dated March 12, 2021, revised the data format for the furnishing of information to credit information companies and other regulatory measures, in order to enable banks to report information relating restructured loans to credit information companies as envisaged in the resolution framework for COVID-19-related financial distress.
In December 2022, the RBI clarified that cases admitted to the National Company Law Tribunal (“NCLT”)/National Company Law Appellate Tribunal (“NCLAT”) under the Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code, 2016 are also required to be reported to the credit information companies (“CICs”).
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Regulations Governing International Banking Outlets and Representative Offices
We have overseas banking outlets in Bahrain, Hong Kong and the DIFC. We have one representative office each in Dubai, UAE, Abu Dhabi, UAE and Nairobi, Kenya. Our branch in Bahrain is regulated by the Central Bank of Bahrain, and has been granted a license designating it as a wholesale bank branch. The activities that can be carried out from the Bahrain branch are deposit taking, providing credit, dealing in financial instruments as principal, dealing in financial instruments as agent, managing financial instruments, operating a collective investment undertaking, arranging deals in financial instruments, advising on financial instruments and issuing/administering means of payment. Our branch in Hong Kong is a full service branch and is regulated by the Hong Kong Monetary Authority. The branch is permitted to undertake banking business in that jurisdiction with certain restrictions. In August 2014, we opened a branch in the DIFC to provide financial services covering arrangement of credit or deals in investments, advising on financial products or credit and arranging custodian services. The activities cater to the requirements of non-resident Indians and Indian corporates overseas. The branch is regulated by the Dubai Financial Services Authority.
Our representative offices in Dubai and Abu Dhabi, UAE, are regulated by the Central Bank of UAE and our representative office in Nairobi, Kenya, is regulated by the Central Bank of Kenya.
In June 2017, we opened a branch at the International Financial Service Centre at GIFT City in Gandhinagar, Gujarat, India. This branch is considered a foreign branch by RBI, and offers products such as trade credits, foreign currency term loans (including external commercial borrowings) and derivatives to hedge loans.
National Bank for Financing Infrastructure and Development
The National Bank for Financing Infrastructure and Development Act 2021 has been passed by the parliament of India. The Act seeks to establish the National Bank for Financing Infrastructure and Development as the principal development financial institution for infrastructure financing, in order to provide long-term finance for such segments of the economy where the risks involved are beyond the acceptable limits of commercial banks and other ordinary financial institutions.
Liberalization of Forex Inflows
On July 7, 2022, the RBI introduced certain measures in order to enhance forex inflows, amongst others:
| (i) | Foreign portfolio investors (“FPIs”) are permitted to invest in government securities with 7- and 14-year maturities. |
| (ii) | During the period between July 8, 2022 and October 31, 2022, short-term investments by FPIs in government securities and corporate bonds were exempt from the limit on short-term investments until maturity or sale of such investments; the regulations required that such short-term investments shall not exceed 30 percent of the total investment of that FPI in any category. |
| (iii) | During the period between July 8, 2022 and October 31, 2022, investments by FPIs in commercial paper and non-convertible debentures with an original maturity of up to one year were exempt from the limit on short-term investments until maturity or sale of such investments. |
| (iv) | Until December 31, 2022, the maximum borrowing limit under the ECB framework was increased temporarily from US$ 750.0 million or its equivalent per financial year to US$ 1.5 billion. In addition, the all-in cost ceiling under the ECB framework was raised by 100 basis points for the same period, provided that the borrower has an investment grade rating. |
International Trade Settlement in Indian Rupees
In its circular dated July 11, 2022, the RBI set up an additional arrangement for invoicing, payment and settlement of exports/imports in Indian rupees. Before utilizing this mechanism, AD banks require prior approval from the Foreign Exchange Department of the RBI, Central Office at Mumbai.
The broad framework for cross-border trade transactions in rupees under FEMA is as follows:
| a) | Invoicing—all exports and imports may be denominated and invoiced in rupees; |
| b) | Exchange rate—the exchange rate between the currencies of the trading partner countries may be market-determined; and |
| c) | Settlement—the settlement of trade transactions shall occur in rupees in accordance with the procedure laid down in the circular. |
For settlement of trade transactions with any country, AD banks in India may open special rupee “vostro” accounts of corresponding banks of the partner trading country. Under the circular,
| a) | Indian importers shall make payment in rupees which shall be credited into the special “vostro” account of the correspondent bank of the partner country against the invoices for the supply of goods or services from the overseas seller/supplier; and |
| b) | Indian exporters shall be paid the export proceeds in rupees from the balance in the designated special “vostro” account of the correspondent bank of the partner country. |
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In addition, Indian exporters may receive advance payments against exports from overseas importers in Indian rupees through the above mechanism. Before allowing any such receipt of advance payments against exports, Indian banks shall ensure that available funds in these accounts are first used towards payment obligations arising out of already executed export orders/export payments.
The balance in the special “vostro” accounts may be used for:
| i) | Payments for projects and investments; |
| ii) | Export/import advance flow management; and |
| iii) | Investments in government treasury bills, government securities etc. within existing guidelines and prescribed limits as well as subject to FEMA and similar statutory provisions. |
Disclosures pursuant to Section 13(r) of the Exchange Act
Pursuant to Section 13(r) of the U.S. Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”), an issuer is required to disclose in its periodic reports whether it or any of its affiliates knowingly engaged in certain activities, transactions or dealings relating to Iran or with individuals or entities designated pursuant to certain Executive Orders. Disclosure may be required even where the activities, transactions or dealings were conducted in compliance with applicable law. Except as set forth below, as of the date of this annual report, HDFC Bank is not aware of any other activity, transaction or dealing by it or any of its affiliates during the year ended March 31, 2023 that requires disclosure under Section 13(r) of the Exchange Act. An individual customer of HDFC Bank was designated by the United States as a Specially Designated Global Terrorist (“SDGT”) under Executive Order 13224 in June 2021. HDFC Bank provided several banking, credit and brokerage products and services to this customer, which were initiated prior to the customer’s designation. We blocked this customer’s accounts and credit card and continued to do so while he remained designated as an SDGT. The said individual was removed from the SDGT list in April 2023. Revenue and net income generated in connection with the above-described products and services in the year ended March 31, 2023 were negligible relative to our overall revenue and net income.
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EXCHANGE CONTROLS
Restrictions on Conversion of Rupees
There are restrictions on the conversion of rupees into dollars. Before February 29, 1992, the RBI determined the official value of the rupee in relation to a weighted basket of currencies of India’s major trading partners. In the February 1992 budget, a new dual exchange rate mechanism was introduced by allowing conversion of 60.0 percent of the foreign exchange received on trade or by current account at a market-determined rate and the remaining 40.0 percent at the official rate. All importers were, however, required to buy foreign exchange at the market rate, except for certain priority imports. In March 1993, the exchange rate was unified and allowed to float. In February 1994 and again in August 1994, the RBI announced relaxations in payment restrictions in the case of a number of transactions. Since August 1994, the Government of India has substantially complied with its obligations owed to the International Monetary Fund, under which India is committed to refrain from using exchange restrictions on current international transactions as an instrument in managing the balance of payments. Effective July 1995, the process of current account convertibility was advanced by relaxing restrictions on foreign exchange for various purposes, such as foreign travel and medical treatment. The Government has also, since 1999, relaxed restrictions on capital account transactions by resident Indians. For example, the RBI permits persons resident in India to remit monies outside India for any permissible current or capital account transaction or a combination of both. The limit for such remittances varies: it has been increasing since 2000 and was US$ 200,000 per financial year, but was reduced to US$ 75,000 in September 2013 for exchange control purposes. As a result of stability in the foreign exchange market, this limit was enhanced to US$ 125,000 in June 2014 and, as of June 2015, has been further increased to US$ 250,000 per person per year.
Restrictions on Sales of the Equity Shares Underlying the ADSs and Repatriation of Sale Proceeds
Under the laws of India, ADSs issued by Indian companies to non-residents are freely transferable outside of India. Similarly, RBI approval is not required for the sale of equity shares underlying ADSs by a non-resident of India to a person resident in India, subject to reporting requirements and the applicable pricing norms if the shares are not sold on a recognized Indian exchange. However, the provisions of the Banking Regulation Act, 1949 read together with the “Guidelines on Acquisition and Holding of Shares or Voting Rights in Banking Companies” issued by the RBI in January 2023 and the “Master Direction – Reserve Bank of India (Acquisition and Holding of Shares or Voting Rights in Banking Companies) Directions, 2023” issued by the RBI will apply to both resident and non-resident investors where such acquisition results in any person’s aggregate holding (which includes total holding, directly or indirectly, beneficial or otherwise, of shares or voting rights) reaching 5.0 percent or more of the paid-up capital or voting rights in a banking company.
The Ministry of Finance, Government of India, has granted general permission for the transfer of ADRs outside India and also permitted non-resident holders of ADRs to surrender ADRs in exchange for the underlying shares of the Indian issuer company. Pursuant to the terms of the deposit agreement, an investor who surrenders ADRs and withdraws shares is permitted to redeposit such shares subject to the total issued ADRs and obtain ADRs at a later time, subject to compliance with applicable regulations.
Unlisted companies (private or public) that were previously prohibited from issuing ADSs on non-Indian stock exchanges if they were not already listed on a stock exchange in India were, in October 2013, granted a general permission to list on non-Indian stock exchanges without having to be listed in India, subject to certain conditions.
In April 2014, the provisions of the Companies Act regulating the issuance of ADSs by Indian companies came into force. In May 2014, the Government of India accepted the recommendations of the M.S. Sahoo Committee, which had drafted a new scheme to regulate ADRs. On October 21, 2014, the Government notified the Depository Receipts Scheme 2014 (“DR Scheme”), which came into force on December 15, 2014. The relevant provisions of the Companies Act and the DR Scheme will only apply to depository receipts (including ADSs) issued after April 1, 2014, and the date of the notification of the DR Scheme, respectively. In October 2019, the SEBI issued a framework for the issuance of depository receipts by a listed company. It includes the eligibility criteria for such companies, the permissible jurisdictions where such issuance or transfer may be done and the obligations of listed companies while issuing depository receipts. This framework also provides the obligations of Indian depositories and domestic custodians, whereby Indian depositories are required to develop a system to monitor the foreign holding, including that held by way of depository receipts, as per the limits prescribed under the Foreign Exchange Management Act, 1999 and applicable SEBI Regulations, and to disseminate the information regarding outstanding depository receipts and available limits for conversion. For this purpose, the framework requires Indian depositories to make necessary arrangements with the domestic custodian and/or a foreign depository. In October 2020, the SEBI issued broad operational guidelines for the above purpose.
In February 2021, the SEBI issued the master circular for depositories, which consolidated the regulations governing ADRs as well as depository receipts.
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Two-Way Fungibility of ADSs
The RBI permits the re-conversion of shares of Indian companies into ADSs, subject to the following conditions:
| • | the Indian company has issued ADSs; |
| • | the shares of the Indian company are purchased by a registered stockbroker in India in the name of the depository, on behalf of the non-resident investor who wishes to convert such shares into ADSs; |
| • | shares are purchased on a recognized stock exchange; |
| • | the shares are purchased with the permission of the custodian of the ADSs of the Indian company and are deposited with the custodian; |
| • | the number of shares so purchased does not exceed the ADSs converted into underlying shares, and is in compliance with the sectoral caps applicable under the Foreign Direct Investment regime; and |
| • | the non-resident investor, broker, custodian and the overseas depository comply with the provisions of the Depository Receipt Mechanism and the guidelines issued in relation thereto from time to time. |
The RBI requires the domestic custodian to ensure compliance with RBI guidelines and to file reports with the RBI from time to time. The domestic custodian is also required to perform, inter alia, the following functions in the context of the two-way fungibility of ADSs as per Indian laws:
| • | provide a certificate to the RBI and the SEBI stating that the sectoral caps for foreign investment in the relevant company have not been breached; |
| • | monitor the total number of ADSs that have been converted into underlying shares by non-resident investors; |
| • | liaise with the issuer company to verify that the sectoral caps for foreign direct investment, if any, are not being breached; and |
| • | file a monthly report about the ADS transactions under the two-way fungibility arrangement with the SEBI. |
An investor who surrenders an ADS and withdraws equity shares may be entitled to redeposit those equity shares in the depositary facility in exchange for ADSs, and the depositary may accept deposits of outstanding equity shares purchased by a non-resident on the local stock exchange and issue ADSs representing those equity shares. However, in each case, the aggregate number of equity shares re-deposited or deposited by such persons cannot exceed the number of shares represented by ADSs as have been previously cancelled and not already replaced by further newly issued ADSs. The RBI has issued a notification, inter alia, permitting Indian companies to sponsor ADS issues against shares held by their shareholders at a price to be determined by the lead manager. Investors who seek to sell any equity shares in India withdrawn from the depositary facility and to convert the rupee proceeds from the sale into foreign currency and repatriate the foreign currency from India will, subject to the foregoing, not have to obtain RBI approval for each transaction.
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RESTRICTIONS ON FOREIGN OWNERSHIP OF INDIAN SECURITIES
Investment in equity instruments of a company in India by a person resident outside India is governed by the Foreign Exchange Management Act, 1999 (the “Foreign Exchange Management Act”), and the Foreign Exchange Management (Non-debt Instruments) Rules, 2019 (the “NDI Rules”). An investment by a person resident outside India which does not comply with the conditions of the NDI Rules requires prior permission of the RBI, which may be provided in consultation with the Government subject to such conditions as may be considered necessary. The NDI Rules supersede the Foreign Exchange Management (Transfer or Issue of Security by a Person Resident Outside India) Regulations, 2017 (the “FEMA Transfer or Issue of Security Regulations 2017”). As was provided under FEMA Transfer or Issue of Security Regulations 2017, the NDI Rules also prescribe an “automatic route” under which no prior consent and approval is required from the RBI or the Government for FDI in certain industries within specified sectoral caps. In respect of all industries that do not fall under the automatic route, and in respect of investments which do not comply with the conditions mentioned under the automatic route, approval is required from the Government under the “government route”.
The Government also publishes a Consolidated Policy on Foreign Direct Investment (the “Consolidated FDI Policy”) which read together with Foreign Exchange Management Act, rules and regulations issued thereunder, and circulars issued by the Government and the RBI from time to time, provides the framework for foreign investments in India.
Under the current foreign investment rules, the following restrictions are applicable to non-resident ownership:
Foreign Direct Investment
The Government has put in place a policy framework on FDI that is embodied in the circular on Consolidated FDI Policy, which is generally updated periodically to include the regulatory changes effected in the interim. The Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (“DPIIT”), Ministry of Commerce and Industry and the Government make policy pronouncements on FDI through press notes/press releases which are notified as amendments to the applicable rules and regulations issued under FEMA. These notifications take effect from the date of issue of the press notes/press releases, unless specified otherwise therein. The procedural instructions may be issued by the RBI vide A.P. (DIR Series) Circulars. The regulatory framework, over a period of time, thus, consists of acts, regulations, press notes, press releases and clarifications that are consolidated in the Consolidated FDI Policy from time to time.
