The Reserve Bank of India issued the Reserve Bank of India (Commercial Banks – Forthcoming Instructions) Directions, 2025 on November 28, 2025, under its powers in Section 35A of the Banking Regulation Act, 1949, along with other enabling legal provisions. The RBI stated that the Directions were necessary and expedient in the public interest. These Directions outline a new regulatory framework for commercial banks, titled “Forthcoming Instructions,” with the specific implementation date to be communicated separately. The Directions apply to commercial banks but exclude Small Finance Banks, Local Area Banks, Payments Banks, and Regional Rural Banks. For this purpose, “Commercial Banks” include banking companies, corresponding new banks, and the State Bank of India as defined under Section 5 of the Banking Regulation Act, 1949. The framework establishes the preliminary structure and scope for future regulatory instructions that will govern commercial banking operations.
RESERVE BANK OF INDIA
RBI/DoR/2025-26/173
DoR.MRG.REC.92/00-00-003/2025-26 | Dated: November 28, 2025
Reserve Bank of India (Commercial Banks – Forthcoming Instructions) Directions, 2025
In exercise of the powers conferred by Section 35A the Banking Regulation Act, 1949 (‘BR Act’), and all other provisions / laws enabling Reserve Bank of India (‘RBI’) in this regard, RBI being satisfied that it is necessary and expedient in the public interest so to do, hereby issues the Directions hereinafter specified.
Chapter I – Preliminary
A. Short title and commencement
1. These Directions shall be called the Reserve Bank of India (Commercial Banks – Forthcoming Instructions) Directions, 2025.
2. The effective date of implementation of these Directions shall be communicated separately.
B. Applicability
3. These Directions shall be applicable to Commercial Banks (hereinafter collectively referred to as ‘banks’ and individually as a ‘bank’) excluding Small Finance Banks (SFBs), Local Area Banks (LABs), Payments Banks (PBs), and Regional Rural Banks (RRBs).
For the purpose of these Directions, ‘Commercial Banks’ means banking companies (other than Small Finance Banks, Payments Banks, and Local Area Banks), corresponding new banks, and the State Bank of India, as defined respectively under clauses (c), (da), and (nc) of Section 5 of the Banking Regulation Act, 1949.
Read Full text of the Notification: https://rbidocs.rbi.org.in/rdocs/notification/PDFs/173MD.pdf
