State Bank of India (SBI) on Tuesday raised ₹6,051 crore at a coupon rate of 7.05 per cent via its second Basel III compliant Tier 2 bond issuance in the current financial year.

The bonds are issued for a tenor of 10 years, with call option after 5 years and each anniversary date thereafter, India’s largest bank said in a regulatory filing.

The bonds, which are rated “AAA with stable outlook” by CRISIL Ratings and India Ratings and Research, attracted robust response from investors with bids of approximately 2 times against the base issue size of ₹5,000 crore, per the filing

The total number of bids received was 47 indicating participation from diverse set of qualified institutional bidders, the Bank said. The investors were across provident funds, pension funds, mutual funds, banks etc.

C S Setty, Chairman, SBI said the wider participation and heterogeneity of bids demonstrated the trust investors place in the Bank.

Published on March 17, 2026

From the perspective of an employee, equity compensation can be more tax efficient compared to full cash payouts
| Photo Credit:
Jirapong Manustrong

As Global Capability Centres go on the hunt to secure top tier talent, there has been an evolution in the compensation structures for senior leaders and management within these organisations. 

As per a latest report from GCC consulting firm UnearthIQ, a significant portion of GCCs are now offering long term incentives such as Employee Stock Ownership Plans (ESOP), restricted stock units and performance shares as part of their total compensation package. 

The report, based on MCA filings and interviews with top GCC executives, stated that around 55-65 per cent of large GCCs ( parent business of revenue over $5 billion) are now offering ESOP Equity-related payouts as part of their total compensation.

The share is slightly lower for mid-market ($2 billion -$5billion )and Nano GCCs (sub $1 billion) with 45-55 per cent and 30-34 per cent of such firms offering these benefits. 

It added that such benefits often play a big role in inflated reported compensations and high salary packages with stock payouts contributing to about 10–20 per cent of the median CTC.

Overall, the report found that the compensation for leaders in large GCCs are in the range of $0.5-$1 million while for mid market and Nano GCCs, they are in the range of $0.25-$0.62 million and $0.16-$0.25 million, respectively.

According to Aditya Narayan Mishra, Managing Director and CEO of HR firm CIEL HR, the increase in stock-linked payouts is primarily driven by the demand to retain top tier talent.

“With the number of GCCs increasing there is a pressure to secure and keep the best talent. To redeem these options employees will have to stay with the company for a fixed period of time. So people who are trying to leave in one and a half years will stay for at least two years,” he said. 

Moreover, he added, such structures help firms in managing upfront costs by splitting compensation into fixed pay and stock-linked incentives reducing immediate cash outflow while deferring part of employee costs into the future. 

From the perspective of an employee, equity compensation can be more tax efficient compared to full cash payouts.

Published on March 17, 2026

Cooks prepare food on induction cooktops at a restaurant after shifting from commercial LPG due to supply disruptions amid the ongoing West Asia conflict, in Mumbai, Tuesday, March 17, 2026.
| Photo Credit:
KUNAL PATIL

The Hotel And Restaurant Association (Western India) has urged the Maharashtra government to grant an extension or allow staggered payment of the annual license fee in light of the on-going disruption in commercial LPG supply, which has severely impacted the hospitality sector across Maharashtra and the country.

The association has submitted a representation to government requesting a one-month extension of the license fee payment deadline from March 31st to April 30. In the alternative, the association has proposed a staggered payment mechanism, allowing the annual license fee to be paid in four quarterly instalments by December end.

“The situation on the ground remains critical, with approximately 30 to 35 per cent of hotels and restaurants currently shut, owing to a near complete halt in LPG supply from distributors. Establishments that continue to operate are doing so under curtailed hours and restricted menus, optimising fuel usage to sustain operations. However, many of these establishments may also be forced to shut within the next 2 to 3 days if supplies are not restored,” said Pradeep Shetty, spokesperson, HRAWI.

Published on March 17, 2026