RBL Bank

Repeats for wider distribution

By Nishit Navin and Jayshree P Upadhyay

Aug 12 (Reuters) - Bank of America BAC.N will acquire as much as a 49.9% stake in the non-bank lending arm of Jio Financial Services JIOF.NS in a 182.68 billion rupee ($1.92 billion) deal, as the U.S. lender expands its presence in India's fast-growing financial sector.

The deal extends a recent run of large foreign investments in Indian banks and non-bank lenders, which are seeing a strong demand for credit and low loan delinquency rates.

Recent deals include Japan's MUFG 8306.T investment in Shriram Finance SHMF.NS, Dubai-based bank Emirates NBD's ENBD.DU 60% stake purchase in RBL Bank RATB.NS and Sumitomo Mitsui Financial Group's investment in Yes Bank YESB.NS.

Bank of America will become a joint venture partner in non-banking finance company Jio Credit through a preferential allotment of equity shares and warrants, the two companies said on Wednesday.

ACCESS TO A FAST-GROWING MARKET

The transaction, which values Jio Credit at around $3.8 billion according to a Reuters calculation, initially gives BofA a 26.5% stake, with its holding potentially rising to 49.9% after the exercise of the warrants.

Jio Credit will issue shares worth up to 66.13 billion rupees and warrants worth up to 116.55 billion rupees to BofA as part of the deal.

"By combining Jio Financial Services' scale, local expertise and customer base with Bank of America's global reach, digital experience and close to 250 years of leadership in banking, we can help expand access to financial services and support India’s continued economic growth," BofA CEO Brian Moynihan said.

Jio Credit is among India's fastest-growing NBFCs, with assets under management of more than $3 billion as of June-end, within just two years of operations.

The investment offers Jio Credit capital to support its growth while getting the expertise of a global financial firm, Bank of America said.

Non-bank credit in India is growing at a rapid pace of over 14% across segments like personal loans, gold loans and small-business credit.

JIO FINANCIAL's JV STRATEGY

Jio Financial, which listed in 2023 after a demerger from Indian billionaire Mukesh Ambani's Reliance Industries RELI.NS, operates businesses such as digital lending, payments, insurance broking and asset management services.

The company has chosen to forge joint ventures with global firms across a number of its business lines. It offers asset and wealth management services through its joint ventures with BlackRock. It has also entered a JV with Germany's Allianz to offer general and health insurance.

($1 = 95.3300 Indian rupees)

(Reporting by Nishit Navin in Bengaluru; Editing by Abinaya V, Maju Samuel and Arun Koyyur)

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Adds context and transaction details throughout

By Nishit Navin and Jayshree P Upadhyay

Aug 12 (Reuters) - Bank of America BAC.N will acquire as much as a 49.9% stake in the non-bank lending arm of Jio Financial Services JIOF.NS in a 182.68 billion rupee ($1.92 billion) deal, as the U.S. lender expands its presence in India's fast-growing financial sector.

The deal extends a recent run of large foreign investments in Indian banks and non-bank lenders, which are seeing a strong demand for credit and low loan delinquency rates.

Recent deals include Japan's MUFG 8306.T investment in Shriram Finance SHMF.NS, Dubai-based bank Emirates NBD's ENBD.DU 60% stake purchase in RBL Bank RATB.NS and Sumitomo Mitsui Financial Group's investment in Yes Bank YESB.NS.

Bank of America will become a joint venture partner in non-banking finance company Jio Credit through a preferential allotment of equity shares and warrants, the two companies said on Wednesday.

ACCESS TO A FAST-GROWING MARKET

The transaction, which values Jio Credit at around $3.8 billion according to a Reuters calculation, initially gives BofA a 26.5% stake, with its holding potentially rising to 49.9% after the exercise of the warrants.

Jio Credit will issue shares worth up to 66.13 billion rupees and warrants worth up to 116.55 billion rupees to BofA as part of the deal.

"By combining Jio Financial Services' scale, local expertise and customer base with Bank of America's global reach, digital experience and close to 250 years of leadership in banking, we can help expand access to financial services and support India’s continued economic growth," BofA CEO Brian Moynihan said.

Jio Credit is among India's fastest-growing NBFCs, with assets under management of more than $3 billion as of June-end, within just two years of operations.

The investment offers Jio Credit capital to support its growth while getting the expertise of a global financial firm, Bank of America said.

