The Reserve Bank of India issued the Reserve Bank of India (Commercial Banks – Responsible Business Conduct) Directions, 2025 on November 28, 2025, with the objective of consolidating and strengthening regulatory instructions relating to customer service and fair conduct in the banking sector. Emphasizing the importance of responsible behaviour toward customers, the Directions bring together various earlier guidelines issued by the RBI to ensure uniform standards of service across commercial banks. Exercising powers under multiple provisions of the Banking Regulation Act, including Sections 21, 35A, 45ZC(3), and 45ZE(4), the RBI determined that issuing these Directions was necessary in the public interest. The Directions come into immediate effect unless specified otherwise and apply to all commercial banks, excluding Small Finance Banks, Payment Banks, and Local Area Banks. For this framework, “Commercial Banks” includes banking companies, corresponding new banks, and the State Bank of India as defined under the Banking Regulation Act.
RESERVE BANK OF INDIA
RBI/DOR/2025-26/170
DOR.MCS.REC.No.89/01-01-032/2025-26 | Dated: November 28, 2025
Reserve Bank of India (Commercial Banks – Responsible Business Conduct) Directions, 2025
Introduction
Customer service holds great significance in the financial services sector. The Reserve Bank of India has, over the years, issued various instructions with a focus on enhancing the level of customer service and ensuring fair conduct towards customers by banks. These directions are issued with an aim to consolidate the various regulatory instructions on customer service and conduct aspects issued by the Reserve Bank of India to Commercial Banks (excluding Small Finance Banks, Payment Banks and Local Area Banks) at one place.
Accordingly, in exercise of the powers conferred by Sections 21, 35A, 45ZC(3) and 45ZE(4) of Banking Regulation Act, 1949 and all other provisions / laws enabling the Reserve Bank of India (hereinafter called the ‘Reserve Bank’) in this regard, the Reserve Bank 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 – Responsible Business Conduct) Directions, 2025.
2. These Directions shall come into effect immediately upon issuance, unless indicated otherwise.
B. Applicability
3. These Directions shall be applicable to Commercial Banks (hereinafter collectively referred to as ‘banks’ and individually as a ‘bank’).
For the purpose of these Directions, ‘Commercial Banks’ mean banking companies (other than Small Finance Banks, Payment 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/170MD.pdf
