RBI draft directions on loan recovery require fair treatment, due diligence, training, and codes for recovery agents.
The Reserve Bank of India has issued draft Amendment Directions extending responsible business conduct requirements on loan recovery and engagement of recovery agents to all regulated entities, specifying safeguards on fair treatment of borrowers, conduct of lender employees and agents, due diligence, training, and a code of conduct for recovery agents, and inviting public comments through prescribed channels.

India's forex reserves fell $6.7bn to $717.06bn; foreign currency assets rose while gold and SDRs declined.
India's foreign exchange reserves fell USD 6.711 billion to USD 717.064 billion for the week ended February 6. Foreign currency assets increased by USD 7.661 billion to USD 570.053 billion, gold reserves dropped by USD 14.208 billion to USD 123.476 billion, SDRs declined by USD 132 million to USD 18.821 billion, and the reserve position with the IMF fell by USD 32 million to USD 4.715 billion.

New CPI series shows January inflation at 2.75%, revises basket and weights, impacting monetary policy signals.
The new CPI series rebased to 2024 (HCES 2023-24) expands the basket to 358 items, reweights components-notably lowering Food & Beverages to 36.75% and enlarging Housing to 17.67%-widens price collection across rural, urban and online markets, and reclassifies groups into a 12-category COICOP-aligned framework. Index values begin January 2025 with year on year comparability from January 2026 and a linking factor enables back-calculation; methodological changes aim to align inflation signals with current expenditure patterns and refine the basis for monetary and fiscal policy calibration.

New CPI series updates base year to 2024, widens basket and recalibrates weights to better measure inflation.
India introduced a new Consumer Price Index series with base year 2024=100, expanding coverage to 358 items and 12 classification groups, recalibrating weights using the Household Consumption Expenditure Survey 2023 24, reducing the food and beverages weight to 36.75%, and updating price collection across extensive rural, urban and online markets to provide more contemporaneous inflation signals for policy calibration.

Loan recovery rules require agent training, call recording, respectful conduct, background checks and restrictions on contact timing.
The Reserve Bank proposes mandating recorded phone calls and civil conduct by recovery agents, prohibiting abusive language and inappropriate messaging, and banning contact at inopportune occasions. Banks must adopt internal guidelines, protect customer information held by agents, require completion of formal debt recovery training, and conduct pre engagement and periodic background verifications of agent representatives. Banks must exercise utmost caution before involving agents in matters that are subjudice and ensure recovery agencies comply with verification, training, and conduct standards.

New CPI series recalibrates weights and expands services and digital coverage to improve inflation measurement for policy use.
The National Statistics Office released a redesigned Consumer Price Index with base 2024=100 that recalibrates item weights using the Household Consumption Expenditure Survey 2023-24, expands coverage of goods, services and digital channels, reduces the food and beverages weight, and aims to provide more accurate inflation signals to aid monetary policy calibration and stabilize CPI-linked fiscal items.

Samsung Galaxy F70e 5G available with Bajaj Finserv Easy EMIs offering flexible tenures and zero down payment.
Samsung launched the Galaxy F70e 5G and promotes purchase via Bajaj Finserv Easy EMIs offering quick approvals, customised payment terms, zero down payment on select models, and flexible tenures (3-60 months). Bajaj Finance Limited is identified as a deposit taking NBFC registered with the Reserve Bank of India and classified as an NBFC Investment and Credit Company that engages in lending and acceptance of deposits, with a diversified lending portfolio and published credit ratings.

SPJIMR launches PGPDM Batch 27 to build development sector leaders with diverse, practice focused training and RBI emphasis on intermediaries.
SPJIMR launched Batch 27 of its PGPDM, a 37 member, gender balanced cohort emphasizing practice oriented learning and capacity building for development sector leadership. The programme highlights the importance of capable intermediaries to bridge government, business and society-critical to MSME promotion and entrepreneurial support-and is positioned as the only Indian development management programme with triple international accreditation.

Kisan Credit Card scheme revised to standardize crop seasons, extend tenures, align drawing limits, and add tech expense eligibility.
Revised Directions propose an updated Kisan Credit Card (KCC) Scheme consolidating guidelines for multiple bank types, standardizing crop seasons into short (12 months) and long (18 months) durations, extending KCC tenure to six years, aligning drawing limits with the scale of finance for each crop season, and adding specified technological and certification expenses within a 20% additional component as eligible. The draft is open for public and regulated entity comments by March 6, 2026 through prescribed online and email channels.

Rupee rises on foreign fund inflows and RBI liquidity support while equities fall amid trade-deal concerns.
The rupee appreciated to 90.61 against the US dollar as foreign fund inflows and RBI liquidity support lifted sentiment, while concerns over India-US trade fact sheet terms and sector sensitivities coincided with equity market declines and continued foreign institutional purchases.