Non-bank credit in India is growing at a rapid pace of over 14% across segments like personal loans, gold loans and small-business credit.

JIO FINANCIAL's JV STRATEGY

Jio Financial, which listed in 2023 after a demerger from Indian billionaire Mukesh Ambani's Reliance Industries RELI.NS, operates businesses such as digital lending, payments, insurance broking and asset management services.

The company has chosen to forge joint ventures with global firms across a number of its business lines. It offers asset and wealth management services through its joint ventures with BlackRock. It has also entered a JV with Germany's Allianz to offer general and health insurance.

($1 = 95.3300 Indian rupees)

(Reporting by Nishit Navin in Bengaluru; Editing by Abinaya V, Maju Samuel and Arun Koyyur)

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** Shares of private lender RBL Bank RATB.NS fall as much as 2.58% despite a 27% rise in June-quarter profit, as brokerages flagged pressure on net interest income and elevated slippages in credit cards and personal loans

** CLSA downgrades RATB to "underperform" from "hold" and reduces price target to 310 rupees from 320 rupees

** "Slippages, primarily in the credit card and personal loans portfolio, remain elevated," says CLSA, cutting financial year 2027-2029 profit estimates by 1%-5%

** Investec terms the quarterly performance "soft" and cuts FY2027 and 2028 profit estimates by 9% and 5%, projecting a "slightly lower NII"

** Credit card portfolio "continues to bleed, with slippages high (up 19% QoQ)," says Axis Capital

** Average rating of 20 analysts tracking RATB is "buy"; median price target is 365 rupees, according to data compiled by LSEG

** RATB shares have climbed 15.7% in 2026 so far, outperforming the 3.2% drop in the private bank index .NIFPVTBNK, exchange data shows

(Reporting by Bharath Rajeswaran in Bengaluru)

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July 17 (Reuters) - RBL Bank Ltd RATB.NS:

• RBL BANK LTD- Q1 FY27 NIM AT 4.13%

Source text: ID:nnAZN4T8GJ7

Further company coverage: RATB.NS

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Updates with statements from IDBI, Emirates in paragraph 4, market cap in paragraph 8 after close

By Nikunj Ohri

July 14 (Reuters) - India has received revised bids from Canada's Fairfax Financial FFH.TO and Dubai's Emirates NBD ENBD.DU for the sale of its majority stake in IDBI Bank IDBI.NS, two sources said, reviving a transaction stalled earlier this year over valuation expectations.

India's federal government and state-run Life Insurance Corp of India LIFI.NS are selling a combined 60.7% stake in IDBI Bank, with the transaction expected to be completed in a month, one of the sources said on Tuesday.

The sale process was stalled earlier this year after bids submitted in March by Fairfax and Emirates fell short of the government's expectations.

IDBI Bank said in a statement to exchanges on Tuesday that it cannot confirm or deny reports about Fairfax Financial's offer and has received no government communication on the ongoing disinvestment process. Emirates NBD declined to comment.

The revised bids are being evaluated, and a top panel of bureaucrats met on Monday to discuss the stake sale, a third source said. The Indian government owns 45.48% of IDBI Bank, while LIC holds 49.24%.

Fairfax is the frontrunner to acquire the bank and is in conversation with the government while Emirates is not actively pursuing the deal after having acquired another Indian lender last year, one of the two sources and another source said.

Details of the revised bids and valuation of the bank could not be immediately ascertained. Shares of IDBI Bank closed 2.87% higher at 86.54 rupees, giving the lender a market capitalisation of 930.5 billion rupees.($9.67 billion)

The finance ministry, LIC and Fairfax did not immediately respond to requests for comment. The sources spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss sensitive matters.

The revised bids come amid growing foreign investor interest in India's financial sector.

Last year, Emirates NBD acquired a stake in private lender RBL Bank RATB.NS for $3 billion, while Japan's MUFG 8306.T bought a 20% stake in non-bank lender Shriram Finance SHMF.NS for $4.4 billion, marking some of the largest foreign investments in India's banking industry.

To draw similar interest in state-run banks, India also plans to raise the foreign direct investment limit in them to 49% from 20% presently.

REVIVED SALE PROCESS

IDBI Bank's stake sale process was initiated in 2022 and has since dragged on due to regulatory and procedural approvals.

