RBI Recasts Framework For Microfinance Providers

Every Non-Banking Finance Company ("NBFC") is required to have a Net Owned Fund ("NOF") as prescribed by the Reserve Bank of India ("RBI") from time to time to commence the business of a Non-Banking...

In August 2026, the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) released the draft Reserve Bank of India (Interest Rates on Loans and Advances) Directions, 2026, proposing a comprehensive framework for the way regulated entities determine and apply interest rates on loans. While the Indian banking sector has long operated under a patchwork of institution specific instructions, the draft Directions seek to bring much-needed consistency to interest rate regulation across banks, cooperative banks, regional rural banks (RRBs), all-India financial institutions and NBFCs. If finalised in their present form, the Directions will come into effect from 1 April 2027.

The Reserve Bank of India has introduced a new classification system for Non-Banking Financial Companies, fundamentally changing registration requirements based on public funding access, customer interface, and asset size thresholds. These regulatory changes create distinct compliance pathways for different NBFC categories while introducing new rules for group entities and overseas investments.

The Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) issued a consultation paper on 23 July 2026 (Consultation Paper). The Consultation Paper proposes a comprehensive review of the SEBI (Portfolio Managers) Regulations, 2020 (PMS Regulations).

In the world of finance, the term insider trading often evokes images of shady deals and hidden agendas. But what exactly is insider trading? Why is it illegal, and how do laws in India seek to prevent it? Let's dive into this intriguing subject, simplifying the complexities surrounding insider trading laws in India, while exploring the impact of these laws on the financial markets and their role in maintaining fairness.

The Debts Recovery Tribunal, also known as DRT, follows certain rules which relate to the time limits mentioned in the Recovery of Debts and Bankruptcy Act, 1993 (RDB Act or the Act). These limits are not merely procedural requirements and instead are factors which influence the right of the borrower or guarantor depending on the stage of recovery proceedings in question.

In Kotak Mahindra Bank Limited v Trupti Sanjay Mehta and Others, 2026 INSC 943 (Kotak Mahindra), the Hon’ble Supreme Court of India considered whether a bank as defined under Section 2(1)(c) of the Securitisation and Reconstruction of Financial Assets and Enforcement of Security Interest Act, 2002 (SARFAESI Act) could invoke the provisions of the SARFAESI Act to recover a secured debt acquired from an entity which was not covered under the ambit of the SARFAESI Act at the time of disbursement of the loan.

The Maharashtra Stamp (Fourth Amendment) Act, 2026 introduces a new dedicated stamp duty framework for financial and bank guarantees in Schedule I of the Maharashtra Stamp Act, 1958. This amendment establishes differentiated duty rates based on guarantee value and type, addressing long-standing ambiguities in how such instruments were previously taxed under generic security bond provisions. The reform has significant implications for banks, NBFCs, and entities dealing with government contracts, though quest

The Supreme Court vide its recent order dated September 17, 2026 (“Order”) in the matter of Ayesha Jain v. Amity University, Noida & Ors., [W.P. (C) No. 531/2025] came down heavily on the manner of operation of universities and issued a series of stringent directions requiring greater disclosure by universities, including with respect to their finances, admissions, staffing, grievance redressal and regulatory compliance

Starting a business involves several important steps after incorporation, and one of the first operational requirements is to Open Company Bank Account in India. A dedicated business bank account allows a company...

This newsletter examines recent Supreme Court judgments across arbitration, civil law, criminal law, insolvency, and white-collar crime. Key rulings address the binding of non-signatories to arbitration agreements, the scope of "industry" under the Industrial Disputes Act, limitations on FIR registration following Section 156(3) rejections, and the evidentiary requirements for proving bribery demands under the Prevention of Corruption Act.

The Hon'ble Supreme Court in its recent decision in Anjali Rathi and Ors. v. Today Homes & Infrastructure Pvt. Ltd. and Ors.

The National Company Law Appellate Tribunal (NCLAT) in a recent judgment held that after the resolution plan has been approved by the committee of creditors (CoC), the CoC cannot substitute the successful resolution applicant with another resolution applicant who was not a part of the corporate insolvency resolution process (CIRP).

After a battle that lasted approximately 900 days, the Supreme Court of India in the case of Committee of Creditors of Essar Steel India Limited through Authorised Signatory v. Satish Kumar Gupta, paved the way for ArcelorMittal ...

The Petitioner was an investor cum consultant to the Corporate Debtor under a previous agreement dated 28 November 2014, in respect of setting up of a new retail outlet.

In a recent and significant decision, the Hon'ble Supreme Court of India in K Gopi v. The Sub-Registrar & Others [Civil Appeal No. 3954 of 2025], delivered by Justice Abhay S. Oka, has decisively clarified the scope of authority vested in Sub-Registrars under the Registration Act, 1908.

The upper house of Parliament (the Rajya Sabha) passed the Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code 2016 on May 11 2016. The code was previously passed by the lower house of Parliament (the Lok Sabha) on May 5 2016.

The Supreme Court on December 3, 2019, in an appeal filed in the case of Embassy Property Developments Pvt. Ltd, held that though the National Company Law Tribunal and the National Company Law Appellate Tribunal ...

The Competition Commission of India has issued significant rulings on anti-competitive practices in agricultural input distribution and tire procurement, while also approving major acquisitions in sports franchising and education technology. These decisions demonstrate the CCI's active enforcement against bid-rigging and boycott campaigns, alongside its assessment of market consolidation in emerging sectors.

The Hon'ble Supreme Court in a recent decision1 slashed the penalty imposed by the Collector of Stamps from ten times the deficiency in stamp duty to half