The present Consolidated FDI Policy subsumes and supersedes all press notes, press releases, clarifications and circulars issued by the DPIIT that were in force as of October 15, 2020, and reflects the FDI policy as of October 15, 2020. Certain actions, such as those listed below, require government approval in consultation with the DIPP by way of prior approval from the administrative ministries or departments:
| • | foreign investments, including a transfer of shares, in excess of specified sectoral caps; |
| • | transfer of control and/or ownership (as a result of a share transfer and/or new share issuance) pursuant to an amalgamation, merger or acquisition of an Indian company engaged in an activity having limitations on foreign ownership, currently owned or controlled by resident Indian citizens and Indian companies, which are owned or controlled by resident Indian citizens to a non-resident entity; |
| • | foreign investments in a non-operating company that does not have any downstream investments for undertaking activities which are under the government route. Further, as and when such a company commences business or makes downstream investment, it will have to comply with the relevant sectoral conditions on entry route, conditionalities and caps; |
| • | foreign investments by an unincorporated entity in certain cases; and |
| • | foreign investment by swap of shares for sectors under the Government approval route. |
On May 24, 2017, the Government approved the phase-out of the Foreign Investment Promotion Board (“FIPB”), which had been set up to regulate all foreign direct investment into India and whose approval was required for foreign investment in certain sectors, including defense and public sector banks. The Government nominated the relevant administrative ministries or departments for each sector as competent authorities which shall process applications for FDI requiring government approval in line with standard operating procedures (“SOP”).
A person residing outside India or any entity incorporated outside India has general permission to purchase shares, convertible debentures or preference shares of an Indian company subject to certain terms and conditions. The Government has revised the FDI regime and amended the NDI Rules to require governmental approval for any FDI (a) by an entity of a country which shares a land border with India (i.e., Pakistan, Bangladesh, Afghanistan, Nepal, Bhutan, Myanmar and China, each a “Neighboring Country”), or (b) where the beneficial owner of an investment into India is (i) situated in a Neighboring Country or (ii) a citizen of a Neighboring Country.
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Subject to certain exceptions, FDI and investment by non-resident Indians in Indian companies do not require the prior approval of the Government of India (acting through the concerned ministries or departments) or the RBI. The Government of India has indicated that in all cases where FDI is allowed under the automatic route pursuant to the Consolidated FDI Policy, the RBI would continue to be the primary agency for the purposes of monitoring and regulating foreign investment. For cases that do require an FDI approval, including cases approved by the Government in the past, the monitoring and compliance of conditions shall be done by the concerned administrative ministries and departments. Further, in cases where the approval of the Government of India is obtained, no approval of the RBI is required. In both cases, the prescribed applicable norms with respect to determining the price at which the shares may be issued by the Indian company to the non-resident investor would need to be complied with, and a declaration in the prescribed form, detailing the foreign investment, must be filed with the RBI once the foreign investment is made in the Indian company. The foregoing description applies only to an issuance of shares by, and not to a transfer of shares of, Indian companies.
The burden of compliance with the sectoral or statutory caps on such foreign investment and the related conditions, if any, is on the company receiving foreign investment.
The Government has set up the Foreign Investment Implementation Authority (the “FIIA”), in the Ministry of Commerce and Industry. The FIIA has been mandated to: (i) translate FDI approvals into implementation; (ii) provide a proactive one-stop after-care service to foreign investors by helping them obtain necessary approvals; (iii) sort out operational problems; and (iv) meet with various government agencies to find solutions to foreign investment problems and maximize opportunities through a cooperative approach.
In May 2016, the RBI issued the Reserve Bank of India (Ownership in Private Sector Banks) Directions, 2016 which have been consolidated in and repealed through the Master Direction – Reserve Bank of India (Acquisition and Holding of Shares or Voting Rights in Banking Companies) Directions, 2023. These directions are to be read with the Guidelines on Acquisition and Holding of Shares or Voting Rights in Banking Companies issued by the RBI in January 2023. Read with the guidelines, these directions prescribe requirements regarding acquisition and holding of shares or voting rights in relation to all banking companies as defined in the Banking Regulation Act, 1949. In relation to foreign investment in private sector banks in India, the Consolidated FDI Policy and the FEMA guidelines state that the foreign investment limits and sub-limits as well as the computation of foreign investment in private sector banks shall be as specified in the Consolidated FDI Policy, the Foreign Exchange Management Act and the regulations made in relation thereto, as amended from time to time. As per the Consolidated FDI Policy, dated October 15, 2020 and issued by the Government of India, and the NDI Rules, the following restrictions are applicable to foreign ownership in the Bank:
| • | Foreign investors may own up to 74 percent of the equity shares of a private sector Indian banking company subject to compliance with guidelines issued by the RBI from time to time. FDI up to 49 percent is permitted under the automatic route and FDI above 49 percent and up to 74 percent requires prior approval of the competent authorities. This 74 percent limit will include investment under the portfolio investment scheme by FPIs/NRIs and shares acquired prior to September 16, 2003 by erstwhile OCBs, and continue to include IPOs, private placements, GDR/ADRs and acquisition of shares from existing shareholders. Aggregate foreign investment in the Bank from all sources is allowed up to a maximum of 74 percent of the paid-up capital of the Bank. At least 26 percent of the paid-up capital would have to be held by Indian residents, except in the case of a wholly-owned subsidiary of a foreign bank. |
| • | An FPI may invest in the capital of an Indian banking company in the private sector under the portfolio investment scheme which limits the individual holding of an FPI to below 10 percent of the capital of the Indian banking company. With effect from April 1, 2020, the aggregate limit for FPI investment is prescribed by sectoral caps applicable to Indian companies in relation to FDI, in accordance with the NDI Rules. Subject to a resolution of the board of directors and a special resolution of the shareholders of the Indian banking company, the 74 percent limit ordinarily applicable to Indian banking companies could be decreased to 24 percent, or 49 percent of the total paid-up capital of a private sector banking company before March 31, 2020. An Indian banking company which has decreased its aggregate limit of FDI investment can increase it again, to the aggregate limit of 74 percent. However, once the aggregate limit of FPI investment is increased, the same cannot be reduced to a lower threshold by the Indian banking company. The total holding by each FPI or an investor group shall be less than 10 percent of the total paid-up capital on a fully diluted basis or less than 10 percent of the paid-up value of each series of debentures or preference shares or share warrants issued by an Indian company, and the total holdings of all FPIs put together, including any other direct and indirect foreign investments in the Indian company permitted under these rules, shall not exceed 24 percent of paid-up equity capital on a fully diluted basis or paid-up value of each series of debentures or preference shares or share warrants. The aggregate limit of 24 percent may be increased by the Indian company concerned up to the sectoral cap/statutory ceiling, as applicable, with the approval of its board of directors and its general body through a resolution and a special resolution, respectively. |
| • | No single non-resident Indian may own more than 5 percent of the total paid-up capital of a private sector banking company, and the aggregate holdings of all NRIs and OCIs cannot exceed 10 percent of the total paid-up capital. However, non-resident Indians’ holdings can be allowed up to 24 percent of the total paid-up capital, provided the banking company passes a special resolution of the shareholders to that effect. In addition, while OCBs have been derecognized as a class of investors in India with effect from September 16, 2003. ,Erstwhile OCBs which are incorporated outside India and are not under the adverse notice of RBI can make fresh investments as incorporated non-resident entities in accordance with the Consolidated FDI Policy and NDI Rules. |
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FPI Regulations
The Securities and Exchange Board of India (Foreign Portfolio Investors) Regulations, 2014 have been replaced by the Securities and Exchange Board of India (Foreign Portfolio Investors) Regulations 2019 (the “FPI Regulations”). SEBI has also issued operational guidelines dated November 5, 2019 under the FPI Regulations (the “FPI Operational Guidelines”), which have now been superseded by and incorporated in, the Master Circular for Foreign Portfolio Investors, Designated Depository Participants and Eligible Foreign Investors, dated December 19, 2022 issued, by SEBI (“2022 Master Circular”). The regulatory regime governing FPIs and investments made by them replaces the Securities and Exchange Board of India (Foreign Institutional Investors) Regulations, 1995 (the “FII Regulations”) and the regime for investments by qualified foreign investors (“QFIs”). Pursuant to the original regulations governing FPIs, which came into effect on June 1, 2014, an FII, which held a valid certificate of registration from the SEBI, was deemed to be a registered FPI until the expiry of the block of three years for which fees had been paid as per the FII Regulations. Further, an FII was not eligible to invest as an FII after registering as an FPI.
Similarly, a QFI could continue to buy, sell or otherwise deal in securities until May 31, 2015, or until the QFI obtained a certificate of registration as FPI, whichever occurred earlier.
The NDI Rules and the FPI Regulations specify that the shares purchased by a single FPI or an investor group must be below 10 percent of the total paid-up equity capital of a company on a fully diluted basis. It should be noted that multiple entities registered as FPIs, directly or indirectly, having common ownership of more than 50 percent or common control, shall be treated as part of the same investor group, and the investment limits of all such entities shall be combined to calculate the investment limit as applicable to a single FPI.
Under the FPI Regulations, only FPIs classified as Category I and persons eligible for registration as Category I FPIs may issue offshore derivative instruments (“ODIs”). Such ODIs are required to be issued after compliance with applicable “know your client” norms. The ODIs cannot be issued or transferred to persons who are not eligible to be registered as a Category I FPI under the FPI Regulations. Further, any transfer of an ODI requires prior consent of the FPI that has issued the ODI.
The 2022 Master Circular directs all the issuers of ODIs to identify and verify the beneficial owners in the subscriber entities who hold in excess of 10 percent in the case of a company, 15 percent in the case of partnership firms and unincorporated associations or bodies of individuals, and 10 percent, in case of a trust. Where no natural person is identified, the beneficial owner is the relevant natural person who holds the position of senior managing official. For entities coming from “high risk jurisdictions”, as identified by intermediary, the intermediaries may apply a lower materiality threshold of 10% for the identification of beneficial owners. The ODI issuers will have to maintain with them at all times the “know your customer” documents regarding ODI subscribers and those should be made available to SEBI on demand.
Additionally, ODI issuers are also required to file suspicious transaction reports in relation to the ODIs issued by them, if any, with the Indian Financial Intelligence Unit.
Investors in ADSs do not need to seek the specific approval from the Government of India to purchase, hold or dispose of their ADSs. Notwithstanding the foregoing, if an FPI, a non-resident Indian or an overseas corporate body were to withdraw its equity shares from the ADS program, its investment in the equity shares would be subject to the general restrictions on foreign ownership.
FPIs are now also permitted to acquire debt securities issued by infrastructure investment trusts and real estate investment trusts registered with SEBI. SEBI now also allows FPIs to participate in Indian exchange traded commodity derivatives, subject to compliance with certain terms and conditions.
Issue of Securities Through the Depository Receipt Mechanism
Issue of securities through the depository receipt mechanism by Indian companies is governed by the Companies Act, the Companies (Issue of Global Depository Receipts) Rules, 2014 (the “Depository Receipts Rules”), the DR Scheme and the NDI Rules. SEBI has through its circular dated October 10, 2019 (the “SEBI DR Circular”) on the issue of depository receipts, among other things, provided the framework for issue and transfer of equity shares and debt securities which form the underlying instruments of the depository receipts, by listed companies.
The Government of India notified the DR Scheme on October 21, 2014, which came into force on December 15, 2014. Consequently, the Issue of Foreign Currency Convertible Bonds and Ordinary Shares (Through Depository Receipt Mechanism) Scheme, 1993 has been repealed except to the extent relating to foreign currency convertible bonds.
Under the DR Scheme, an Indian company, listed or unlisted, private or public, is permitted to issue securities, including equity shares, through the depository receipt mechanism if such company has not been specifically prohibited from accessing capital markets or dealing in securities. Permissible securities that can be issued by an Indian company through the depository receipt mechanism are “securities” as defined under the Securities Contracts (Regulation) Act 1956, which includes, inter alia, shares, bonds, derivatives and units of mutual funds, electronic gold receipts, bullion spot delivery contracts, bullion depository receipts with underlying bullion and similar instruments issued by private companies, provided that such securities are in dematerialized form.
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The SEBI DR Circular defines “permissible securities” as equity shares and debt securities, which are in dematerialized form and rank pari-passu with the securities issued and listed on a recognized stock exchange. The SEBI DR Circular also provides the criteria for companies to be eligible to issue the permissible securities, and prohibits listed companies from issuing permissible securities if any of their promoters, promoter group or directors or selling shareholders are debarred from accessing the capital market by SEBI, any of the promoters or directors of the listed company are promoters or directors of any other company which is debarred from accessing the capital market by SEBI, the listed company or any of its promoters or directors is a willful defaulter, or any of its promoters or directors is a fugitive economic offender. The SEBI DR Circular further states that for the purpose of an initial issue and listing of depositary receipts, pursuant to transfer by existing holders, the listed company shall provide an opportunity to its equity shareholders to tender their shares for participation in such listing of depositary receipts.
An Indian company can issue securities to a foreign depository for the purpose of issuing depository receipts through any mode permissible for the issue of such securities to other investors. The foreign depository can issue depository receipts by way of a public offering or private placement or in any other manner prevalent in the permissible jurisdiction. The DR Scheme specifies a list of permissible jurisdictions and defines a “permissible jurisdiction” as a jurisdiction which is a member of the Financial Action Task Force on Money Laundering and whose securities market regulator is a member of the International Organization of Securities Commissions.
In terms of the DR Scheme, securities can be issued through the depository receipt mechanism up to such a limit that the aggregate underlying securities issued to foreign depositories for issuance of depository receipts along with securities already held by persons resident outside India does not exceed the applicable foreign investment limits prescribed by regulations framed under the Foreign Exchange Management Act. Further, the SEBI DR Circular requires that within this limit, the maximum aggregate permissible securities which may be issued by the listed company or transferred by the existing holders for the purpose of issue of depository receipts shall be such that the listed company is able to ensure compliance with the minimum public shareholding requirement, after excluding the permissible securities held by the depository for the purpose of issuance of depository receipts.
The depository receipts and the underlying securities may be converted into each other subject to the applicable foreign investment limit. It should be noted that the provisions of the Banking Regulation Act, 1949 read together with the “Guidelines on Acquisition and Holding of Shares or Voting Rights in Banking Companies” issued by the RBI in January 2023 and the “Master Direction – Reserve Bank of India (Acquisition and Holding of Shares or Voting Rights in Banking Companies) Directions, 2023” issued by the RBI will apply to both resident and non-resident investors where such acquisition results in any person’s aggregate holding (which includes total holding, directly or indirectly, beneficial or otherwise, of shares or voting rights) reaching 5.0 percent or more of the paid-up capital or voting rights in a banking company.
The DR Scheme provides that underlying securities shall not be issued to a foreign depository for issuance of depository receipts at a price which is less than the price applicable to a corresponding mode of issuance to domestic investors. The SEBI DR Circular further states that in case of a simultaneous listing of permissible securities on stock exchange(s) in India pursuant to a public offer/preferential allotment/qualified institutions placement, and depositary receipts on an international exchange, the price of issue or transfer of permissible securities, for the purpose of issuing depositary receipts by a foreign depository, shall not be less than the price finalized for the domestic investors under the applicable laws. Where permissible securities are issued by a listed company or transferred by the existing holders, for the purpose of issuing depositary receipts by a foreign depository, such permissible securities shall be issued at a price not less than the price applicable to a corresponding mode of issue of such permissible securities to domestic investors under the applicable laws.
In terms of the DR Scheme, the foreign depository is entitled to exercise voting rights, if any, associated with the underlying securities whether pursuant to voting instructions from the holder of depository receipts or otherwise. Further, a holder of depository receipts issued against underlying equity shares shall have the same obligations as if it is the holder of the equity shares if it has the right to issue voting instruction. However, in accordance with the SEBI DR Circular, the voting rights on permissible securities, if any, can be exercised by the holder of depository receipts through the foreign depository pursuant only to voting instruction from such holder of depository receipts.