By March 2026, when the process neared its completion, it stalled due to high government valuation expectations and weak investor appetite amid the Middle East conflict.

Concerns over pension and gratuity liabilities also weighed on bids, Reuters had reported.

($1 = 96.2000 Indian rupees)

(Reporting by Nikunj Ohri, Additional reporting by Ira Dugal and Gopika Gopakumar; Writing by Kashish Tandon; Editing by Mrigank Dhaniwala, Sonia Cheema and Muralikumar Anantharaman)

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July 8 (Reuters) - RBL Bank Ltd RATB.NS:

• RBL BANK - TO CONSIDER ISSUE OF DEBT SECURITIES ON PRIVATE PLACEMENT BASIS

Source text: ID:nBSE7mgW5f

Further company coverage: RATB.NS

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July 3 (Reuters) - RBL Bank Ltd RATB.NS:

• TOTAL DEPOSITS AT 1.25 TRILLION RUPEES, UP 11% YOY, AS OF JUNE 30

• BANK TACTICALLY CHOSE NOT TO RENEW CERTAIN WHOLESALE DEPOSITS IN THIS QUARTER

• GROSS ADVANCES AS OF JUNE 30 AT 1.17 TRILLION RUPEES, UP 21% YOY

Source text: ID:nBSE8HqHnd

Further company coverage: RATB.NS

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Updates to closing prices, analysts' comment

By Ateeq Shariff

June 30 (Reuters) - Most Gulf stock markets ended lower on Tuesday on doubts over whether U.S.-Iran talks in Doha will make any progress to end the four-month-old war.

U.S. envoys in Doha will not hold a high-level meeting with Iran, a Qatari official said, adding there will be technical talks this week on issues including regional security that could be elevated to senior level.

Iran had said on Monday that no meeting had been planned as weekend missile exchanges tested an interim ceasefire. It said its technical delegation's visit to Qatar was unrelated to the Americans' trip and that no talks were scheduled.

Saudi Arabia's benchmark stock index .TASI edged 0.1% up on Tuesday, with shares in ACWA Power 2082.SE gaining 2.8%.

Dubai's main share index .DFMGI dropped 0.6%, with top lender Emirates NBD (ENBD) ENBD.DU retreating 1.8% on reports it is considering acquiring HSBC's Turkish unit.

ENBD shares may stay under pressure in the near term as investors price in capital, integration, and execution risks tied to another potentially large overseas deal so soon after its bid for a 26% stake in India's RBL Bank, said Daniel Takieddine, CEO of Sky Links Capital Group.

According to Takieddine, in the longer run, a broader footprint across Turkey and South Asia could help diversify earnings, reduce reliance on the domestic market, and reinforce the bank's long-term growth prospects.

In Abu Dhabi, the index .FTFADGI fell 0.4%.

The Qatari index .QSI eased 0.1%, weighed down by a 2.2% fall in the Gulf's biggest lender Qatar National Bank QNBK.QA.

Outside the Gulf, Egypt's blue-chip index .EGX30 advanced 1.3%, as most of its constituents were in positive territory.

The International Monetary Fund said on Monday it had reached a staff-level agreement with Egypt on two programme reviews, potentially unlocking about $1.6 billion subject to executive board approval.

(Reporting by Ateeq Shariff in Bengaluru; Editing by Subhranshu Sahu and Emelia Sithole-Matarise)

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Crisil Ratings has assigned its highest long-term rating of 'Crisil AAA/Stable' to RBL Bank's fixed deposits and infrastructure bonds, and its highest short-term rating of 'Crisil A1+' to the bank's certificate of deposits. The rating action reflects the expected strong support from Emirates NBD, which now holds a 60% stake in RBL following a Rs 26,016 crore preferential equity infusion completed on June 18. Crisil noted RBL's pro-forma capital adequacy ratio had risen to 35.3% post-infusion. The agency also highlighted the increasing diversity in the bank's asset profile, with the share of secured retail loans expanding to 35% of advances.

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RBL Bank has allotted 92.91 crore equity shares at ₹280 apiece to Emirates NBD, raising ₹26,015.77 crore through a preferential issue. The allotment gives Emirates NBD a 60% stake in the bank, making it the promoter. The board was simultaneously reconstituted, with five Emirates NBD nominees—including Group CEO Shayne Nelson—appointed as non-executive non-independent directors. Existing directors Gopal Jain and Veena Mankar resigned to facilitate the reorganisation. The transaction was previously approved by RBL Bank's board in October 2025 and April 2026. The allotment increases the bank's paid-up equity capital from ₹619.42 crore to ₹1,548.56 crore.