Gold price surge boosts borrowers' collateral value; lenders advise leveraging higher LTV for debt consolidation.
Rising gold prices have increased the collateral value of pledged jewellery, raising the absolute loan amount available within the RBI Loan-to-Value cap. Borrowers may leverage higher valuations for liquidity needs such as debt consolidation or business expansion. Lenders should ensure transparent, real-time appraisal processes and borrowers are advised to use RBI-regulated lenders and bank-grade custody standards to secure peak market valuation and potentially access improved credit terms and lower long-term borrowing costs.

Financial inclusion roadmap to expand banking access, formal credit, insurance and pensions, and boost digital payments nationwide.
A national roadmap, Financial Inclusion 2.0, will expand banking access, augment village banking infrastructure, extend formal credit to women and vulnerable groups, and achieve insurance and pension coverage for all by 2047, while promoting digital financial products and transactions and strengthening financial/digital literacy and fraud awareness.

Rupee rises as foreign inflows and suspected RBI intervention boost liquidity amid oil price and trade-policy uncertainty.
The rupee rose to 90.40 per US dollar, supported by foreign fund inflows and suspected RBI intervention that kept systemic liquidity near Rs 3 trillion, while elevated crude prices and US-India trade-framework uncertainty restrained risk appetite and influenced market sentiment.

Trade unions call a nationwide strike to oppose privatisation measures, demand pension restoration and oppose 100% FDI in insurance.
A joint forum of central trade unions has called a nationwide one-day strike affecting multiple public services to oppose policies seen as enabling privatisation and corporate access, demand withdrawal of the Electricity Amendment and related policy proposals, restore the Old Pension Scheme for power employees, oppose 100% FDI in insurance, roll back recent labour code measures and related bills, and press for stopping outsourcing and regular recruitment and regularisation of outsourced workers.

RBI draft amendments target advertising, marketing and sales practices by banks and NBFCs to curb dark patterns and mis selling.
RBI has issued draft Amendment Directions to expand regulatory requirements on advertising, marketing and sales of financial products and services by all banks and NBFCs, covering Direct Sales/Marketing Agents, dark patterns and prevention of mis selling, and proposes corresponding amendments to Responsible Business Conduct and Undertaking of Financial Services Directions for various categories of regulated entities.

Nationwide strike to disrupt electricity, banking, transport, health and utilities; unions demand withdrawal of privatisation bills.
A nationwide strike by a joint trade union forum is expected to disrupt electricity, banking, insurance, transport, health, education and utility services, with large-scale participation and partial bank-union involvement. Power-sector employees demand withdrawal of the Electricity (Amendment) Bill 2025 and the proposed National Electricity Policy 2026, restoration of the Old Pension Scheme, an end to outsourcing and regularisation of outsourced staff. Unions also oppose up to 100% FDI in insurance and seek repeal of recent labour codes and other statutory measures.

IndoStar Capital Finance reports Q3 disbursements growth, Wage Code impact on expenses, and warrant conversions changing control stakes.
IndoStar Capital Finance, an RBI-registered middle-layered NBFC now focused on Vehicle Finance and Micro-LAP, reported Q3 results showing INR 1,117 crore disbursements, AUM of INR 7,692 crore, improved yields and lower cost of funds, PPOP growth and standalone PAT including a one-time employee expense due to the Wage Code. The company disclosed warrant conversions with allotments to Florintree and BCP V, resulting in BCP V holding 55.98% and Florintree 6.73%, alongside disclosures on asset quality, capital adequacy and operational initiatives.

Instant personal loans require checking eligibility, lender regulatory status, and full cost and prepayment terms before accepting funds.
Applicants must satisfy eligibility requirements-nationality, age limit at loan maturity, employment type, and minimum credit score-and assess loan quantum and tenure with an EMI calculator. Selection of lender should consider regulatory classification and operational assurances; the notice identifies Bajaj Finance as a Reserve Bank registered, deposit accepting NBFC. Contractual cost components-interest rate, processing fees, prepayment charges, and late payment penalties-must be reviewed in the loan terms and conditions prior to acceptance.

January retail inflation will be released under a new CPI series capturing airfares, e commerce and OTT subscription prices.
The government will publish January retail inflation using the new Consumer Price Index (CPI) (2024=100) series, which expands the basket to 358 items and increases price collection to 1,465 rural and 1,395 urban markets to capture airfares, e commerce and OTT subscription price movements; this release follows December's figure under the old series. The base year revision program also updates GDP and IIP base years, with scheduled release dates and the central bank pausing a fiscal year inflation projection pending the new CPI.

RBI draft exempts certain NBFCs with under Rs1000 crore assets from registration, subject to conditions, and invites comments.
The Reserve Bank proposes that NBFCs not availing public funds and without customer interface with asset size below Rs.1000 crore be exempted from registration, subject to conditions specified by the RBI; the draft also prescribes procedures for deregistration or conversion of existing registered entities, including Type I NBFCs, and is accompanied by FAQs and a public consultation process.