In relation to listed companies, the SEBI DR Circular requires Indian depositories to develop a system to monitor the foreign holding, including that held by way of depository receipts, in line with the limits prescribed under the Foreign Exchange Management Act and applicable SEBI Regulations, and disseminate the information regarding outstanding depository receipts and available limits for conversion. The Indian depositories are required to make necessary arrangements with the domestic custodian and/or a foreign depository. In October 2020, the SEBI issued broad operational guidelines for this purpose.
In February 2021, the SEBI issued the master circular for depositories, which consolidated the regulations governing ADRs as well as depository receipts.
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ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
It is possible to read and copy documents referred to in this annual report on Form 20-F that have been filed with the SEC at the SEC’s public reference room located at 100 F Street NE, Washington, DC 20549. The SEC filings are also available to the public from commercial document retrieval services. The SEC also maintains a website at www.sec.gov that contains reports, proxy and information statements, and other information regarding registrants that make electronic filings with the SEC. The internet website maintained by the Bank is www.hdfcbank.com. No material on the Bank’s website forms any part of, or is incorporated by reference into, this annual report on Form 20-F. References herein to the Bank’s website shall not be deemed to cause such incorporation.
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MANAGEMENT’S REPORT ON INTERNAL CONTROL OVER FINANCIAL REPORTING
The management of HDFC Bank Limited (the “Bank”) is responsible for establishing and maintaining adequate internal control over financial reporting. The Bank’s internal control system was designed to provide reasonable assurance to the Bank’s management, its Audit Committee and Board of Directors regarding the preparation and fair presentation of published financial statements.
There are inherent limitations to the effectiveness of any internal control or system of control, however well-designed, including the possibility of human error and the possible circumvention or overriding of such controls or systems. Moreover, because of changing conditions, the reliability of internal controls may vary over time. As a result, even effective internal controls can provide no more than reasonable assurance with respect to the accuracy and completeness of financial statements and their process of preparation.
The Bank management assessed the effectiveness of the Bank’s internal control over financial reporting as of March 31, 2023. In making this assessment, it has used the criteria set forth by the Committee of Sponsoring Organizations of the Treadway Commission (COSO) in Internal Control—Integrated Framework (2013). Based on those criteria and our assessment we believe that, as of March 31, 2023, the Bank’s internal control over financial reporting was effective.
The Bank’s independent registered public accounting firm, KPMG Assurance and Consulting Services LLP, has issued an audit report on the Bank’s internal control over financial reporting.
HDFC BANK LIMITED
HDFC Bank House,
Senapati Bapat Marg,
Lower Parel,
Mumbai 400 013, India
June 29, 2023
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Report of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm
To the Shareholders and Board of Directors
HDFC Bank Limited
Opinion on Internal Control Over Financial Reporting
We have audited HDFC Bank Limited and subsidiaries’ (the Company) internal control over financial reporting as of March 31, 2023, based on criteria established in Internal Control – Integrated Framework (2013) issued by the Committee of Sponsoring Organizations of the Treadway Commission. In our opinion, the Company maintained, in all material respects, effective internal control over financial reporting as of March 31, 2023, based on criteria established in Internal Control – Integrated Framework (2013) issued by the Committee of Sponsoring Organizations of the Treadway Commission.
We also have audited, in accordance with the standards of the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (United States) (PCAOB), the consolidated balance sheets of the Company as of March 31, 2023 and 2022, the related consolidated statements of income, comprehensive income, shareholders’ equity, and cash flows for each of the years in the three-year period ended March 31, 2023, and the related notes (collectively, the consolidated financial statements), and our report dated June 29, 2023 expressed an unqualified opinion on those consolidated financial statements.
Basis for Opinion
The Company’s management is responsible for maintaining effective internal control over financial reporting and for its assessment of the effectiveness of internal control over financial reporting, included in the accompanying Management’s Report On Internal Control Over Financial Reporting. Our responsibility is to express an opinion on the Company’s internal control over financial reporting based on our audit. We are a public accounting firm registered with the PCAOB and are required to be independent with respect to the Company in accordance with the U.S. federal securities laws and the applicable rules and regulations of the Securities and Exchange Commission and the PCAOB.
We conducted our audit in accordance with the standards of the PCAOB. Those standards require that we plan and perform the audit to obtain reasonable assurance about whether effective internal control over financial reporting was maintained in all material respects. Our audit of internal control over financial reporting included obtaining an understanding of internal control over financial reporting, assessing the risk that a material weakness exists, and testing and evaluating the design and operating effectiveness of internal control based on the assessed risk. Our audit also included performing such other procedures as we considered necessary in the circumstances. We believe that our audit provides a reasonable basis for our opinion.
Definition and Limitations of Internal Control Over Financial Reporting
A company’s internal control over financial reporting is a process designed to provide reasonable assurance regarding the reliability of financial reporting and the preparation of financial statements for external purposes in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles. A company’s internal control over financial reporting includes those policies and procedures that (1) pertain to the maintenance of records that, in reasonable detail, accurately and fairly reflect the transactions and dispositions of the assets of the company; (2) provide reasonable assurance that transactions are recorded as necessary to permit preparation of financial statements in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles, and that receipts and expenditures of the company are being made only in accordance with authorizations of management and directors of the company; and (3) provide reasonable assurance regarding prevention or timely detection of unauthorized acquisition, use, or disposition of the company’s assets that could have a material effect on the financial statements.
Because of its inherent limitations, internal control over financial reporting may not prevent or detect misstatements. Also, projections of any evaluation of effectiveness to future periods are subject to the risk that controls may become inadequate because of changes in conditions, or that the degree of compliance with the policies or procedures may deteriorate.
/s/ KPMG Assurance and Consulting Services LLP
Mumbai, India
June 29, 2023
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Page |
||||
Consolidated Financial Statements of HDFC Bank Limited and its Subsidiaries: |
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F-2 |
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F-5 |
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F-6 |
||||
F-7 |
||||
F-8 |
||||
F-10 |
||||
F-12 |
||||
• |
development and review of the Company’s collective ACL methodology; |
• |
development and validation of the PD and LGD pooling models for retail loans and credit rating models for wholesale loans; |
• |
identification and determination of the significant assumptions used in the PD and LGD models and the qualitative adjustments; and |
• |
analysis of the collective ACL results and trends. |
• |
evaluating the Company’s collective ACL methodology and key assumptions for compliance with U.S. generally accepted accounting principles; |
• |
determining whether the loan portfolio is pooled by similar risk characteristics by comparing to the Company’s business environment and relevant industry practices; |
• |
evaluating judgments made by the Company relative to the development and performance monitoring testing of the PD and LGD pooling models for retail loans and credit rating models for wholesale loans by comparing them to relevant Company-specific metrics, industry and regulatory practices; |
• |
assessing the conceptual soundness and performance testing of the PD and LGD pooling models for retail loans and credit rating models for wholesale loans by inspecting the model documentation to determine whether the models are suitable for their intended use; |
• |
evaluating the appropriateness and accuracy of system scripts for gathering pools of data used in the estimation process of ACL and determining whether such scripts are consistent with the methodology; |
• |
evaluating the remaining expected life structure and length of the historical look-back period by comparing them to specific portfolio risk characteristics and trends; |
• |
evaluating the methodology used for the macroeconomic conditions assumption by comparing it to the Company’s business environment and relevant industry practices; |
• |
assessing the appropriateness of the source for macroeconomic conditions through comparison to publicly available forecasts; and |
• |
evaluating the appropriateness of the qualitative adjustments and the effect of those adjustments on the collective ACL by reviewing relevant credit risk factors and consistency with credit trends and identified limitations of the underlying models. |
• |
cumulative results of the audit procedures; |
• |
qualitative aspects of the Company’s accounting; and |
• |
potential bias in the accounting estimates. |
As of |
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March 31, 2022 |
March 31, 2023 |
March 31, 2023 |
||||||||||
(In millions, except number of shares) |
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ASSETS: |
||||||||||||
Cash and due from banks, and restricted cash |
Rs. | |
Rs. | |
US$ | |||||||
Investments held for trading, at fair value |
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Investments available for sale debt securities, at fair value [includes restricted investments of Rs. (US$ |
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Securities purchased under agreements to resell |
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Loans [net of allowance of Rs. of March 31, 2022 and March 31, 2023, respectively] |
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Accrued interest receivable |
||||||||||||
Property and equipment, net |
||||||||||||
Goodwill |
||||||||||||
Other assets |
||||||||||||
Total assets |
Rs. | |
Rs. | |
US$ | |||||||
LIABILITIES AND SHAREHOLDERS’ EQUITY: |
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Liabilities: |
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Interest-bearing deposits |
Rs. | |
Rs. | |
US$ | |||||||
Non-interest-bearing deposits |
||||||||||||
Total deposits |
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Securities sold under repurchase agreements |
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Short-term borrowings |
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Accrued interest payable |
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Long-term debt |
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Accrued expenses and other liabilities |
||||||||||||
Total liabilities |
Rs. | |
Rs. | |
US$ | |||||||
Commitments and contingencies (see note: 26) |
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Shareholders’ equity: |
||||||||||||
Equity shares: par value Rs . respectively |
Rs. | Rs. | US$ | |||||||||
Additional paid-in capital |
||||||||||||
Retained earnings |
||||||||||||
Statutory reserve |
||||||||||||
Accumulated other comprehensive income/ (loss) |
( |
) | ( |
) | ( |
) | ||||||
Total HDFC Bank Limited shareholders’ equity |
||||||||||||
Noncontrolling interest in subsidiaries |
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Total shareholders’ equity |
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Total liabilities and shareholders’ equity |
Rs. | |
Rs. | |
US$ | |
||||||
Fiscal years ended March 31, |
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2021 |
2022 |
2023 |
2023 |
|||||||||||||
(In millions, except share and per share amounts) |
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| Interest and dividend revenue: |
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| Loans |
Rs. | |
Rs. | |
Rs. | |
US$ | |
||||||||
| Trading securities |
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| Available for sale debt securities |
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| Other |
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| |
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| Total interest and dividend revenue |
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| |
|
|
|
|
|
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|
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| Interest expense: |
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| Deposits |
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| Short-term borrowings |
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| Long-term debt |
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| Other |
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| |
|
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| Total interest expense |
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| |
|
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|
|
|
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|
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| Net interest revenue |
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| Provision for credit losses |
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| |
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| Net interest revenue after provision for credit losses |
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| |
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| Non-interest revenue, net: |
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| Fees and commissions |
||||||||||||||||
| Trading securities gain/(loss), net |
||||||||||||||||
| Realized gain/(loss) on sales of available for sale debt securities, net |
( |
) | ( |
) | ||||||||||||
| Allowance on available for sale debt securities |
( |
) | ( |
) | ( |
) | ||||||||||
| Foreign exchange transactions |
||||||||||||||||
| Derivatives gain/(loss), net |
( |
) | ||||||||||||||
| Other, net |
||||||||||||||||
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|||||||||
| Total non-interest revenue, net |
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| Total revenue, net |
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| Non-interest expense: |
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| Salaries and staff benefits |
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| Premises and equipment |
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| Depreciation and amortization |
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| Administrative and other |
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| |
|
|
|
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|
|
|
|||||||||
| Total non-interest expense |
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| |
|
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|
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|
|
|
|||||||||
| Income before income tax expense |
||||||||||||||||
| Income tax expense |
||||||||||||||||
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|||||||||
| Net income before noncontrolling interest |
Rs. | Rs. | Rs. | US$ | ||||||||||||
| Less: Net income attributable to shareholders of noncontrolling interest |
||||||||||||||||
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|||||||||
| Net income attributable to HDFC Bank Limited |
Rs. | Rs. | Rs. | US$ | ||||||||||||
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|||||||||
| Per share information: (see note: 28) |
||||||||||||||||
| Earnings per equity share—basic |
Rs. | Rs. | Rs. | US$ | ||||||||||||
| Earnings per equity share—diluted |