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June 12 - RBL Bank Ltd RATB.NS:

• RBL BANK LTD - APPOINTS BHAVIN LAKHPATWALA AS CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER

Source text: [ID:]

Further company coverage: RATB.NS

BENGALURU, May 22 (Reuters) - Dubai's Emirates NBD ENBD.DU will launch its open offer on June 1 to acquire up to a 26% stake in RBL Bank RATB.NS from public shareholders at 282.38 rupees per share, according to a letter of offer filed to exchanges.

• Public shareholders can tender shares from June 1. The offer will close on June 12.

• The offer price of 282.38 rupees per share includes interest of 2.38 rupees, and reflects around a 15% discount to RBL Bank stock's closing price on Friday.

• Total consideration for the proposed acquisition will be 117.35 billion rupees, if the offer is fully accepted.

• In India, an open offer is a mandatory requirement under acquisition rules, which require the buyer taking a substantial stake in a listed company to extend an exit opportunity to public shareholders.

• In October, Emirates NBD announced plans to ​buy a majority stake in the Indian lender for $3 billion, one of the largest cross-border deals in India's financial sector.

• It received approval from India's central bank in April, followed by government clearance last week.

(Reporting by Nishit Navin; Editing by Shilpi Majumdar)

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May 17 - EMIRATES NBD BANK ENBD.DU:

• Announces receipt of approval of the Government of India, all requisite regulatory and governmental approvals for Emirates NBD’s acquisition of majority controlling stake in RBL Bank Limited (RBL) have been received

Further company coverage: ENBD.DU

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May 15 (Reuters) - UAE TO INVEST $5 BILLION IN INDIAN INFRASTRUCTURE AND RBL BANK AND SAMMAN CAPITAL - INDIA GOVERNMENT

Further company coverage: RATB.NS SMMN.NS

(([email protected];))

** Indian banks rise as government approves an emergency credit guarantee programme worth $1.9 billion to support businesses facing short-term liquidity stress due to the Iran war

** Banks .NSEBANK and private banks .NIFPVTBNK climb ~1% each, state-owned lenders .NIFTYPSU up 1.3%, powering gains on benchmark Nifty 50 .NSEI, which is up 0.4%

** The scheme will provide additional credit support to eligible borrowers, with the government offering 100% guarantee coverage for small and medium enterprises and 90% coverage for other firms and the airline sector

** Citi says MSME-focussed lenders such as Axis Bank AXBK.NS, RBL Bank RATB.NS and state-banks will be the key beneficiaries; scheme is net positive for credit sentiment, asset quality and financial stability

** "The scheme is a net positive for banks, a modest loan growth tailwind and a more meaningful near-term asset quality buffer," Nomura says

** YTD, NSEBANK and NIFPVTBNK down 7.5% and 8.5%, respectively, NIFTYPSU up 0.3%; Nifty 50 down 7.6%

(Reporting by Kashish Tandon in Bengaluru)

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MUMBAI, April 30 (Reuters) - India's markets regulator has approved a change of control at RBL Bank RATB.NS, the lender said on Thursday, related to a proposed deal that would see Dubai's Emirates NBD ENBD.DU acquire a majority stake.

The nod from the Securities and Exchange Board of India marks a key regulatory milestone for one of the largest cross‑border deals in the country's financial sector.

A change of control in a listed company involves a shift in the right to appoint directors and manage policies and requires prior SEBI approval.

Here are some details:

• SEBI granted approval in a letter dated April 29, according to a filing.

• Emirates NBD's proposal to buy a 60% stake in RBL for $3 billion was announced in October 2025.

• RBL said the deal remains subject to other regulatory approvals and conditions.

• India’s central bank approved the deal earlier this month, paving the way for Emirates NBD to acquire up to 74% of RBL share capital, subject to a minimum 51% holding, while capping voting rights at 26%.

• Post-transaction, RBL will be classified as a foreign bank subsidiary, with Emirates NBD as its parent, and governed by norms applicable to wholly-owned foreign subsidiaries.

• India’s competition regulator cleared the deal in January.

