India

Punjab National Bank has filed an application to open branches in Lahore and Karachi.

India and Pakistan have agreed to host two banks from each other.

The Reserve Bank of India released draft guidelines to limit banks' exposure to their own group non-financial and financial entities.

Indian banks have been asked to double the number of ATMs and upgrade it cash collecting machines.

Bad debts sour the outlook for India’s largest lender despite a 138% rise in net profit in the three months ended June 30.

ICICI Bank has become picky about lending to power and infrastructure projects, stopped motorcycle loans and has stopped offering new credit cards.

The bank aims to regain market share this fiscal year.

The Reserve Bank of India asked banks to replace the term ‘no-frills’ accounts into ‘Basic savings bank deposit accounts.

Indian agencies are gathering all details about lapses by HSBC and Standard Chartered's outsourcing jobs in complying with money laundering and terror financing regulations.

Global banks that outsource work overseas will be forced to step up supervision of back office operations after lapses involving Indian offshore units.

Threats to strip Standard Chartered ofits state banking licesnse pulled down its Indian depositary receipts by 7.4 percent.

A massive drought is leading to a wave of farm loan defaults that threatens to boost the non-performing loans of Indian banks. The Reserve Bank of India, the central bank, however, claims Indian banks are resilient enough to weather the pressure on farm loans caused by the drought. “Whenever there is drought, there is a pressure (on farm loans). But we have sufficient rehabilitation measures so that banks can weather it out,” said RBI Deputy Governor K C Chakrabarty. He noted that India’s banking system has enough resilience and will be able to face the stress. The government will invoke the law and other schemes to meet the challenges of the \drought in several states. It noted that contingency plans are in place to help farmers replant alternate crops and to supply drinking water and fodder to farmers. Monsoon rains are relied upon to grow India’s crops but there was 20% less rain in June and July.

Punjab National Bank has campaigned to mop up low-cost funds from retail customers.

India’s private banks have thumbed down a government proposal to pool their resources to service non-performing loans of individual banks.

Remarks by India’s finance minister fuel speculation that a reduction in interest rates could be forthcoming.

Muslim Commercial Bank posted 7% increases in both profit before tax of Rs. 17.2 billion, and profit after tax of Rs. 11.3 billion.