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Bank credit, deposits grow across lenders; BoB crosses ₹30 lakh crore milestone

Bank credit, deposits grow across lenders; BoB crosses ₹30 lakh crore milestone

by | Apr 4, 2026 | Business


HDFC Bank, India’s largest private sector bank, reported a 14.4 per cent year-on-year (yoy) growth in deposits and a 12 per cent yoy growth in gross advances.

As at March-end 2026, the Bank’s deposits and gross advances stood at ₹31,05,500 crore and ₹29,60,000 crore, respectively, per provisional numbers shared by the Bank in its regulatory filing.

The Bank’s low-cost current account, savings account (CASA) deposits were a tad lower at 34.14 per cent of overall deposits as at March-end 2026 against 34.79 per cent as at March-end 2025.

Bank of Baroda

Bank of Baroda’s (BoB) global business (deposits plus advances) crossed the Rs 30 lakh crore milestone for the first time. Global business was up 13.93 per cent yoy in Q4FY26 and stood at ₹30,78,854 crore as at March-end 2026.

The public sector bank clocked a 12 per cent yoy growth in global deposits and a 16.23 per cent yoy growth in global advances in Q4FY26 ended March 31, 2026.

As at March-end 2026, BoB’s global deposits and global advances stood at ₹16,48,650 crore and ₹14,30,204 crore, respectively, per provisional numbers shared by the Bank in its regulatory filing.

Within global deposits and global advances, domestic deposits and domestic advances were up 12.83 per cent (to ₹14,01,497 crore as at March-end 2026) and 14.56 per cent (to ₹11,69,804 crore), respectively.

Domestic retail advances increased by 17.93 per cent yoy to stand at ₹3,02,657 crore as at March-end 2026.

PNB

Punjab National Bank’s (PNB) global business (deposits plus advances) rose 10.79 per cent yoy in the fourth quarter (Q4FY26) and stood at ₹29,72,896 crore as at March-end 2026.

The public sector bank clocked a 9.25 per cent yoy growth in global deposits and a 12.97 per cent yoy growth in global advances in Q4FY26 ended March 31, 2026.

As at March-end 2026, PNB’s global deposits and global advances stood at ₹17,11,476 crore and ₹12,61,420 crore, respectively, per provisional numbers shared by the Bank in its regulatory filing.

Within global deposits and global advances, domestic deposits and domestic advances were up 9.14 per cent (to ₹16,49,409 crore as at March-end 2026) and 12.17 per cent (to ₹11,95,811 crore), respectively.

UBoI

Union Bank of India’s global business (deposits plus advances) increased 5.79 per cent yoy in Q4FY26 and stood at ₹23,85,679 crore as at March-end 2026.

The public sector bank’s global deposits edged up 2.72 per cent, and global advances rose 9.76 per cent yoy in Q4FY26 ended March 31, 2026.

As at March-end 2026, UBoI’s global deposits and global advances stood at ₹13,06,900 crore and ₹R10,78,779 crore, respectively, per provisional numbers shared by the Bank in its regulatory filing.

Within global deposits and global advances, domestic deposits and domestic advances were up 2.72 per cent (to ₹13,06,297 crore as at March-end 2026) and 10.06 per cent (to ₹10,41,122 crore), respectively.

RAM (retail, agriculture and MSME) advances increased by 12.59 per cent yoy to stand at ₹5,98,620 crore as at March-end 2026.

Bandhan Bank

Bandhan Bank reported a 10 per cent yoy growth in total deposits and a 12.6 per cent yoy growth in loans & advances (on book + Pass-Through Certificates).

As of March-end 2026, the Bank’s total deposits and loans & advances stood at ₹1,66,344 crore and ₹1,54,235 crore, respectively, per provisional numbers shared by the Bank in its regulatory filing.

AU Small Finance Bank

AU SFB reported a robust 22.8 per cent yoy growth in total deposits and a 21.3 per cent yoy growth in gross loan portfolio (including securitised/ assigned portfolio).

As of March-end 2026, the Bank’s total deposits and gross loan portfolio stood at ₹1,24,269 crore and ₹1,15,704 crore, respectively, per provisional numbers shared by the Bank in its regulatory filing.

Published on April 4, 2026



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India resumes energy trade with Iran after seven years

India resumes energy trade with Iran after seven years

by | Apr 4, 2026 | Business


India stopped buying crude oil from Iran after sanctions were re-imposed on the country by the US in November 2018 giving India six-months to wind down imports (May 2019).
| Photo Credit:
Dado Ruvic

The Ministry of Petroleum & Natural Gas (MoPNG) said on Saturday that Indian refiners have sourced crude oil from Iran, marking the first such purchase from the Persian Gulf nation after May 2019.

