RBI: You keep your hard-earned money in banks and want your bank to keep it safe. In this context, the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has released a list of banks that practice the safest and most systematic banking in India. Three banks are included in this list: State Bank of India (SBI), HDFC Bank, and ICICI Bank. The RBI has recognized these three as the country’s most systemically important financial institutions. Additionally, the RBI has designated them as Domestic Systemically Important Banks (D-SIBs). Tuesday’s announcement confirms the importance of these three institutions in the banking sector.
Why is D-SIB so important?
These banks were also recognized as D-SIBs last year in 2024. Due to their large size and importance to the domestic economy, they have once again been placed at the forefront of the country’s financial environment. D-SIBs are considered so important because their failure could have a devastating impact on the country’s financial system, potentially causing widespread disruption. Therefore, the government and regulators are committed to ensuring their stability and taking steps to prevent them from failing.
The RBI first introduced the concept of Domestic Systemically Important Banks (D-SIBs) in 2014 as part of a global effort to strengthen financial stability. The RBI began identifying these essential institutions in 2015, with State Bank of India being the first to join the list. ICICI Bank followed in 2016, and HDFC Bank in 2017. The D-SIB classification is designed to ensure that these banks maintain sufficient capital to manage financial shocks and are subject to more stringent regulatory requirements.
The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) announced the names of the three banks on December 2, stating that State Bank of India, HDFC Bank, and ICICI Bank will continue to be recognised as Domestic Systemically Important Banks (D-SIBs) under the same bucketing structure as in the D-SIB list for 2024. The additional Common Equity Tier 1 (CET1) requirement for these D-SIBs will be in addition to the capital conservation buffer.