Rs. | Rs. | Rs. | US$ | ||||||||||||
| Per ADS information (where 1 ADS represents 3 shares): (see note: 28) |
||||||||||||||||
| Earnings per ADS—basic |
Rs. | Rs. | Rs. | US$ | ||||||||||||
| Earnings per ADS—diluted |
Rs. | Rs. | Rs. | US$ | ||||||||||||
| Dividends declared per equity share |
Rs. | Rs | Rs | US$ | ||||||||||||
Fiscal years ended March 31, |
||||||||||||||||
2021 |
2022 |
2023 |
2023 |
|||||||||||||
(In millions) |
||||||||||||||||
Net income before noncontrolling interest |
Rs. | |
Rs. | |
Rs. | US$ | |
|||||||||
Other comprehensive income, net of tax: |
||||||||||||||||
Foreign currency translation adjustment: |
||||||||||||||||
Net unrealized gain/ (loss) arising during the period [net of tax Rs. ( ) and Rs. ( March 31, 2022 and March 31, 2023, respectively] |
( |
) | ||||||||||||||
Available for sale debt securities: |
||||||||||||||||
Net unrealized gain/ (loss) arising during the period [net of tax Rs. Rs. 2022 and March 31, 2023, respectively] |
( |
) | ( |
) | ( |
) | ( |
) | ||||||||
Reclassification adjustment for net (gain)/ loss included in net income [net of tax Rs. |
( |
) | ( |
) | ( |
) | ( |
) | ||||||||
Other comprehensive income, net of tax |
( |
) |
( |
) | ( |
) | ( |
) | ||||||||
Total comprehensive income |
||||||||||||||||
Less: Comprehensive income attributable to shareholders of noncontrolling interest |
||||||||||||||||
Comprehensive income attributable to HDFC Bank Limited |
Rs. | Rs. | |
Rs. | |
US$ | |
|||||||||
Fiscal years ended March 31, |
||||||||||||||||
2021 |
2022 |
2023 |
2023 |
|||||||||||||
(In millions) |
||||||||||||||||
| Cash flows from operating activities: |
||||||||||||||||
| Net income before noncontrolling interest |
Rs. | Rs. | Rs. | |
US$ | |
||||||||||
| Adjustment to reconcile net income to net cash provided by operating activities: |
||||||||||||||||
| Provision for credit losses |
||||||||||||||||
| Depreciation and amortization |
||||||||||||||||
| Amortization of deferred customer acquisition costs and fees |
||||||||||||||||
| Amortization of premium / (discount) on investments |
||||||||||||||||
| Allowance on available for sale debt securities |
( |
) | ||||||||||||||
| Deferred tax expense/ (benefit) |
( |
) | ( |
) | ||||||||||||
| Other gains, net |
( |
) | ( |
) | ( |
) | ( |
) | ||||||||
| Share-based compensation expense |
||||||||||||||||
| Net realized (gain)/ loss on sale of available for sale debt securities |
( |
) | ( |
) | ||||||||||||
| (Gain)/ loss on disposal of property and equipment, net |
( |
) | ( |
) | ( |
) | ( |
) | ||||||||
| Unrealized exchange (gain)/ loss |
( |
) | ( |
) | ||||||||||||
| Net change in: |
||||||||||||||||
| Investments held for trading |
( |
) | ( |
) | ||||||||||||
| Accrued interest receivable |
( |
) | ( |
) | ( |
) | ( |
) | ||||||||
| Other assets |
( |
) | ( |
) | ( |
) | ||||||||||
| Accrued interest payable |
( |
) | ||||||||||||||
| Accrued expense and other liabilities |
||||||||||||||||
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|||||||||
| Net cash provided by operating activities |
||||||||||||||||
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|||||||||
| Cash flows from investing activities: |
||||||||||||||||
| Term placements, net |
( |
) | ( |
) | ( |
) | ||||||||||
| Activity in available for sale debt securities: |
||||||||||||||||
| Purchases |
( |
) | ( |
) | ( |
) | ( |
) | ||||||||
| Proceeds from sales |
||||||||||||||||
| Maturities, prepayments and calls |
||||||||||||||||
| Net change in repurchase agreements and reverse repurchase agreements |
( |
) | ( |
) | ( |
) | ( |
) | ||||||||
| Loans purchased |
( |
) | ( |
) | ( |
) | ( |
) | ||||||||
| Repayments on loans purchased |
||||||||||||||||
| Increase in loans originated, net of principal collections |
( |
) | ( |
) | ( |
) | ( |
) | ||||||||
| Additions to property and equipment |
( |
) | ( |
) | ( |
) | ( |
) | ||||||||
| Proceeds from sale or disposal of property and equipment |
||||||||||||||||
| Activity in equity securities, net |
( |
) | ||||||||||||||
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|||||||||
| Net cash used in investing activities |
( |
) | ( |
) | ( |
) | ( |
) | ||||||||
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|||||||||
Fiscal years ended March 31, |
||||||||||||||||
2021 |
2022 |
2023 |
2023 |
|||||||||||||
(In millions) |
||||||||||||||||
Cash flows from financing activities: |
||||||||||||||||
Net increase in deposits |
||||||||||||||||
Net increase / (decrease) in short-term borrowings |
( |
) | ||||||||||||||
Proceeds from issue of shares by a subsidiary to noncontrolling interests |
||||||||||||||||
Proceeds from issuance of long-term debt |
||||||||||||||||
Repayment of long-term debt |
( |
) | ( |
) | ( |
) | ( |
) | ||||||||
Proceeds from issuance of equity shares for options exercised |
||||||||||||||||
Payment of dividends |
( |
) | ( |
) | ( |
) | ( |
) | ||||||||
Net cash provided by financing activities |
||||||||||||||||
Effect of exchange rate changes on cash and due from banks, and restricted cash |
( |
) | ||||||||||||||
Net change in cash and due from banks, and restricted cash |
||||||||||||||||
Cash and due from banks, and restricted cash, beginning of year |
||||||||||||||||
Cash and due from banks, and restricted cash, end of year |
Rs. | Rs. | Rs. | US$ | ||||||||||||
Supplementary cash flow information: |
||||||||||||||||
Interest paid |
Rs. | Rs. | Rs. | US$ | ||||||||||||
Income taxes paid, net of refunds |
Rs. | Rs. | Rs. | US$ | ||||||||||||
Non-cash investment activities |
||||||||||||||||
i) Payable for purchase of property and equipment |
Rs. | Rs. | Rs. | US$ | ||||||||||||
ii) Trade date sale receivable of available for sale debt securities |
Rs. | Rs. | Rs. | US$ | ||||||||||||
iii) Operating lease right-of-use assets |
Number of Equity Shares |
Equity Share Capital |
Additional Paid in Capital |
Retained Earnings |
Statutory Reserve ( *) |
Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income/ (Loss) |
Total HDFC Bank Limited Shareholders’ Equity |
Noncontrolling Interest |
Total Shareholders’ Equity |
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
(In millions, except for number of equity shares) |
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Balance at March 31, 2020 |
Rs. |
Rs. |
Rs. |
Rs. |
Rs. |
Rs. |
Rs. |
Rs. |
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Adoption of accounting standard (1) |
( |
) | ( |
) | ( |
) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Shares issued upon exercise of options |
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Share-based compensation |
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Dividends |
( |
) | ( |
) | ( |
) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Change in ownership interest in subsidiary |
( |
) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Shares issued to noncontrolling interest |
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Transfer to statutory reserve |
( |
) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Net income |
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Net change in accumulated other comprehensive income |
( |
) | ( |
) | ( |
) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Balance at March 31, 2021 |
Rs. |
Rs. |
Rs. |
Rs. |
Rs. |
Rs. |
Rs. |
Rs. |
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|||||||||||||||||||
(1) |
Effective April 1, 2020, the Bank adopted ASU2016-13 Financial Instruments – Credit Losses (Topic 326): Measurement of Credit Losses on Financial Instruments (see notes 2g, 2i, and 20). |
Number of Equity Shares |
Equity Share Capital |
Additional Paid in Capital |
Retained Earnings |
Statutory Reserve ( *) |
Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income/ (Loss) |
Total HDFC Bank Limited Shareholders’ Equity |
Noncontrolling Interest |
Total Shareholders’ Equity |
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
(In millions, except for number of equity shares) |
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Balance at March 31, 2021 |
Rs. |
Rs. |
Rs. |
Rs. |
Rs. |
Rs. |
Rs. |
Rs. |
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Shares issued upon exercise of options |
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Share-based compensation |
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Dividends |
( |
) | ( |
) | ( |
) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Change in ownership interest in subsidiary |
( |
) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Shares issued to noncontrolling interest |
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Transfer to statutory reserve |
( |
) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Net income |
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Net change in accumulated other comprehensive income |
( |
) | ( |
) | ( |
) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Balance at March 31, 2022 |
Rs. |
Rs. |
Rs. |
Rs. |
Rs. |
( |
) |
Rs. |
Rs. |
Rs. |
||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|||||||||||||||||||
Number of Equity Shares |
Equity Share Capital |
Additional Paid in Capital |
Retained Earnings |
Statutory Reserve (*) |
Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income / (Loss) |
Total HDFC Bank Limited Shareholders’ Equity |
Noncontrolling Interest |
Total Shareholders’ Equity |
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
(In millions, except for number of equity shares) |
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Balance at March 31, 2022 |
Rs. |
Rs. |
Rs. |
Rs. |
Rs. |
( |
) |
Rs. |
Rs. |
Rs. |
||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Shares issued upon exercise of options |
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Share-based compensation |
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Dividends |
( |
) | ( |
) | ( |
) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Change in ownership interest in subsidiary |
( |
) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Shares issued to noncontrolling interest |
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Transfer to statutory reserve |
( |
) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Net income |
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Net change in accumulated other comprehensive income |
( |
) | ( |
) | ( |
) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Balance at March 31, 2023 |
Rs. |
Rs. |
Rs. |
Rs. |
Rs. |
( |
) |
Rs. |
Rs. |
Rs. |
||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Balance at March 31, 2023 |
US$ |
US$ |
US$ |
US$ |
US$ |
( |
) |
US$ |
US$ |
US$ |
||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|||||||||||||||||||
( *) |
Under local regulations, the Bank is required to transfer 25% of its profit after tax (per Indian GAAP) to a non-distributable statutory reserve and to meet certain other conditions in order to pay dividends without prior RBI approval. |
| • | the allowance for loan losses, which covers the Bank’s loan portfolios and is presented separately on the balance sheet in Loans, |
| • | the allowance for lending-related commitments, which is recognized on the balance sheet in Accrued expenses and other liabilities, |
| • | the allowance for credit losses on investment securities, which covers the Bank’s AFS debt securities and is recognized on the balance sheet in Investments AFS debt securities; and |
| • | the allowance for credit losses on other financial assets measured at amortized cost, and other off-balance sheet credit exposures, which is recognized on the balance sheet in Accrued expenses and other liabilities. |
| Type of Asset |
Rate of depreciation | |
| Premises |
||
| Software and systems |
||
| Equipment and furniture |
As of March 31, 2022 |
||||||||||||||||
Amortized Cost |
Gross Unrealized Gains |
Gross Unrealized Losses |
Fair Value |
|||||||||||||
| |
|
|
|
|||||||||||||
(In millions) |
||||||||||||||||
| Government of India securities |
Rs. | Rs. | Rs. | Rs. | ||||||||||||
| Other corporate/financial institution securities |
||||||||||||||||
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|||||||||
| Total debt securities |
Rs. | Rs. | Rs. | Rs. | ||||||||||||
| Other securities (including mutual fund units) |
||||||||||||||||
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|||||||||
| Total |
Rs. | Rs. | Rs. | Rs. | ||||||||||||
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|||||||||
As of March 31, 2023 |
||||||||||||||||
Amortized Cost |
Gross Unrealized Gains |
Gross Unrealized Losses |
Fair Value |
|||||||||||||
| |
|
|
|
|||||||||||||
(In millions) |
||||||||||||||||
| Government of India securities |
Rs. | Rs. | Rs. | Rs. | ||||||||||||
| Other corporate/financial institution securities |
||||||||||||||||
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|||||||||
| Total debt securities |
Rs. | Rs. | Rs. | Rs. | ||||||||||||
| Other securities (including mutual fund units) |
||||||||||||||||
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|||||||||
| Total |
Rs. | Rs. | Rs. | Rs. |
||||||||||||
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|||||||||
| Total |
US$ | US$ | US$ | US$ | ||||||||||||
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|||||||||
As of March 31, 2022 |
||||||||||||||||
Amortized Cost |
Gross Unrealized Gains |
Gross Unrealized Losses |
Fair Value |
|||||||||||||
| |
|
|
|
|||||||||||||
(In millions) |
||||||||||||||||
| Government of India securities |
Rs. | Rs. | Rs. | Rs. | ||||||||||||
| State government securities |
||||||||||||||||
| Government securities outside India |
||||||||||||||||
| Credit substitutes (see note 7) |
||||||||||||||||
| Other corporate/financial institution bonds |
||||||||||||||||
| Debt securities, other than asset and mortgage-backed securities |
||||||||||||||||
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|||||||||
| Mortgage-backed securities |
||||||||||||||||
| Asset-backed securities |
||||||||||||||||
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|||||||||
| Total |
Rs. | Rs. | Rs. | Rs. | ||||||||||||
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|||||||||
| Securities with gross unrealized losses |
Rs. | |||||||||||||||
| Securities with gross unrealized gains |
||||||||||||||||
| |
|
|||||||||||||||
| Rs. | ||||||||||||||||
| |
|
|||||||||||||||
As of March 31, 2023 |
||||||||||||||||
Amortized Cost |
Gross Unrealized Gains |
Gross Unrealized Losses |
Fair Value |
|||||||||||||
| |
|
|
|
|||||||||||||
(In millions) |
||||||||||||||||
| Government of India securities |
Rs. | Rs. | Rs. | Rs. | ||||||||||||
| State government securities |
||||||||||||||||
| Government securities outside India |
||||||||||||||||
| Credit substitutes (see note 7) |
||||||||||||||||
| Other corporate/financial institution bonds |
||||||||||||||||
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|||||||||
| Debt securities, other than asset and mortgage-backed securities |
||||||||||||||||
| Mortgage-backed securities |
||||||||||||||||
| Asset-backed securities |
||||||||||||||||
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|||||||||
| Total |
Rs. | Rs. | Rs. | Rs. | ||||||||||||
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|||||||||
| Total |
US$ | US$ | US$ | US$ | ||||||||||||
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|||||||||
| Securities with gross unrealized losses |
Rs. | |||||||||||||||
| Securities with gross unrealized gains |
||||||||||||||||
| |
|
|||||||||||||||
| Rs. | ||||||||||||||||
| |
|
|||||||||||||||
| US$ | ||||||||||||||||
| |
|
|||||||||||||||
As of March 31, 2022 |
||||||||||||||||||||||||
Less Than 12 Months |
12 Months or Greater |
Total |
||||||||||||||||||||||
Fair Value |
Unrealized Losses |
Fair Value |
Unrealized Losses |
Fair Value |
Unrealized Losses |
|||||||||||||||||||
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|||||||||||||
(In millions) |
||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Government of India securities |
Rs. | Rs. | Rs. | Rs. | Rs. | Rs. | ||||||||||||||||||
| State government securities |
||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Government securities outside India |
||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Credit substitutes (see note 7) |
||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Other corporate/financial institution bonds |
||||||||||||||||||||||||
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|||||||||||||
| Debt securities, other than asset- and mortgage-backed securities |
||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Mortgage-backed securities |
||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Asset-backed securities |
||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Other securities (including mutual fund units) |
||||||||||||||||||||||||
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|||||||||||||
| Total |
Rs. | Rs. | Rs. | Rs. | Rs. | Rs. | ||||||||||||||||||
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|||||||||||||
As of March 31, 2023 |
||||||||||||||||||||||||
Less Than 12 Months |
12 Months or Greater |