The development comes after the US un-sanctioned Iranian crude oil as the intensifying West Asian conflict prolonging the closure of the Strait of Hormuz (SoH) has choked out 20 per cent of the global consumption.

Besides, a very large gas carrier (VLGC) also delivered 44,000 tonnes of Iranian liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) to India on Thursday.

Refuting news reports and social media posts on an Iranian crude cargo diverted from Vadinar to China due to payment issues, the Ministry reiterated that India’s crude oil requirements remain fully secured for the coming months.

India imports crude oil from more than 40 countries, with companies having full flexibility to source oil from different sources and geographies based on commercial considerations, Oil Ministry emphasised.

“Amid Middle East supply disruptions, Indian refiners have secured their crude oil requirements, including from Iran; and there is no payment hurdle for Iranian crude imports, contrary to the rumours being circulated,” it added.

Claims on vessel diversion ignore how oil trade works. Bills of Lading often carry indicative discharge port destinations and on-sea cargoes can change destinations mid-voyage based on trade optimisation and operational flexibility, it explained.

“On LPG too, some claims being made are incorrect as LPG vessel Sea Bird carrying around 44,000 tonnes Iranian LPG berthed at Mangalore, India on April 2 and is currently discharging,” the Ministry added.

India utilises the Rupee payment mechanism between UCO Bank and Iran’s non-sanctioned banks having Vostro accounts with the former for payments. This was done after US and EU sanctions restricted dollar-based transactions.

India stopped buying crude oil from Iran after sanctions were re-imposed on the country by the US in November 2018 giving India six-months to wind down imports (May 2019). Iran was India’s third largest crude oil supplier in 2017, accounting for roughly 12-13 per cent of the total imports. At one point, Tehran was supplying more than 425,000 barrels per day (b/d) to New Delhi.

Iran sanctions

Sanctions imposed by the US and the European Union (EU) at the end of 2011 and during the summer of 2012, respectively, led to the displacement of more than 1 million barrels per day (mb/d) of Iranian crude oil on the global market, as per the US EIA.

In 2011, prior to sanctions, Iran exported 2.6 mb/d, most of which went to Asia, particularly China (550,000 b/d), India (320,000 b/d), Japan (315,000 b/d) and South Korea (250,000 b/d).

Although Iran supplied crude oil and condensates to a variety of countries in Europe and Asia in 2017, it sent all of its crude oil and condensate exports to China, Syria, the UAE and Venezuela in 2023. While most of these export volumes have export destinations listed as China, in many cases the destinations are listed as unknown, but US EIA assesses them to be destined for China.

For 2018 and 2019, these (barrels) specifically are listed as unknown, while in 2020 through 2023 these destinations also include Malaysia, Singapore, Vietnam, and destinations listed “unknown,” which US EIA has confirmed are all ultimately destined for China.

Published on April 4, 2026





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Loan growth outpaces deposit for IDBI Bank, Kotak, AU SFB in Q4

Loan growth outpaces deposit for IDBI Bank, Kotak, AU SFB in Q4

by | Apr 4, 2026 | Business


The total business of IDBI Bank increased 14% to ₹6 lakh crore compared to ₹5.28 lakh crore at the end of March 31, 2025.
| Photo Credit:
ADNAN ABIDI

LIC-controlled IDBI Bank on Saturday reported a 16 per cent increase in loan growth to ₹2.53 lakh crore for the fourth quarter ended March 2026.

Its total advances were ₹2.18 lakh crore at the end of March 31, 2025, IDBI Bank said in a regulatory filing.

The lender reported a 12 per cent rise in total deposits to ₹3.46 lakh crore from ₹3.1 lakh crore at the end of the fourth quarter of the preceding financial year.

The total business of the bank increased 14 per cent to ₹6 lakh crore compared to ₹5.28 lakh crore at the end of March 31, 2025.

Meanwhile, Kotak Mahindra Bank also reported higher credit growth versus deposit expansion. The bank registered a 16.2 per cent rise in advances to ₹4.95 lakh crore from ₹4.26 lakh crore in the fourth quarter of the preceding fiscal.

It reported a 14.7 per cent increase in total deposits to ₹5.72 lakh crore from ₹4.99 lakh crore at the end of the fourth quarter of FY25, Kotak Mahindra Bank said in a regulatory filing.

AU Small Finance Bank also reported a higher credit growth vis-a-vis deposit expansion. The bank posted a 25.1 per cent rise in advances to ₹1.36 lakh crore against ₹1.08 lakh crore in the fourth quarter of FY25.