(Reporting by Ashwin Manikandan; Editing by Sonia Cheema)

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** Shares of India's RBL Bank RATB.NS down 3.17% at 311.2 rupees

** The private lender posted a standalone net profit of 2.30 billion rupees ($24.41 million) in fourth quarter vs 687 million rupees a year earlier

** Citi ("buy", TP:390 rupees) says return on assets missed estimates due to a sharp contraction in net interest margin and higher credit costs, with margin pressures likely to persist in the near term

** Emkay ("buy", TP:375 rupees) expects bank to deliver a gradual improvement in return on assets to 0.9-1.5% over FY27-29, flags uncertainty around the ENBD deal, potential impact of West Asia tensions, and key management attrition

** RATB stock rated "buy", on avg, by 18 analysts; median PT is 344.5 rupees, according to LSEG-compiled data

** YTD, RBL stock up 5.6%

(Reporting by Devika Nair in Bengaluru)

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BENGALURU, April 25 (Reuters) - India's RBL Bank RATB.NS reported a three-fold jump in fourth-quarter profit on Saturday, helped by strong loan growth.

The private lender posted a standalone net profit of 2.30 billion Indian rupees ($24.41 million) for the quarter ended March 31, compared with 687 million rupees a year earlier.

After months of slower growth, Indian lenders saw a pick-up in credit demand in the second half of the financial year, aided by consumption tax cuts and a recovery in corporate loans.

RBL's loans grew 23% in its fourth quarter from a year earlier, while deposits rose 25%.

Net interest income - the difference between interest earned on advances and paid on deposits - grew 7% to 16.71 billion rupees.

Earlier this month, India's central bank approved Emirates NBD Bank's proposal to ​acquire a majority stake in RBL Bank, giving a key regulatory clearance for one of the largest cross-border deals in India's financial sector.

Last October, Emirates NBD announced plans to acquire a 60% stake in the Indian lender for $3 billion.

RBL Bank will be classified as a ‌foreign ⁠bank subsidiary with Emirates NBD as its parent, the Reserve Bank of India said in its approval, which is valid for a year.

The bank's gross bad loans as a percentage of total loans improved to 1.45%, as of the end of March, from 1.88% in the previous quarter.

Provisions to cover potential bad loans dropped 13.7% to 6.78 billion rupees.

($1 = 94.2400 Indian rupees)

(Reporting by Nishit Navin; Editing by Sherry Jacob-Phillips and Susan Fenton)

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April 10 (Reuters) - RBL Bank Ltd RATB.NS:

• RBL BANK LTD - RESERVE BANK OF INDIA CONFIRMS AMENDMENT TO RBL BANK'S CAPITAL CLAUSE

• RBL BANK LTD - INCREASES AUTHORISED CAPITAL TO 18 RUPEES BILLION BY CREATING 80 MILLION ADDITIONAL SHARES

Source text: ID:nBSE37gRyw

Further company coverage: RATB.NS

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April 2 (Reuters) - RBL Bank Ltd RATB.NS:

• RBL BANK LTD - EMIRATES NBD BANK RECEIVES RBI APPROVAL TO BUY UP TO 74% OF RBL BANK

• RBL BANK LTD - EMIRATES NBD TO MAINTAIN AT LEAST 51% IN RBL BANK; RBL TO BE FOREIGN BANK SUBSIDIARY

• RBL BANK LTD - RBI HAS NO OBJECTION TO EMIRATES NBD AS PROMOTER OF RBL BANK

• RBL BANK LTD - EMIRATES NBD VOTING RIGHTS IN RBL BANK CAPPED AT 26%

Source text: ID:nBSE6l1Y1l

Further company coverage: RATB.NS

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March 25 (Reuters) - RBL Bank Ltd RATB.NS:

• RBL BANK LTD - CENTRAL BANK OF UNITED ARAB EMIRATES APPROVES NBD BANK ACQUISITION OF A MAJORITY STAKE IN BANK

Source text: ID:nBSEc11Myn

Further company coverage: RATB.NS

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March 24 (Reuters) - RBL Bank Ltd RATB.NS:

• GST DEMAND OF 920 MILLION RUPEES FOR FY2019-20 WITHDRAWN BY STATE TAX AUTHORITIES

Source text: ID:nBSEDRgYr

Further company coverage: RATB.NS

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Recasts throughout, changes sourcing

March 13 (Reuters) - India will shelve the bids it received for a majority stake sale in IDBI Bank IDBI.NS, as the offers received were below the government's minimum price expectation, a government source told Reuters.