Total |
||||||||||||||||||||||
Fair Value |
Unrealized Losses |
Fair Value |
Unrealized Losses |
Fair Value |
Unrealized Losses |
|||||||||||||||||||
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|||||||||||||
(In millions) |
||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Government of India securities |
Rs. | Rs. | Rs. | Rs. | Rs. | Rs. | ||||||||||||||||||
| State government securities |
||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Government securities outside India |
||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Credit substitutes (see note 7) |
||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Other corporate/financial institution bonds |
||||||||||||||||||||||||
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|||||||||||||
| Debt securities, other than asset- and mortgage-backed securities |
||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Mortgage-backed securities |
||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Asset-backed securities |
||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Other securities (including mutual fund units) |
||||||||||||||||||||||||
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|||||||||||||
| Total |
Rs. | Rs. | Rs. | Rs. | Rs. | Rs. | ||||||||||||||||||
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|||||||||||||
| Total |
US$ | US$ | US$ | US$ | US$ | US$ | ||||||||||||||||||
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|||||||||||||
As of March 31, 2022 |
||||||||||||||||
| Allowance for credit losses, beginning of the period |
Write-offs |
Addition / ( toDeletion )allowance for credit losses |
Allowance for credit losses, end of the period |
|||||||||||||
| |
|
|
|
|||||||||||||
(In millions) |
||||||||||||||||
| Credit substitutes |
Rs. | Rs. | Rs. | ( |
) | Rs. | ||||||||||
| Other corporate/financial institution bonds |
||||||||||||||||
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|||||||||
| Total |
Rs. | Rs. | Rs. | ( |
) | Rs. | |
|||||||||
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|||||||||
As of March 31, 2023 |
||||||||||||||||
| Allowance for credit losses, beginning of the period |
Write-offs |
Addition/(Deletion) to allowance for credit losses |
Allowance for credit losses, end of the period |
|||||||||||||
| |
|
|
|
|||||||||||||
(In millions) |
||||||||||||||||
| Credit substitutes |
Rs. | Rs. | Rs. | Rs. | ||||||||||||
| Other corporate/financial institution bonds |
||||||||||||||||
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|||||||||
| Total |
Rs. | Rs. | Rs. | Rs. | ||||||||||||
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|||||||||
| Total |
US$ | |
US$ | |
US$ | |
US$ | |
||||||||
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|||||||||
As of March 31, 2023 |
||||||||||||
Amortized Cost |
Fair Value |
Fair Value |
||||||||||
| |
|
|
||||||||||
(In millions) |
||||||||||||
| Within one year |
Rs. | Rs. | US$ | |||||||||
| Over one year through five years |
||||||||||||
| Over five years through ten years |
||||||||||||
| Over ten years |
||||||||||||
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|||||||
| Total |
Rs. | Rs. | US$ | |||||||||
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|||||||
As of March 31, 2023 |
||||||||||||
Amortized Cost |
Fair Value |
Fair Value |
||||||||||
| |
|
|
||||||||||
(In millions) |
||||||||||||
| Within one year |
Rs. | Rs. | US$ | |||||||||
| Over one year through five years |
||||||||||||
| Over five years through ten years |
||||||||||||
| Over ten years |
||||||||||||
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|||||||
| Total |
Rs. | Rs. | US$ | |||||||||
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|||||||
Fiscal year ended March 31, |
||||||||||||||||
2021 |
2022 |
2023 |
2023 |
|||||||||||||
| |
|
|
|
|||||||||||||
(In millions) |
||||||||||||||||
| Gross realized gains on sale |
Rs. | Rs. | Rs. | US$ | ||||||||||||
| Gross realized losses on sale |
( |
) | ( |
) | ( |
) | ( |
) | ||||||||
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|||||||||
| Realized gains/ (losses), net |
( |
) | ( |
) | ||||||||||||
| Dividends and interest |
||||||||||||||||
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|||||||||
| Total |
Rs. | Rs. | Rs. | US$ | ||||||||||||
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|||||||||
As of March 31, |
||||||||||||||||
2022 |
2023 |
|||||||||||||||
Amortized Cost |
Fair Value |
Amortized Cost |
Fair Value |
|||||||||||||
| |
|
|
|
|||||||||||||
(In millions) |
||||||||||||||||
| Available for sale credit substitute debt securities: |
||||||||||||||||
| Debentures |
Rs. | Rs. |
Rs. | Rs. | ||||||||||||
| Preference shares |
||||||||||||||||
| Commercial paper |
||||||||||||||||
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|||||||||
| Total |
Rs. | Rs. |
Rs. | Rs. | ||||||||||||
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|||||||||
| US$ | US$ | |||||||||||||||
| |
|
|
|
|||||||||||||
As of March 31, |
||||||||||||
2022 |
2023 |
2023 |
||||||||||
| |
|
|
||||||||||
(In millions) |
||||||||||||
| Pass |
Rs. | Rs. | US$ | |||||||||
| Non-performing—gross balance |
||||||||||||
| Less: Non-performing losses |
||||||||||||
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|||||||
| Non-performing credit substitutes, net |
||||||||||||
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|||||||
| Total credit substitutes, net |
Rs. | Rs. | US$ | |||||||||
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|||||||
As of March 31, |
||||||||||||
2022 |
2023 |
2023 |
||||||||||
| |
|
|
||||||||||
(In millions) |
||||||||||||
| Gross non-performing credit substitutes |
Rs | |
Rs | |
US$ |
|||||||
| Gross non-performing credit substitutes by industry |
Rs. | |
Rs. | |
US$ |
|||||||
| Average non-performing credit substitutes |
Rs. | |
Rs. | |
US$ |
|||||||
| Interest income recognized on non-performing credit substitutes |
Rs. | |
Rs. | |
US$ |
|||||||
As of March 31, |
||||||||||||
2022 |
2023 |
2023 |
||||||||||
| |
|
|
||||||||||
(In millions) |
||||||||||||
| Retail loans: |
||||||||||||
| Auto loans |
Rs. | Rs. | US$ | |||||||||
| Personal loans/Credit cards |
||||||||||||
| Retail business banking |
||||||||||||
| Commercial vehicle and construction equipment finance |
||||||||||||
| Housing loans |
||||||||||||
| Other retail loans |
||||||||||||
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|||||||
| Subtotal |
Rs. | Rs. | US$ | |||||||||
| Wholesale loans |
Rs. | Rs. | US$ | |||||||||
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|||||||
| Gross loans |
||||||||||||
| Less: Allowance for credit losses |
||||||||||||
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|||||||
| Total |
Rs. | Rs. | US$ | |||||||||
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|||||||
As of March 31, 2023 |
||||||||||||
Wholesale loans |
Retail loans |
Total |
||||||||||
| |
|
|
||||||||||
(In millions) |
||||||||||||
| Maturity profile of loans: |
||||||||||||
| Within one year |
Rs. | Rs. | Rs. | |||||||||
| Over one year through five years |
||||||||||||
| Over five years |
||||||||||||
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|||||||
| Total |
Rs. | Rs. | Rs. | |||||||||
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|||||||
| Total |
US$ | US$ | US$ | |||||||||
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|||||||
As of March 31, 2022 |
||||||||||||||||||||
31-90 days past due |
Non-accrual/ 91 days or more past due |
Current (1), |
Total |
Finance receivable on non-accrual status |
||||||||||||||||
(In millions) |
||||||||||||||||||||
| Retail Loans |
||||||||||||||||||||
| Auto loans |
Rs. | Rs. | Rs. | Rs. | Rs. | |||||||||||||||
| Personal loans/Credit card |
||||||||||||||||||||
| Retail business banking |
||||||||||||||||||||
| Commercial vehicle and construction equipment finance |
||||||||||||||||||||
| Housing loans |
||||||||||||||||||||
| Other retail |
||||||||||||||||||||
| Wholesale loans |
||||||||||||||||||||
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|||||||||||
| Total |
Rs. | Rs. | Rs. | Rs. | Rs. | |||||||||||||||
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|||||||||||
(1) |
Loans up to 30 days past due are considered current. |
(2) |
Includes crop-related agricultural loans with days past due less than 366 as they are not considered as non-performing of Rs. 34.2 billion. |
As of March 31, 2023 |
||||||||||||||||||||
31-90 days past due |
Non-accrual/ 91 days or more past due |
Current (1),(2) |
Total |
Finance receivable on non-accrual status |
||||||||||||||||
(In millions) |
||||||||||||||||||||
| Retail Loans |
||||||||||||||||||||
| Auto loans |
Rs. | Rs. | Rs. | Rs. | Rs. | |||||||||||||||
| Personal loans/Credit card |
||||||||||||||||||||
| Retail business banking |
||||||||||||||||||||
| Commercial vehicle and construction equipment finance |
||||||||||||||||||||
| Housing loans |
||||||||||||||||||||
| Other retail |
||||||||||||||||||||
| Wholesale loans |
||||||||||||||||||||
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|||||||||||
| Total |
Rs. | Rs. | Rs. | Rs. | Rs. | |||||||||||||||
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|||||||||||
| Total |
US$ | US$ | US$ | US$ | US$ | |||||||||||||||
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|||||||||||
( 1) |
Loans up to 30 days past due are considered current. |
( 2) |
Includes crop-related agricultural loans with days past due less than 366 as they are not considered as non-performing of Rs. 31.8 billion. |
Term loans by origination |
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Credit quality indicators-Internally assigned grade |
Prior |
2018 |
2019 |
2020 |
2021 |
2022 |
Revolving loans |
Revolving loans converted to term loans |
Total |
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||
(In millions) |
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Auto loans |
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Performing |
Rs. | Rs. | Rs. | Rs. | Rs. | Rs. | Rs. | Rs. | Rs. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Non-performing |
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|||||||||||||||||||
| Subtotal |
Rs. | Rs. | Rs. | Rs. | Rs. | Rs. | Rs. | Rs. | Rs. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Personal loans/Credit card |
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Performing |
Rs. | Rs. | Rs. | Rs. | Rs. | Rs. | Rs. | Rs. | Rs. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Non-performing |
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|||||||||||||||||||
| Subtotal |
Rs. | Rs. | Rs. | Rs. | Rs. | Rs. | Rs. | Rs. | Rs. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Retail business banking |
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Performing |
Rs. | Rs. | Rs. | Rs. | Rs. | Rs. | Rs. | Rs. | Rs. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Non-performing |
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|||||||||||||||||||
| Subtotal |
Rs. | Rs. | Rs. | Rs. | Rs. | Rs. | Rs. | Rs. | Rs. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Commercial vehicle and construction equipment finance |
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Performing |
Rs. | Rs. | Rs. | Rs. | Rs. | Rs. | Rs. | Rs. | Rs. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Non-performing |
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|||||||||||||||||||
| Subtotal |
Rs. | Rs. | Rs. | Rs. | Rs. | Rs. | Rs. | Rs. | Rs. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Housing loans |
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Performing |
Rs. | Rs. | Rs. | Rs. | Rs. | Rs. | Rs. | Rs. | Rs. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Non-performing |
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|||||||||||||||||||
| Subtotal |
Rs. | Rs. | Rs. | Rs. | Rs. | Rs. | Rs. | Rs. | Rs. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Other retail loans |
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Performing |
Rs. | Rs. | Rs. | Rs. | Rs. | Rs. | Rs. | Rs. | Rs. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Non-performing |
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|||||||||||||||||||
| Subtotal |
Rs. | Rs | Rs. | Rs. | Rs. | Rs. | Rs. | Rs. | Rs. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|||||||||||||||||||
| Total |
Rs. | Rs. | Rs. | Rs. | Rs. | Rs. | Rs. | Rs. | Rs. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|||||||||||||||||||
Term loans by origination |
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Credit quality indicators- Internally assigned grade |
Prior |
2019 |
2020 |
2021 |
2022 |
2023 |
Revolving loans |
Revolving loans converted to term loans |
Total |
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||
(In millions) |
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Auto loans |
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Performing |
Rs. | Rs. | Rs. | Rs. | Rs. | Rs. | Rs. | Rs. | |
Rs. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Non-performing |
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|||||||||||||||||||
| Subtotal |
Rs. | Rs. | Rs. | Rs. | Rs. | Rs. | Rs. | Rs. | Rs. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Personal loans/Credit card |
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Performing |
Rs. | Rs. | Rs. | Rs. | Rs. | Rs. | Rs. | Rs. | Rs. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Non-performing |
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|||||||||||||||||||
| Subtotal |
Rs. | Rs. | Rs. | Rs. | Rs. | Rs. | Rs. | Rs. | Rs. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Retail business banking |
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Performing |
Rs. | Rs. | Rs. | Rs. | Rs. | Rs. | Rs. | Rs. | Rs. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Non-performing |
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|||||||||||||||||||
| Subtotal |
Rs. | Rs. | Rs. | Rs. | Rs. | Rs. | Rs. | Rs. | Rs. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Commercial vehicle and construction equipment finance |
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Performing |
Rs. | Rs. | Rs. | Rs. | Rs. | Rs. | Rs. | Rs. | Rs. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Non-performing |
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|||||||||||||||||||
| Subtotal |
Rs. | Rs. | Rs. | Rs. | Rs. | Rs. | Rs. | Rs. | Rs. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Housing loans |
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Performing |
Rs. | Rs. | Rs. | Rs. | Rs. | Rs. | Rs. | Rs. | Rs. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Non-performing |
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|||||||||||||||||||
| Subtotal |
Rs. | Rs. | Rs. | Rs. | Rs. | Rs. | Rs. | Rs. | Rs. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Other retail loans |
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Performing |
Rs. | Rs. | Rs. | Rs. | Rs. | Rs. | Rs. | Rs. | Rs. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Non-performing |
— |
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|||||||||||||||||||
| Subtotal |
Rs. | Rs. | Rs. | Rs. | Rs. | Rs. | Rs. | Rs. | Rs. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Total |
Rs. | Rs. | Rs. | Rs. | Rs. | Rs. | Rs. | Rs. | Rs. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|||||||||||||||||||
| Total |
US$ | US$ | US$ | US$ | US$ | US$ | US$ | US$ | US$ | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|||||||||||||||||||
Term loans by origination |
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Credit quality indicators-Internally assigned grade |
Prior |
2018 |
2019 |
2020 |
2021 |
2022 |
Revolving Loans |
Total |
||||||||||||||||||||||||
(In millions) |
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Wholesale loans |
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Pass |
Rs. | Rs. | Rs. | Rs. | Rs. | Rs. | Rs. | Rs. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Labeled |
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Non-performing |
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|||||||||||||||||
| Total |
Rs. | Rs. | Rs. | Rs. | Rs. | Rs. | Rs. | Rs. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|||||||||||||||||
Term loans by origination |
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Credit quality indicators- Internally assigned grade |
Prior |
2019 |
2020 |
2021 |
2022 |
2023 |
Revolving Loans |
Total |
||||||||||||||||||||||||
(In millions) |
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Wholesale loans |
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Pass |
Rs. | Rs. | Rs. | Rs. | Rs. | Rs. | Rs. | Rs. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Labeled |
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Non-performing |
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|||||||||||||||||
| Total |
Rs. | Rs. | Rs. | Rs. | Rs. | Rs. | Rs. | Rs. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|||||||||||||||||
| Total |
US$ |
US$ |
US$ |
US$ |
US$ |
US$ |
US$ |
US$ |
||||||||||||||||||||||||