The lender reported a 22.8 per cent increase in total deposits to ₹1.52 lakh crore compared to ₹1.24 lakh crore at the end of the fourth quarter of FY25, AU Small Finance Bank (SFB) said in a regulatory filing.

However, the bank’s low-cost CASA (current account savings account) ratio declined to 28.4 per cent of the total deposits from 29.2 per cent at the end of March 2025.

Published on April 4, 2026



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Bandhan Bank's loans, advances rise 12.6% in Q4 FY26

Bandhan Bank's loans, advances rise 12.6% in Q4 FY26

by | Apr 4, 2026 | Business


Bandhan Bank’s liquidity coverage ratio (LCR) stood at around 131.76% as of March 31.
| Photo Credit:
RUPAK DE CHOWDHURI

Bandhan Bank‘s loans and advances grew 12.6 per cent year-on-year to ₹1,54,235 crore as of March 31 compared to ₹1,36,995, the private lender said on Saturday.

On a sequential basis, the loan book expanded 6.2 per cent from ₹1,45,224 crore as of December 31, 2025, according to a provisional unaudited disclosure filed with the bourses.

Total deposits rose 10 per cent on-year to ₹1,66,344 crore at the end of the fourth quarter of 2025-26 against ₹1,51,212 crore in the corresponding period last year, and were up 6.1 per cent from ₹1,56,724 crore in the previous quarter.

Retail deposits, including CASA, climbed 17.7 per cent year-on-year to ₹1,22,547 crore, while retail term deposits surged 30.1 per cent to ₹73,796 crore. The retail-to-total deposits ratio improved to 73.67 per cent from 68.88 per cent a year earlier, the bank said in the filing.

CASA deposits stood at ₹48,751 crore in the fourth quarter, up 2.8 per cent year-on-year, while the CASA ratio stood at 29.31 per cent compared with 31.37 per cent a year ago. Bulk deposits declined 6.9 per cent year-on-year to ₹43,797 crore.

Bandhan Bank’s liquidity coverage ratio (LCR) stood at around 131.76 per cent as of March 31.

The figures are provisional and unaudited, the lender added.

Published on April 4, 2026



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FPI outflows hit ₹24,743 crore in April week after record March sell-off in India

FPI outflows hit ₹24,743 crore in April week after record March sell-off in India

by | Apr 4, 2026 | Business


Foreign Portfolio Investors (FPIs) withdrew ₹24,743.74 crore from Indian markets during the shortened trading week ending April 3, 2026, with equities bearing the brunt.
| Photo Credit:
iStockphoto

Foreign Portfolio Investors (FPIs) recorded net outflows of ₹24,743.74 crore from Indian markets during the truncated trading week ending April 3, 2026, according to data compiled by the National Securities Depository Limited (NSDL). The week comprised only three trading sessions — March 30, April 1, and April 2 — with markets shut on March 31 for Mahavir Jayanti and on April 3 for Good Friday.

Equities take the biggest hit, debt sees mixed flows

Equities remained the hardest hit asset class. Across the reporting periods covering the week, FPIs recorded a combined net equity outflow of ₹23,801.94 crore through stock exchanges and the primary market route. In the debt segment, the Fully Accessible Route (FAR) saw net outflows of ₹4,309.70 crore across both reporting dates, while the Debt-VRR segment recorded marginal net inflows and the Debt-General Limit segment posted a combined net inflow of ₹1,414.79 crore. The rupee stood at ₹94.6543 to the US dollar on April 2.

March records biggest-ever monthly FPI sell-off

These weekly outflows come amid a record monthly sell-off. NSDL data shows FPIs recorded total net outflows of ₹1,25,736.40 crore from all asset classes in March 2026. Within this, combined equity outflows through stock exchanges and the primary market stood at ₹1,17,774.65 crore — the steepest monthly equity sell-off by foreign investors in Indian market history. Dr VK Vijayakumar, Chief Investment Strategist at Geojit Investments Limited, confirmed the scale, noting that…”March witnessed massive selling by FPIs to the tune of Rs 1,22,182 crore. This is the biggest ever monthly selling by FPIs.”

Global headwinds drive sustained FPI selling

The selling has been driven by a confluence of global headwinds. Dr Vijayakumar pointed to…”continuation of the war, crude again spiking to above $100 level, the steady decline in the rupee and appreciation of the dollar triggered this record selling by FPIs.” He noted that…”rupee depreciated by about 4 per cent since the war began and fears of further depreciation have added to the weakness of the rupee, which, in turn, is triggering further selling by FPIs.”

