1. BACKGROUND
On May 8, 2025, the Reserve Bank of India
("RBI") issued the Reserve Bank of India
(Digital Lending) Directions, 20251 ("DL
Directions") marking a significant step in
formalising and strengthening the regulatory framework for digital
lending in India. The DL Directions consolidate earlier guidelines
on digital lending and introduce new measures to address emerging
risks in the digital lending ecosystem and enhance consumer
protection.
Prior to the DL Directions, the regulatory framework for digital
lending in India was primarily shaped by the Guidelines on Digital
Lending, 20222 ("DL Guidelines"),3
read with the Guidelines on Default Loss Guarantee (DLG) in Digital
Lending, 20234 ("DLG
Guidelines")5 along with the corresponding
FAQs for both.6