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|||||||||||||||||
As of March 31, 2022 |
||||
(In millions) |
||||
| Gross non-performing loans by industry: |
||||
| — Consumer Loans |
Rs. | |||
| — Agri Production—Food |
||||
| — Retail Trade |
||||
| — Agri Allied |
||||
| — Road Transportation |
||||
| — Consumer services |
||||
| — Others (none greater than 5% of non-performing loans) |
||||
| |
|
|||
| Total |
Rs. | |||
| |
|
|||
As of March 31, 2023 |
||||||||
(In millions) |
||||||||
| Gross non-performing loans by industry: |
||||||||
| — Consumer Loans |
Rs. | US$ | ||||||
| — Agri Production—Food |
||||||||
| — Retail Trade |
||||||||
| — Agri Allied |
||||||||
| — Consumer services |
||||||||
| — Road Transportation |
||||||||
| — Others (none greater than 5% of non-performing loans) |
||||||||
| |
|
|
|
|||||
| Total |
Rs. |
US$ | ||||||
| |
|
|
|
|||||
Fiscal year ended March 31, |
||||||||||||||||
2021 |
2022 |
2023 |
2023 |
|||||||||||||
(In millions) |
||||||||||||||||
| Interest income recognized on non-performing loans |
Rs. | Rs. | Rs. | US$ | ||||||||||||
Auto loans |
Personal loans/ Credit card |
Retail business banking |
Commercial vehicle and construction equipment finance |
Housing loans |
Other retail |
Wholesale |
Total |
|||||||||||||||||||||||||
(In millions) |
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Allowance for credit losses, beginning of the period |
Rs. | |
Rs. | |
Rs. | |
Rs. | |
Rs. | |
Rs. | |
Rs. | |
Rs. | |
||||||||||||||||
| Impact of adopting ASC 326 |
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Write-offs |
( |
) | ( |
) | ( |
) | ( |
) | ( |
) | ( |
) | ( |
) | ( |
) | ||||||||||||||||
| Net allowance for credit losses ( *) |
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Allowance for credit losses, end of the period |
Rs. | |
Rs. | |
Rs. | |
Rs. | |
Rs. | |
Rs. | |
Rs. | |
Rs. | |
||||||||||||||||
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|||||||||||||||||
| Allowance for credit losses: |
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Individually evaluated a llowance |
Rs. | |
Rs. | |
Rs. | |
Rs. | |
Rs. | |
Rs. | |
Rs. | |
Rs. | |
||||||||||||||||
| Collectively evaluated a llowance |
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Loans: |
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Individually evaluated l oans |
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Collectively evaluated l oans |
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
( *) |
Net allowances for credit losses charged to expense does not include the recoveries against write-off cases amounting to Rs. |
Auto loans |
Personal loans/ Credit card |
Retail business banking |
Commercial vehicle and construction equipment finance |
Housing loans |
Other retail |
Wholesale |
Total |
|||||||||||||||||||||||||
(In millions) |
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Allowance for credit losses, beginning of the period |
Rs. | |
Rs. | |
Rs. | |
Rs. | |
Rs. | |
Rs. | |
Rs. | |
Rs. | |
||||||||||||||||
| Write-offs |
( |
) | ( |
) | ( |
) | ( |
) | ( |
) | ( |
) | ( |
) | ( |
) | ||||||||||||||||
| Net allowance for credit losses ( *) |
( |
) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Allowance for credit losses, end of the |
Rs. | |
Rs. | |
Rs. | |
Rs. | |
Rs. | |
Rs. | |
Rs. | |
Rs. | |
||||||||||||||||
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|||||||||||||||||
| Allowance for credit losses: |
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Individually evaluated allowance |
Rs. | |
Rs. | |
Rs. | |
Rs. | |
Rs. | |
Rs. | |
Rs. | |
Rs. | |
||||||||||||||||
| Collectively evaluated a llowance |
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Loans: |
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Individually evaluated l oans |
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Collectively evaluated l oans |
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
( *) |
Net allowances for credit losses charged to expense does not include the recoveries against write-off cases amounting to Rs. |
Auto loans |
Personal loans/ Credit card |
Retail business banking |
Commercial vehicle and c onstructionequipment finance |
Housing loans |
Other retail |
Wholesale |
Total |
Total |
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
(In millions) |
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Allowance for credit losses, beginning of the period |
Rs. |
Rs. |
Rs. |
Rs. |
Rs. |
Rs. |
Rs. |
Rs. |
US$ |
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Write-offs |
( |
) |
( |
) |
( |
) |
( |
) |
( |
) |
( |
) |
( |
) |
( |
) |
( |
) | ||||||||||||||||||
| Net allowance for credit losses ( *) |
( |
) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Allowance for credit losses, end of the period |
Rs. |
Rs. |
Rs. |
Rs. |
Rs. |
Rs. |
Rs. |
Rs. |
US$ |
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|||||||||||||||||||
| Allowance for credit losses: |
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Individually evaluated a llowance |
Rs. |
Rs. |
Rs. |
Rs. |
Rs. |
Rs. |
Rs. |
Rs. |
US$ |
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Collectively evaluated a llowance |
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Loans: |
— |
— |
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Individually evaluated l oans |
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Collectively evaluated l oans |
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
( *) |
Net allowances for credit losses charged to expense does not include the recoveries against write-off cases amounting to Rs. |
Fiscal year ended March 31, |
||||||||||||||||
2021 |
2022 |
2023 |
2023 |
|||||||||||||
(In millions) |
||||||||||||||||
| Wholesale loans |
Rs. |
Rs. |
Rs. |
US$ |
||||||||||||
| Retail loans |
||||||||||||||||
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|||||||||
| Total |
Rs. |
Rs. |
Rs. |
US$ |
||||||||||||
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|||||||||
As of March 31, 2022 |
||||||||||||||||||||
| Category |
Gross loans |
Fair value of credit substitutes |
Non-funded exposure |
Total |
% |
|||||||||||||||
(In millions, except percentages) |
||||||||||||||||||||
| Consumer Loans |
Rs. | Rs. | Rs. | Rs. | ||||||||||||||||
| Power |
||||||||||||||||||||
| Financial Institutions |
||||||||||||||||||||
| NBFC |
||||||||||||||||||||
| Retail Trade |
||||||||||||||||||||
| Coal Petroleum Products |
||||||||||||||||||||
| Infrastructure Development |
||||||||||||||||||||
| Automobile Auto Ancillary |
||||||||||||||||||||
| Consumer Services |
||||||||||||||||||||
| Food and Beverage |
||||||||||||||||||||
| Wholesale Trade—Non Industrial |
||||||||||||||||||||
| Real Estate Property Services |
||||||||||||||||||||
| Wholesale Trade—Industrial |
||||||||||||||||||||
| Road Transportation |
||||||||||||||||||||
| Iron and Steel |
||||||||||||||||||||
| Telecom |
||||||||||||||||||||
| Textiles Garments |
||||||||||||||||||||
| Engineering |
||||||||||||||||||||
| Agri Production—Food |
||||||||||||||||||||
| Others (none greater than 2%) |
||||||||||||||||||||
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|||||||||||
| Total |
Rs. | Rs. | Rs. | Rs. | ||||||||||||||||
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|||||||||||
As of March 31, 2023 |
||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Category |
Gross loans |
Fair value of credit substitutes |
Non-funded exposure |
Total |
Total |
% |
||||||||||||||||||
(In millions, except percentages) |
||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Consumer Loans |
Rs. |
Rs. |
Rs. |
Rs. |
US$ |
|||||||||||||||||||
| Retail Trade |
||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Power |
||||||||||||||||||||||||
| NBFC |
||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Financial Institutions |
||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Consumer Services |
||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Food and Beverage |
||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Road Transportation |
||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Coal Petroleum Products |
||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Wholesale Trade—Non Industrial |
||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Automobile Auto Ancillary |
||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Real Estate Property Services |
||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Wholesale Trade—Industrial |
||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Infrastructure Development |
||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Engineering |
||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Agri—Allied |
||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Iron and Steel |
||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Textiles Garments |
||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Telecom |
||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Agri Production—Food |
||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Others (none greater than 2%) |
||||||||||||||||||||||||
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|||||||||||||
| Total |
Rs. |
Rs. |
Rs. |
Rs. |
US $ |
|||||||||||||||||||
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|||||||||||||
As of March 31, 2022 |
||||||||||||
Funded Exposure |
Non-Funded Exposure |
Total Exposure |
||||||||||
(In millions) |
||||||||||||
| Borrower 1 |
Rs. | Rs. | Rs. | |||||||||
| Borrower 2 |
||||||||||||
| Borrower 3 |
||||||||||||
| Borrower 4 |
||||||||||||
| Borrower 5 |
||||||||||||
| Borrower 6 |
||||||||||||
| Borrower 7 |
||||||||||||
| Borrower 8 |
||||||||||||
| Borrower 9 |
||||||||||||
| Borrower 10 |
||||||||||||
As of March 31, 2023 |
||||||||||||||||
Funded Exposure |
Non-Funded Exposure |
Total Exposure |
Total Exposure |
|||||||||||||
(In millions) |
||||||||||||||||
| Borrower 1 |
Rs. |
Rs. |
Rs. |
US$ |
||||||||||||
| Borrower 2 |
||||||||||||||||
| Borrower 3 |
||||||||||||||||
| Borrower 4 |
||||||||||||||||
| Borrower 5 |
||||||||||||||||
| Borrower 6 |
||||||||||||||||
| Borrower 7 |
||||||||||||||||
| Borrower 8 |
||||||||||||||||
| Borrower 9 |
||||||||||||||||
| Borrower 10 |
||||||||||||||||
As of March 31, |
||||||||||||
2022 |
2023 |
2023 |
||||||||||
(In millions) |
||||||||||||
| Land and premises |
Rs. |
Rs. |
US$ |
|||||||||
| Software and systems |
||||||||||||
| Equipment and furniture |
||||||||||||
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|||||||
| Property and equipment, at cost |
||||||||||||
| Less: Accumulated depreciation |
||||||||||||
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|||||||
| Property and equipment, net |
Rs. |
Rs. |
US$ |
|||||||||
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|||||||
As of March 31, |
||||||||||||
2022 |
2023 |
2023 |
||||||||||
(In millions) |
||||||||||||
| Security deposits for leased property |
Rs. |
Rs. |
US$ |
|||||||||
| Sundry accounts receivable |
||||||||||||
| Advance income tax (in excess of current tax expense) |
||||||||||||
| Advances |
||||||||||||
| Prepaid expenses |
||||||||||||
| Deposits/Margins paid |
||||||||||||
| Derivatives (see note 23) |
||||||||||||
| Term placements |
||||||||||||
| Receivable on account of trade date |
||||||||||||
| -of- assets |
||||||||||||
| Others ( *) |
||||||||||||
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|||||||
| Total |
Rs. |
Rs. |
US$ |
|||||||||
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|||||||
( *) |
Others include equity securities with carrying value amounting to Rs. of March 31, 2022 and March 31, 2023, respectively. Equity securities include non-marketable equity securities carried at cost of Rs. of March 31, 2022 and March 31, 2023, respectively. Unrealized gain/(loss)( million and Rs. fiscal years ended March 31, 2022 and March 31, 2023, respectively. |
As of March 31, |
||||||||||||
2022 |
2023 |
2023 |
||||||||||
(In millions) |
||||||||||||
| Interest-bearing: |
||||||||||||
| Savings deposits |
Rs. |
Rs. |
US$ |
|||||||||
| Time deposits |
||||||||||||
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|||||||
| Total interest-bearing deposits |
||||||||||||
| Non-interest-bearing deposits |
||||||||||||
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|||||||
| Total |
Rs. |
Rs. |
US$ |
|||||||||
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|||||||
As of March 31, 2023 |
||||||||
(In millions) |
||||||||
| Due to mature in the fiscal year ending March 31: |
||||||||
| 2024 |
Rs. |
US$ |
||||||
| 2025 |
||||||||
| 2026 |
||||||||
| 2027 |
||||||||
| 2028 |
||||||||
| Thereafter |
||||||||
| |
|
|
|
|||||
| Total |
Rs. |
US$ |
||||||
| |
|
|
|
|||||
As of March 31, |
||||||||||||
2022 |
2023 |
2023 |
||||||||||
(In millions) |
||||||||||||
| Borrowed in the call market |
Rs. |
Rs. |
US$ |
|||||||||
| Term borrowings from institutions/banks |
||||||||||||
| Foreign currency borrowings |
||||||||||||
| Bills rediscounted |
||||||||||||
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|||||||
| Total |
Rs. |
Rs. |
US$ |
|||||||||
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|||||||
| Total borrowings outstanding: |
||||||||||||
| Maximum amount outstanding |
Rs. |
Rs. |
US$ |
|||||||||
| Average amount outstanding |
Rs. |
Rs. |
US$ |
|||||||||
| Weighted average interest rate |
% |
% |
% | |||||||||
As of March 31, |
||||||||||||
2022 |
2023 |
2023 |
||||||||||
(In millions) |
||||||||||||
| Subordinated debt |
Rs. |
Rs. |
US$ |
|||||||||
| Others ( *) |
||||||||||||
| Debt issuance cost |
( |
) |
( |
) |
( |
) | ||||||
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|||||||
| Total |
Rs. |
Rs. |
US$ |
|||||||||
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|||||||
( *) |
Includes securities sold under repurchase agreements amounting to Rs. fiscal years ended March 31, 2022 and March 31, 2023, respectively, under RBI long-term repo operation with a three-year maturity period. |
As of |
||||||||||||||||||||||||
March 31, 2022 |
March 31, 2023 |
|||||||||||||||||||||||
Maturity / Call dates |
Stated interest rates |
Total |
Maturity / Call dates |
Stated interest rates |
Total |
Total |
||||||||||||||||||
(In millions) |
||||||||||||||||||||||||
Subordinated debt |
||||||||||||||||||||||||
Subordinated debt (other than perpetual debt) |
Rs. | |
Rs. | US$ | ||||||||||||||||||||
Perpetual debt — (1) |
||||||||||||||||||||||||
Perpetual debt — (2) |
||||||||||||||||||||||||
Others ( *) |
||||||||||||||||||||||||
Variable rate — (1) |
||||||||||||||||||||||||
Variable rate — (2) |
||||||||||||||||||||||||
Fixed rate — (1) |
||||||||||||||||||||||||
Fixed rate — (2) |
||||||||||||||||||||||||
Total |
Rs. | |
Rs. | US$ | ||||||||||||||||||||
( *) |
Variable rate — (1), Perpetual debt — (2) and Fixed rate — (2) represent foreign currency debt. Variable rat e deb t is typically indexed to LIBOR, SOFR, T-bill rates, Marginal cost of funds based lending rates (“MCLR”), among others. |
As of March 31, 2023 |
||||||||
(In millions) |
||||||||
Due in the fiscal year ending March 31: |
||||||||
2024 |
Rs. | |
US$ | |||||
2025 |
||||||||
2026 |
||||||||
2027 |
||||||||
2028 |
||||||||
Thereafter |
||||||||
Total (1) |
Rs. | US$ | ||||||
| (1) | The scheduled maturities of long-term debt do not include perpetual bonds of Rs. |
As of March 31, |
||||||||||||
2022 |
2023 |
2023 |
||||||||||
(In millions) |
||||||||||||
Bills payable |
Rs. |
Rs. |
US$ |
|||||||||
Remittances in transit |
||||||||||||
Accrued expenses |
||||||||||||
Accounts payable |
||||||||||||
Derivatives (see note 23) |
||||||||||||
Others |
||||||||||||
Total |
Rs. |
Rs. |
US$ |
|||||||||
AFS debt securities |
Foreign currency translation reserve |
Total |
||||||||||
(In millions) |
||||||||||||
Balance, March 31, 2021 |
Rs. |
Rs. |
Rs. |
|||||||||
Net unrealized gain/(loss) arising during the period |
( |
) |
( |
) | ||||||||
Amounts reclassified to income |
( |
) |
( |
) | ||||||||
Balance, March 31, 2022 |
Rs. |
( |
) |
Rs. |
Rs. |
( |
) | |||||
AFS debt securities |
Foreign currency translation reserve |
Total |
||||||||||
(In millions) |
||||||||||||
Balance, March 31, 2022 |
Rs. |
( |
) |
Rs. |
Rs. |
( |
) | |||||
Net unrealized gain/(loss) arising during the period |
( |
) |
( |
) | ||||||||
Amounts reclassified to income |
( |
) |
( |
) | ||||||||
Balance, March 31, 2023 |
Rs. |
( |
) |
Rs. |
Rs. |
( |
) | |||||
Balance, March 31, 2023 |
US$ |
( |
) |
US$ |
US$ |
( |
) | |||||
As of March 31, |
||||||||||||
2022 |
2023 |
2023 |
||||||||||
(In millions) |
||||||||||||
| AFS debt securities: |
||||||||||||
| Realized (gain)/loss on sales of AFS debt securities, net |
Rs. | ( |
) | Rs. | ( |
) | US$ | ( |
) | |||
| Allowance on AFS debt securities |
( |
) | ||||||||||
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|||||||
| Total before income tax |
Rs. | ( |
) | Rs. | ( |
) | US$ | ( |
) | |||
| Income tax |
||||||||||||
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|||||||
| Net of income tax |
Rs. | ( |
) | Rs. | ( |
) | US$ | ( |
) | |||
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|||||||
Fiscal year ended March 31, |