Himanshu Srivastava, Principal Manager Research at Morningstar Investment Research India, attributed the outflows to broader macro forces, noting that…”the sharp rise in geopolitical tensions in the Middle East has pushed up crude prices, revived inflation concerns, and reduced the probability of near-term rate cuts globally.” He added that elevated US bond yields had…”improved the relative attractiveness of fixed-income assets, prompting global investors to rebalance away from equities.” He also flagged that…”the Indian rupee remaining under pressure, thereby impacting dollar-adjusted returns for FIIs” had compounded the selling.

Domestic investors cushion market impact

For calendar year 2026 as a whole, FPIs have now recorded cumulative net outflows of ₹1,17,172.20 crore across all asset classes, with equity outflows alone reaching ₹1,31,121.53 crore, partially offset by net inflows in the FAR and Debt-General Limit segments.

Domestic Institutional Investors have provided a buffer. Pabitro Mukherjee, Associate Vice President – Technical Research at Bajaj Broking, noted that…”corresponding to the FII outflows of ₹1.11 lakh crore, the domestic buyers have supported with record buying of ₹1.28 lakh crore giving some support to the markets.”

RBI steps in to stabilise rupee

On the currency front, the Reserve Bank of India stepped in to arrest the rupee’s slide. Dr Vijayakumar noted that RBI’s directive capping daily rupee positions of banks and requiring short positions to be covered before April 10…”triggered a short-squeeze which enabled the rupee to rise to 93.20 to the dollar from the 95.30 level on March 30th.” He cautioned, however, that…”so long as crude price remains elevated, rupee will continue to be fundamentally weak,” and that…”FPI inflows can happen only when there is de-escalation on the war front, leading to decline in crude.”

Published on April 4, 2026



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Pradhan vs Stalin: Language row escalates over three-language policy and NEP

Pradhan vs Stalin: Language row escalates over three-language policy and NEP

by | Apr 4, 2026 | Business


Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan criticised Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M. K. Stalin over his opposition to the three-language formula, calling the “imposition” narrative misleading and politically motivated.
| Photo Credit:
–

Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan on Saturday hit out at Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M K Stalin over his criticism of the three-language formula, saying the narrative of “imposition” is a “tired attempt” to mask political failures.

Pradhan said mischaracterising a progressive and inclusive reform as “linguistic imposition” was aimed at creating unnecessary apprehension and confusion.

Earlier in the day, Stalin said the three-language formula was a “covert” mechanism to expand Hindi into non-Hindi-speaking regions. He alleged that the CBSE’s curriculum framework, aligned with the NEP-2020, was a “calculated” and “deeply concerning” attempt at linguistic imposition.

Pradhan defends NEP as ‘linguistic liberation’

Responding to the criticism, Pradhan said, “The National Education Policy, 2020, is, in fact, a manifesto for linguistic liberation. It prioritises the mother tongue so every Tamil child can excel in their own glorious language “By misrepresenting a flexible policy as compulsory Hindi, you are not defending Tamil; you are creating barriers that deny our youth the opportunity to become multilingual global leaders,” he said in a post on X.

The minister said that portraying multilingualism as a threat was misplaced, adding that Tamil would be enriched and not weakened when its speakers become multilingual, confident and linguistically empowered.

Pradhan said the NEP upholds constitutional principles by promoting all languages equally and also addresses the limitations of the existing two-language system.

It also focuses on implementation through initiatives such as Samagra Shiksha, teacher training, and strengthening institutions like District Institute of Education and Training, along with national frameworks such as the National Professional Standards for Teachers and the National Mission for Mentoring.

“Your questions on reciprocity ignored the ground reality. While the Union government actively encourages students across India to embrace Indian languages, your government continues to deprive Tamil students of diverse opportunities for the sake of a divisive vote bank narrative,” he said.

Pradhan accuses Tamil Nadu govt of blocking PM-SHRI schools

Pradhan further attacked Stalin — the chief of the DMK — and alleged that his government had stalled the establishment of PM-SHRI schools in Tamil Nadu by refusing to sign the required Memorandum of Understanding, despite earlier commitments.

“This deliberate resistance is not merely administrative defiance; it is a direct disservice to lakhs of underprivileged students who stand to benefit from quality, merit-based residential education,” he said.

“This has effectively withheld modern infrastructure and teachers from its own students. The Union government remains fully committed to funding and teacher training, but progress is being held back by your dishonest politics,” he added.

Pradhan said by mischaracterising a progressive, inclusive reform as “linguistic imposition”, the Tamil Nadu chief minister was creating unnecessary apprehension and confusion.

“The real concern, perhaps, is not the policy’s clarity, but the chief minister’s unwillingness to acknowledge it. In doing so, he disregards the constitutional spirit that safeguards India’s linguistic diversity.

“Stop using the Hindi imposition argument to hide administrative failures and join the national mission of empowering every Indian language,” Pradhan said.

Published on April 4, 2026



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