||||||||||||||||
2021 |
2022 |
2023 |
2023 |
|||||||||||||
(In millions) |
||||||||||||||||
| Deposit related fees |
Rs. |
Rs. |
Rs. |
US$ |
||||||||||||
| Lending related fees |
||||||||||||||||
| Third-party products related fees |
||||||||||||||||
| Payments and cards business fees |
||||||||||||||||
| Others |
||||||||||||||||
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|||||||||
| Fees and commissions |
Rs. |
Rs. |
Rs. |
US$ |
||||||||||||
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|||||||||
Fiscal year ended March 31, |
||||||||||||||||
2021 |
2022 |
2023 |
2023 |
|||||||||||||
(In millions) |
||||||||||||||||
| Retail Banking |
Rs. |
Rs. |
Rs. |
US$ |
||||||||||||
| Wholesale Banking |
||||||||||||||||
| Treasury Services |
||||||||||||||||
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|||||||||
| Fees and commissions |
Rs. |
Rs. |
Rs. |
US$ |
||||||||||||
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|||||||||
Fiscal year ended March 31, |
||||||||||||||||
2021 |
2022 |
2023 |
2023 |
|||||||||||||
(In millions) |
||||||||||||||||
| Current tax expense |
Rs. |
Rs. |
Rs. |
US$ |
||||||||||||
| Deferred tax expense/ (benefit) |
( |
) |
( |
) |
||||||||||||
| Interest on income tax refund |
( |
) |
( |
) | ||||||||||||
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|||||||||
| Income tax expense |
Rs. |
Rs. |
Rs. |
US$ |
||||||||||||
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|||||||||
Fiscal year ended March 31, |
||||||||||||||||
2021 |
2022 |
2023 |
2023 |
|||||||||||||
(In millions) |
||||||||||||||||
| Income before income tax expense |
Rs. | Rs. | Rs. | US$ | ||||||||||||
| Statutory income tax rate |
% | % | % | % | ||||||||||||
| Expected income tax expense |
||||||||||||||||
| Adjustments to reconcile expected income tax to actual income tax expense |
||||||||||||||||
| Interest on income tax refund |
( |
) | ( |
) | ||||||||||||
| Nondeductible stock-based compensation |
||||||||||||||||
| Income subject to rates other than the statutory income tax rate |
( |
) | ( |
) | ( |
) | ||||||||||
| Income exempt from i ncome taxes |
( |
) | ||||||||||||||
| Others, net |
( |
) | ( |
) | ||||||||||||
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|||||||||
| Income tax expense |
Rs. | Rs. | Rs. | |
US$ | |
||||||||||
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|||||||||
As of March 31, |
||||||||||||
2022 |
2023 |
2023 |
||||||||||
(In millions) |
||||||||||||
| Tax effect of: |
||||||||||||
| Deductible temporary differences: |
||||||||||||
| Allowance for credit losses |
Rs. | Rs. | US$ | |||||||||
| Investments AFS debt securities |
||||||||||||
| Lease liabilities |
||||||||||||
| Employee benefits |
||||||||||||
| Accrued expenses and other liabilities |
||||||||||||
| Others |
||||||||||||
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|||||||
| Deferred tax assets |
||||||||||||
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|||||||
| Taxable temporary differences: |
||||||||||||
| Right-of-use assets |
||||||||||||
| Loans |
||||||||||||
| Investments, others |
||||||||||||
| Deferred tax liabilities |
||||||||||||
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|||||||
| Net deferred tax asset/ (liability) |
Rs. | Rs. | |
US$ | |
|||||||
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|||||||
Fiscal year ended March 31, |
||||||||||||
2022 |
2023 |
2023 |
||||||||||
(In millions) |
||||||||||||
| Opening balance |
Rs. | Rs. | US$ | |||||||||
| Settlements related to prior year tax positions |
( |
) | ||||||||||
| Increase related to current year tax positions |
Rs. | Rs. | US$ | |||||||||
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|||||||
| Closing balance |
Rs. | |
Rs. | |
US$ | |
||||||
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|||||||
Fiscal years ended March 31, | ||||||
2021 |
2022 |
2023 | ||||
| Dividend yield |
||||||
| Expected volatility |
||||||
| Risk-free interest rate |
||||||
| Expected term (in years) |
||||||
Fiscal year ended March 31, 2023 | ||
| Dividend yield |
||
| Expected volatility |
||
| Risk-free interest rate |
||
| Expected term (in years) |
Number of options available to be granted fiscal year ending March 31, |
||||||||||||
2021 |
2022 |
2023 |
||||||||||
| Options available to be granted, beginning of period |
||||||||||||
| Equity shares allocated for grant under the plan |
||||||||||||
| Options granted |
( |
) |
( |
) |
( |
) | ||||||
| Forfeited/lapsed |
||||||||||||
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|||||||
| Options available to be granted, end of period |
||||||||||||
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|||||||
Number of RSUs available to be granted fiscal year ending March 31, 2023 |
||||
| RSUs available to be granted, beginning of period |
— | |||
| Equity shares allocated for grant under the scheme |
||||
| RSUs granted |
( |
) | ||
| Forfeited/lapsed |
||||
| RSUs available to be granted, end of period |
||||
Fiscal years ended March 31, |
||||||||||||||||||||||||
2021 |
2022 |
2023 |
||||||||||||||||||||||
Options |
Weighted average exercise price |
Options |
Weighted average exercise price |
Options |
Weighted average exercise price |
|||||||||||||||||||
| Options outstanding, beginning of period |
Rs. | Rs. | Rs. | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Granted |
||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Exercised |
( |
) | ( |
) | ( |
) | ||||||||||||||||||
| Forfeited |
( |
) | ( |
) | ( |
) | ||||||||||||||||||
| Lapsed |
( |
) | ( |
) | ( |
) | ||||||||||||||||||
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|||||||||||||
| Options outstanding, end of period |
Rs. | Rs. | Rs. | |||||||||||||||||||||
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|||||||||||||
| Options exercisable, end of period |
Rs. | Rs. | Rs. | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Weighted average fair value of options granted during the year |
Rs. | Rs. | Rs. | |||||||||||||||||||||
Fiscal years ended March 31, 2023 |
||||||||
Units |
Weighted average exercise price |
|||||||
| RSUs outstanding, beginning of period |
Rs. | |||||||
| Granted |
||||||||
| Exercised |
||||||||
| Forfeited |
||||||||
| Lapsed |
||||||||
| RSUs outstanding, end of period |
Rs. | |||||||
| RSUs exercisable, end of period |
Rs. | |||||||
| Weighted average fair value of RSUs granted during the year |
Rs. | |||||||
As of March 31, 2023 |
||||||||||||||
| Plan |
Range of exercise price |
Number of shares arising out of options |
Weighted average remaining life (years) |
Weighted average exercise price |
||||||||||
| Plan F |
Rs. |
Rs. | ||||||||||||
| Plan G |
Rs. |
Rs. | ||||||||||||
As of March 31, 2023 |
||||||||||||||
| Plan |
Range of exercise price |
Number of shares arising out of units |
Weighted average remaining life (years) |
Weighted average exercise price |
||||||||||
| ESIS 2022 |
Rs. |
|||||||||||||
As of March 31, |
||||||||||||
2022 |
2023 |
2023 |
||||||||||
(In millions) |
||||||||||||
| Change in benefit obligations: |
||||||||||||
| Projected benefit obligation (“PBO”), beginning of the period |
Rs. | Rs. | US$ | |||||||||
| Service cost |
||||||||||||
| Interest cost |
||||||||||||
| Actuarial(gains)/ losses |
( |
) | ( |
) | ( |
) | ||||||
| Benefits paid |
( |
) | ( |
) | ( |
) | ||||||
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|||||||
| Projected benefit obligation, end of the period |
||||||||||||
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|||||||
| Change in plan assets: |
||||||||||||
| Fair value of plan assets, beginning of the period |
||||||||||||
| Expected return on plan assets |
||||||||||||
| Actuarial gains/(losses) |
( |
) | ( |
) | ||||||||
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|||||||
| Actual return on plan assets |
||||||||||||
| Employer contributions |
||||||||||||
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|||||||
| Benefits paid |
( |
) | ( |
) | ( |
) | ||||||
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|||||||
| Fair value of plan assets, end of the period |
||||||||||||
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|||||||
| Funded Status |
Rs. | ( |
) | Rs. | ( |
) | US$ | ( |
) | |||
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|||||||
Fiscal years ended March 31, |
||||||||||||||||
2021 |
2022 |
2023 |
2023 |
|||||||||||||
(In millions) |
||||||||||||||||
| Service cost |
Rs. | Rs. | Rs. | US$ | ||||||||||||
| Interest cost |
||||||||||||||||
| Expected return on plan assets |
( |
) | ( |
) | ( |
) | ( |
) | ||||||||
| Actuarial (gains)/losses |
( |
) | ( |
) | ||||||||||||
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|||||||||
| Net gratuity cost |
Rs. | Rs. | Rs. | US$ | |
|||||||||||
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|||||||||
Fiscal years ended March 31, |
||||||||||||
2021 |
2022 |
2023 |
||||||||||
(% per annum) |
||||||||||||
| Discount rate ( *) |
||||||||||||
| Rate of increase in compensation levels of covered employees |
||||||||||||
| Rate of return on plan assets |
||||||||||||
| Mortality rates used are based on the published “Indian Assured Lives Mortality (2012-2014) Ultimate” table |
||||||||||||
( *) |
Weighted average assumptions used to determine both benefit obligations and net periodic benefit cost. |
| Fiscal years ending March 31, |
Benefit payments |
|||
(In millions) |
||||
| 2024 |
Rs. | |||
| 2025 |
||||
| 2026 |
||||
| 2027 |
||||
| 2028 |
||||
| 2029 - 2033 |
||||
As of March 31, 2023 |
||||||||||||
Funds managed by insurance company (1) ( *) |
Funds managed by insurance company (2) ( *) |
Funds managed by trust |
||||||||||
| Government securities |
% | % | % | |||||||||
| Debenture and bonds |
% | % | % | |||||||||
| Equity securities |
% | % | ||||||||||
| Other |
% | % | % | |||||||||
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|||||||
| Total |
% | % | % | |||||||||
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|||||||
( *) |
The data pertaining to plan investment assets measured at fair value by level and total at March 31, 2023 are provided separately. |
As of March 31, |
||||||||||||
2022 |
2023 |
2023 |
||||||||||
(In millions) |
||||||||||||
| Change in benefit obligations: |
||||||||||||
| Projected benefit obligation (“PBO”), beginning of the period |
Rs. | Rs. | US$ | |
||||||||
| Plan amendment (prior service cost) |
||||||||||||
| Service cost |
||||||||||||
| Interest cost |
||||||||||||
| Actuarial (gains)/losses |
||||||||||||
| Benefits paid |
( |
) | ( |
) | ( |
) | ||||||
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|||||||
| Projected benefit obligation, end of the period |
||||||||||||
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|||||||
| Change in plan assets: |
||||||||||||
| Fair value of plan assets, beginning of the period |
||||||||||||
| Expected return on plan assets |
||||||||||||
| Actuarial gains/(losses) |
||||||||||||
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|||||||
| Actual return on plan assets |
||||||||||||
| Employer contributions |
||||||||||||
| Benefits paid |
( |
) | ( |
) | ( |
) | ||||||
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|||||||
| Fair value of plan assets, end of the period |
||||||||||||
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|||||||
| Funded Status |
Rs. | ( |
Rs. | ( |
US$ | ( |
) | |||||
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|||||||
As of March 31, |
||||||||||||||||
2021 |
2022 |
2023 |
2023 |
|||||||||||||
(In millions) |
||||||||||||||||
| Service cost |
Rs. | Rs. | Rs. | US$ | |
|||||||||||
| Interest cost |
||||||||||||||||
| Expected return on plan assets |
( |
) | ( |
) | ( |
) | ||||||||||
| Actuarial (gains)/losses |
||||||||||||||||
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|||||||||
| Net pension cost |
Rs. | |
Rs. | |
Rs. | |
US$ | |||||||||
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|||||||||
Fiscal years ended March 31, |
||||||||||||
2021 |
2022 |
2023 |
||||||||||
(% per annum) |
||||||||||||
| Discount rate ( *) |
||||||||||||
| Rate of increase in compensation levels of covered employees |
||||||||||||
| Rate of return on plan assets |
||||||||||||
| Mortality rates used are based on the published “Indian Assured Lives Mortality (2012-2014) Ultimate” table. |
| |||||||||||
( *) |
Weighted average assumptions used to determine both benefit obligations and net periodic benefit cost. |
| Fiscal years ending March 31, |
Benefit payments |
|||
(In millions) |
||||
| 2024 |
Rs. |
|||
| 2025 |
||||
| 2026 |
||||
| 2027 |
||||
| 2028 |
||||
| 2029-2033 |
||||
| Asset category |
Funds managed by trust |
|||
| Government securities |
% | |||
| Debenture and bonds |
% | |||
| Other |
||||
| |
|
|||
| Total |
% | |||
| |
|
|||
As of March 31, 2022 |
As of March 31, 2023 |
|||||||||||||||||||||||
Level 1 |
Level 2 |
Level 3 |
Level 1 |
Level 2 |
Level 3 |
|||||||||||||||||||
(In millions) |
||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Funds managed by insurance company (1) |
Rs. | Rs. | Rs. | Rs. | Rs. | Rs. | ||||||||||||||||||
| Funds managed by insurance company (2) |
||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Funds managed by trust |
||||||||||||||||||||||||
| — Government securities |
||||||||||||||||||||||||
| — Debenture and bonds |
||||||||||||||||||||||||
| — Others |
||||||||||||||||||||||||
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|||||||||||||
| Total |
Rs. | |
Rs. | |
Rs. | |
Rs. | Rs. | Rs. | |||||||||||||||
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|||||||||||||
| US$ | US$ | US$ | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|||||||||||||||||||
Funds managed by Insurance companies as of March 31, |
||||||||||||
2022 |
2023 |
2023 |
||||||||||
(In millions) |
||||||||||||
| Particulars |
||||||||||||
| Opening balance |
Rs. | Rs. | US$ | |||||||||
| Realized interest credited to fund |
||||||||||||
| Contribution during the period |
||||||||||||
| Amount paid towards claim |
( |
) | ( |
) | ( |
) | ||||||
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|||||||
| Closing balance |
Rs. | |
Rs. | |
US$ | |
||||||
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|||||||
As of March 31, 2022 |
||||||||||||||||
Notional |
Gross Assets |
Gross Liabilities |
Net Fair Value |
|||||||||||||
(In millions) |
||||||||||||||||
| Interest rate derivatives |
Rs. | Rs. | Rs. | Rs. | ||||||||||||
| Forward rate agreements |
||||||||||||||||
| Currency options |
( |
) | ||||||||||||||
| Currency swaps |
||||||||||||||||
| Forward exchange contracts |
( |
) | ||||||||||||||
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|||||||||
| Total |
Rs. | Rs. | Rs. | Rs. | ||||||||||||
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|||||||||
As of March 31, 2023 |
||||||||||||||||||||||||
Notional |
Gross Assets |
Gross Liabilities |
Net Fair Value |
Notional |
Net Fair Value |
|||||||||||||||||||
(In millions) |
||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Interest rate derivatives |
Rs. |
Rs. |
Rs. |
Rs. |
US$ |
US$ |
||||||||||||||||||
| Forward rate agreements |
||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Currency options |
( |
) |
( |
) | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Currency swaps |
||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Forward exchange contracts |
||||||||||||||||||||||||
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|||||||||||||
| Total |
Rs. |
Rs. |
Rs. |
Rs. |
US$ |
US$ |
||||||||||||||||||
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|||||||||||||
Non-interest revenue, net– Derivatives for the fiscal years ended March 31, |
||||||||||||||||
2021 |
2022 |
2023 |
2023 |
|||||||||||||
(In millions) |
||||||||||||||||
| Interest rate derivatives |
Rs. |
Rs. |
Rs. |
US$ |
||||||||||||
| Forward rate agreements |
( |
) |
||||||||||||||
| Currency options |
||||||||||||||||
| Currency swaps |
( |
) |
( |
) |
||||||||||||
| Forward exchange contracts |
( |
) |
( |
) |
||||||||||||
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|||||||||
| Total gains/(losses) |
Rs. |
( |
) |
Rs. |
Rs. |
US$ |
||||||||||
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|||||||||
As of March 31, 2022 |
||||||||||||||||||||||||
Amounts subject to enforceable netting arrangements |
||||||||||||||||||||||||
Effects of offsetting on balance sheet |
Related amounts not offset |
|||||||||||||||||||||||
Gross Amounts |
Amounts offset |
Net amounts reported in the balance sheet |
Financial instruments |
Financial collateral (1) |
Net amount |
|||||||||||||||||||
(In millions) |
||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Financial assets |
||||||||||||||||||||||||
| |
Rs. |
Rs. |
Rs. |
Rs. |
Rs. |
Rs. |
||||||||||||||||||
| Securities purchased under agreements to resell |
||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Financial liabilities |
||||||||||||||||||||||||
| |
Rs. |
Rs. |
Rs. |
Rs. |
Rs. |
Rs. |
||||||||||||||||||
| Securities sold under repurchase agreements |
||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Long-term debt |
||||||||||||||||||||||||
| (1) | Comprised of securities and cash collaterals. These amounts are limited to the asset/liability balance, and accordingly, do not include excess collateral received/pledged. |
As of March 31, 2023 |
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Amounts subject to enforceable netting arrangements |
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Effects of offsetting on balance sheet |
Related amounts not offset |
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Gross Amounts |
Amounts offset |
Net amounts reported in the balance sheet |
Financial instruments |
Financial collateral (1) |
Net amount |
Net amount |
||||||||||||||||||||||
(In millions) |
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Financial assets |
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Derivative assets |
Rs. |
Rs. |
Rs. |
Rs. |
Rs. |
Rs. |
US$ |
|||||||||||||||||||||
| Securities purchased under agreements to resell |
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Financial liabilities |
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Derivative liabilities |
Rs. |
Rs. |
Rs. |
Rs. |
Rs. |
Rs. |
US$ |
|||||||||||||||||||||
| Securities sold under repurchase agreements |
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Long Term debt |
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| (1) | Comprised of securities and cash collaterals. These amounts are limited to the asset/liability balance, and accordingly, do not include excess collateral received/pledged. |
As of March 31, |
||||||||||||
2022 |
2023 |
2023 |
||||||||||
(In millions) |
||||||||||||
| Nominal values: |
||||||||||||
| Bank guarantees: |
||||||||||||
| Financial guarantees |
Rs. | Rs. | US$ | |||||||||
| Performance guarantees |
||||||||||||
| Documentary credits |
||||||||||||
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|||||||
| Total |
Rs. | Rs. | US$ | |||||||||
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|||||||
| Estimated fair value: |
||||||||||||
| Guarantees |
Rs. | ( |
) | Rs. | ( |
) | US$ | ( |
) | |||
| Documentary credits |
( |
) | ( |
) | ( |
) | ||||||
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|||||||
| Total |
Rs. | ( |
) | Rs. | ( |
) | US$ | ( |
) | |||
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|||||||
As of March 31 , |
||||||||||||
2022 |
2023 |
2023 |
||||||||||
(In millions) |
||||||||||||
| Allowance for credit losses, beginning of the period |
Rs. |
Rs. |
US$ |
|||||||||
| Provision for credit exposures |
( |
) |
( |
) | ||||||||
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|||||||
| Allowance for credit losses, end of the period |
Rs. |
Rs. |
US$ |
|||||||||
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|||||||
As of |
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
March 31, 2022 |
March 31, 2023 |
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Estimated fair value |
Estimated fair value |
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Carrying value |
Level 1 |
Level 2 |
Level 3 |
Total |
Carrying value |
Level 1 |
Level 2 |
Level 3 |
Total |
Carrying value |
Estimated fair value |
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
(In millions) |
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Financial Assets: |
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Cash and due from banks, restricted cash |
Rs. |
Rs. |
Rs. |
Rs. |
Rs. |
Rs. |
Rs. |
Rs. |
Rs. |
Rs. |
US$ |
US$ |
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Investments held for trading |
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Investments available for sale debt securities |
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Securities purchased under |
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Loans |
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Accrued interest receivable |
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Other assets |
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Financial Liabilities |
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Interest-bearing deposits |
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Non-interest-bearing deposits |
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Securities sold under repurchase agreements |
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Short-term borrowings |
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Accrued interest payable |
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Long-term debt |
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Accrued expenses and other liabilities |
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Fiscal year ended March 31, |
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
2021 |
2022 |
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Retail Banking |
Wholesale Banking |
Treasury Services |
Total |
Retail Banking |
Wholesale Banking |
Treasury Services |
Total |
|||||||||||||||||||||||||
(In millions) |
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Net interest income/ (expense) (external) |
Rs. | Rs. | Rs. | Rs. | Rs. | Rs. | Rs. | Rs. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Net interest income/ (expense) (internal) |
( |
) | ( |
) | ( |
) | ( |
) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Net interest revenue |
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Less: Provision for credit losses |
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|||||||||||||||||
| Net interest revenue, after provision for credit losses |
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Non-interest revenue |
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Non-interest expense |
( |
) | ( |
) | ( |
) | ( |
) | ( |
) | ( |
) | ( |
) | ( |
) | ||||||||||||||||
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|||||||||||||||||
| Income before income tax |
Rs. | Rs. | Rs. | Rs. | Rs. | Rs. | Rs. | Rs. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|||||||||||||||||
| Income tax expense |
Rs. | Rs. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| |
|
|
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Segment assets: |
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Segment total assets |
Rs. | Rs. | Rs. | Rs. | Rs. | Rs. | Rs. | Rs. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
Fiscal year ended March 31, |
||||||||||||||||||||
2023 |
||||||||||||||||||||
Retail Banking |
Wholesale Banking |
Treasury Services |
Total |
Total |
||||||||||||||||
(In millions) |
||||||||||||||||||||
| Net interest income/(expense) (external) |
Rs. |
Rs. |
Rs. |
Rs. |
US$ |
|||||||||||||||
| Net interest income/(expense) (internal) |
( |
) |
( |
) |
||||||||||||||||
| Net interest revenue |
||||||||||||||||||||
| Less: Provision for credit losses |
( |
) |
||||||||||||||||||
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|||||||||||
| Net interest revenue, after provision for credit losses |
||||||||||||||||||||
| Non-interest revenue |
( |
) |
||||||||||||||||||
| Non-interest expense |
( |
) |
( |
) |
( |
) |
( |
) |
( |
) | ||||||||||
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|||||||||||
| Income before income tax |
Rs. |
Rs. |
Rs. |
Rs. |
US$ |
|||||||||||||||
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|||||||||||
| Income tax expense |
Rs. |
US$ |
||||||||||||||||||
| |
|
|
|
|||||||||||||||||
| Segment assets: |
||||||||||||||||||||
| Segment total assets |
Rs. |
Rs. |
Rs. |
Rs. |
US$ |
|||||||||||||||
As of March 31, |
||||||||||||
2022 |
2023 |
2023 |
||||||||||
(In millions) |
||||||||||||
| Right-of-use assets |
Rs. |
Rs. |
US$ |
|||||||||
| Lease liabilities |
||||||||||||
As of March 31, |
||||||||||||||||
2021 |
2022 |
2023 |
2023 |
|||||||||||||
(In millions) |
||||||||||||||||
| The total minimum lease expense during the year recognized in the consolidated statement of income |
Rs. |
Rs. |
Rs. |
US$ |
||||||||||||
| Due in fiscal year ending March 31: |
Operating leases |
|||||||
(In millions, except for weighted averages) |
||||||||
| 2024 |
Rs. | US$ | ||||||
| 2025 |
||||||||
| 2026 |
||||||||
| 2027 |
||||||||
| 2028 |
||||||||
| Thereafter |
||||||||
| |
|
|
|
|||||
| Total lease payments |
Rs. | US$ | ||||||
| Less: imputed interest |
||||||||
| |
|
|
|
|||||
| Total operating lease liabilities |
||||||||
| |
|
|
|
|||||
| Weighted average remaining lease term (in years) |
||||||||
| Weighted average discount rate |
% | % | ||||||
As of March 31, |
||||||||||||
2022 |
2023 |
2023 |
||||||||||
(In millions) |
||||||||||||
Opening provision of reward points |
Rs. |
Rs. |
US$ |
|||||||||
Provision made during the year |
||||||||||||
Utilization/write back of provision |
( |
) |
( |
) |
( |
) | ||||||
Effect of change in rate of accrual of reward points |
( |
) |
( |
) |
( |
) | ||||||
Closing provision of reward points |
Rs. |
Rs. |
US$ |
|||||||||
As of March 31, |
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
2022 |
2023 |
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Principal owner |
Others |
Total |
Principal owner |
Others |
Total |
Total |
||||||||||||||||||||||
(In millions) |
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Balances in non-interest-bearing deposits |
Rs. |
Rs. |
Rs. |
Rs. |
Rs. |
Rs. |
US$ |
|||||||||||||||||||||
Balances in interest-bearing deposits |
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Accrued expenses and other liabilities |
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Total |
Rs. |
Rs. |
Rs. |
Rs. |
Rs. |
Rs. |
US$ |
|||||||||||||||||||||
As of March 31, |
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
2022 |
2023 |
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Principal owner |
Others |
Total |
Principal owner |
Others |
Total |
Total |
||||||||||||||||||||||
(In millions) |
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Loans |
Rs. |
Rs. |
Rs. |
Rs. |
Rs. |
Rs. |
US$ |
|||||||||||||||||||||
Other assets |
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Total |
Rs. |
Rs. |
Rs. |
Rs. |
Rs. |
Rs. |
US$ |
|||||||||||||||||||||
Fiscal year ended March 31, |
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
2021 |
2022 |
2023 |
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Principal owner |
Others |
Total |
Principal owner |
Others |
Total |
Principal owner |
Others |
Total |
Total |
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
(In millions) |
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Non-interest revenue-Fees and commissions |
Rs. |
Rs. |
Rs. |
Rs. |
Rs. |
Rs. |
Rs. |
Rs. |
Rs. |
US$ |
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Interest and Dividend revenue |
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Interest expense-Deposits |
( |
) |
( |
) |
( |
) |
( |
) |
( |
) |
( |
) |
( |
) |
( |
) |
( |
) |
( |
) | ||||||||||||||||||||
Non-interest expense-Administrative and other |
( |
) |
( |
) |
( |
) |
( |
) |
( |
) |
( |
) |
( |
) |
( |
) |
( |
) |
( |
) | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Non-interest expense-Premises and equipment |
( |
) |
( |
) |
( |
) |
( |
) |
( |
) |
( |
) |
( |
) |
( |
) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
As of March 31, |
||||||||||||
2021 |
2022 |
2023 |
||||||||||
Weighted average number of equity shares used in computing basic earnings per equity share |
||||||||||||
Effect of potential equity shares for stock options outstanding |
||||||||||||
Weighted average number of equity shares used in computing diluted earnings per equity share |
||||||||||||
Fiscal years ended March 31, |
||||||||||||||||
2021 |
2022 |
2023 |
2023 |
|||||||||||||
Basic earnings per share |
Rs. | Rs. | Rs. | US$ | ||||||||||||
Effect of potential equity shares for stock options outstanding |
||||||||||||||||
Diluted earnings per share |
Rs. | Rs. | Rs. | US$ | ||||||||||||
Basic earnings per ADS |
Rs. | Rs. | Rs. | US$ | ||||||||||||
Effect of potential equity shares for stock options outstanding |
||||||||||||||||
Diluted earnings per ADS |
Rs. | Rs. | Rs. | US$ | ||||||||||||
Level of input |
||
| Level 1 | Unadjusted quoted market prices in active markets that are accessible at the measurement date for identical unrestricted assets or liabilities. | |
| Level 2 | Quoted prices for similar assets and liabilities in active markets, and inputs that are observable for the asset or liability, either directly or indirectly, for substantially the full term of the financial instrument. | |
| Level 3 | Inputs that are both significant to the fair value measurement and unobservable (i.e., supported with little or no market activity). | |
Fair Value Measurements Using |
||||||||||||||||
| Particulars |
Total |
Quoted prices in active markets for identical assets (Level 1) |
Significant other observable inputs (Level 2) |
Significant unobservable inputs (Level 3) |
||||||||||||
(In millions) |
||||||||||||||||
| Trading account securities |
Rs. | |
Rs. | Rs. | Rs. | |||||||||||
| Securities available-for-sale |
||||||||||||||||
| Equity securities ( *) |
||||||||||||||||
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|||||||||
| Total |
Rs. | |
Rs. | Rs. | Rs. | |||||||||||
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|||||||||
( *) |
Equity securities classified within other assets. |
Fair Value Measurements Using |
||||||||||||||||
| Particulars |
Total |
Quoted prices in active markets for identical assets (Level 1) |
Significant other observable inputs (Level 2) |
Significant unobservable inputs (Level 3) |
||||||||||||
(In millions) |
||||||||||||||||
| Trading account securities |
Rs. |
Rs. |
Rs. |
Rs. |
||||||||||||
| Securities available-for-sale |
||||||||||||||||
| Equity securities ( *) |
||||||||||||||||
| Total |
Rs. |
Rs. |
Rs. |
Rs. |
||||||||||||
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|||||||||
| Total |
US$ |
US$ |
US$ |
US$ |
||||||||||||
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|||||||||
( *) |
Equity securities classified within other assets. |
| Particulars |
As of March 31, 2022 |
|||
(In millions) |
||||
| Beginning balance at April 1, 2021 |
Rs. | |||
| Total gains or losses (realized/ unrealized) |
||||
| — Included in net income |
||||
| — Included in other comprehensive income |
( |
) | ||
| Purchases/additions |
||||
| Sales |
||||
| Issuances |
||||
| Settlements |
( |
) | ||
| Transfers into Level 3 |
||||
| Transfers out of Level 3 |
||||
| Foreign currency translation adjustment |
||||
| |
|
|||
| Ending balance at March 31, 2022 |
Rs. | |||
| |
|
|||
| Total amount of gains/ (losses) included in net income attributable to change in unrealized gains/ (losses) relating to assets still held at reporting date |
Rs | |||
| |
|
|||
| Change in unrealized gains/ losses for the period included in other comprehensive income for assets held at the end of the reporting period |
Rs | ( |
) | |
| |
|
|||
| Particulars |
As of March 31, 2023 |
|||
(In millions) |
||||
| Beginning balance at April 1, 2022 |
Rs. | |||
| Total gains or losses (realized/unrealized) |
||||
| — Included in net income |
||||
| — Included in other comprehensive income |
( |
) | ||
| Purchases/additions |
||||
| Sales |
||||
| Issuances |
||||
| Settlements |
( |
) | ||
| Transfers into Level 3 |
||||
| Transfers out of Level 3 |
||||
| Foreign currency translation adjustment |
||||
| |
|
|||
| Ending balance at March 31, 2023 |
Rs. | |||
| |
|
|||
| Total amount of gains/ (losses) included in net income attributable to change in unrealized gains/ (losses) relating to assets still held at reporting date |
Rs | |||
| |
|
|||
| Change in unrealized gains/ (losses) for the period included in other comprehensive income for assets held at the end of the reporting period |
Rs | ( |
||
| |
|
|||
Fair Value Measurements Using |
||||||||||||||||
| Particulars |
Total |
Quoted prices in active markets for identical assets (Level 1) |
Significant other observable inputs (Level 2) |
Significant unobservable inputs (Level 3) |
||||||||||||
(In millions) |
||||||||||||||||
| Derivative assets |
Rs. | Rs. | Rs. | Rs. | ||||||||||||
| Derivative liabilities |
Rs. | Rs. | Rs. | Rs. | ||||||||||||
Fair Value Measurements Using |
||||||||||||||||
| Particulars |
Total |
Quoted prices in active markets for identical assets (Level 1) |
Significant other observable inputs (Level 2) |
Significant unobservable inputs (Level 3) |
||||||||||||
(In millions) |
||||||||||||||||
| Derivative assets |
Rs. |
Rs. |
Rs. |
Rs. |
||||||||||||
| Derivative liabilities |
Rs. |
Rs. |
Rs. |
Rs. |
||||||||||||
Table of Contents
EXHIBIT INDEX
HDFC Bank Limited agrees to furnish to the Securities and Exchange Commission, upon its request, the instruments relating to the long term debt for securities authorized thereunder that do not exceed 10 percent of HDFC Bank Limited’s total assets.
| * | Paper filing |
Table of Contents
SIGNATURES
The registrant hereby certifies that it meets all of the requirements for filing on Form 20-F and that it has duly caused and authorized the undersigned to sign this annual report on its behalf.
| HDFC Bank Limited |
| /s/ Srinivasan Vaidyanathan |
| Name: Srinivasan Vaidyanathan |
| Title: Chief Financial Officer |
| Date: June 29, 2023 |