The Indian government and state-owned Life Insurance Corporation of India LIFI.NS had initiated the process to sell 60.7% of the lender in 2022.

India's government owns 45.48% of IDBI Bank, while LIC holds 49.24%.

The existing sale process would be scrapped as the bids received were below the so-called reserve price, or the minimum sale price, set for the sale, the source said.

Bloomberg News reported the development first.

The government may initiate a fresh process when the market appetite improves and there is strong interest among buyers, the source added.

IDBI Bank and India's finance ministry didn't immediately respond to a Reuters request for comment outside regular business hours.

Reuters had reported that the planned sale of IDBI Bank had attracted bids from Canadian investment group Fairfax Financial FFH.TO and Emirates NBD ENBD.DU.

Tepid interest in acquiring the lender controlled by LIC contrasts with strong foreign investor appetite underscored by Dubai-based Emirates NBD's ENBD.DU $3 billion purchase of a 60% stake in RBL Bank RATB.NS and Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corp's acquisition of a 24% stake in Yes Bank YESB.NS.

(Reporting by Nikunj Ohri and Anna Peverieri; Editing by Louise Heavens)

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The author is a Reuters Breakingviews columnist. The opinions expressed are her own.

By Shritama Bose

MUMBAI, March 9 (Reuters Breakingviews) - A dealmaking boom in India's banking sector has an unlikely loser: the government. Canadian insurance holding firm Fairfax Financial FFH.TO leads the race to buy a 61% stake from Indian state entities in $13 billion IDBI Bank IDBI.NS, Bloomberg reported in February, citing sources. An $8 billion transaction would be the largest-ever foreign direct investment in a local bank. But crystallising a premium valuation looks challenging.

A deal would complete a full circle for the lender hardest hit by an asset quality crisis: in 2018, bad loans comprised nearly one-third of its portfolio. Provisions for that sour pool eroded its capital base and prompted New Delhi, which then owned 86% of IDBI, to press state-backed Life Insurance Corporation LIFI.NS to pump in 216 billion rupees, or $2.4 billion at current rates, to raise its 8% stake to 51% in 2019.

LIC now holds 49% of IDBI's shares and the government owns 45%. Selling a 30% stake to Fairfax at the latest market price would fetch the insurer a 136% return on its 2019 investment. New Delhi would be worse off, though: the lender's shares trade lower than they did 13 years ago.

Yet even current multiples may be difficult to fetch. IDBI's shares are trading at about 2 times forward book value, almost twice that of similar-sized rivals Yes Bank YESB.NS and IDFC First Bank IDFB.NS. Throwing in employee liabilities, restructuring costs and the likely absence of indemnity clauses gives the buyer a strong case for a discount.

An abundance of takeover targets has hurt New Delhi, too. Launched in 2022, the slow-moving sale process of IDBI prompted early potential bidders to look elsewhere: last year Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corporation 8316.T bought a 24% stake in Yes Bank.

With Emirates NBD ENBD.DU still in the reckoning with Fairfax, it's a two-horse race to own IDBI. Both bidders already have a foothold in India's credit market: the Dubai-headquartered lender is set to take control of the $2 billion RBL Bank RATB.NS and Fairfax owns $675 million CSB Bank CSBB.NS.

That chips away at any shred of bargaining power left with the sellers, who can hardly demand a control premium. Regulations cap voting rights of private bank shareholders at 26%. That puts the new owner effectively at par on voting decisions with LIC and the government, which will hold a combined 34% after the sale. To maximise takings, officials could ask the central bank to relax the voting rule. The other option is to reduce their total stake to well below 26%.

Otherwise, New Delhi risks catching the weak end of India's banking M&A wave.

Follow Shritama Bose on LinkedIn and X.

CONTEXT NEWS

Fairfax Financial Holdings is the frontrunner to buy a majority stake in IDBI Bank, Bloomberg reported on February 27, citing unnamed people familiar with the matter.

Valuing the 61% stake that the government and the Life Insurance Corporation of India hold in IDBI at the current market price of about $8 billion could make it the biggest foreign direct investment in the country's banking sector, the report added.

(Editing by Antony Currie; Production by Ujjaini Dutta)

((For previous columns by the author, Reuters customers can click on BOSE/[email protected]))

Feb 25 (Reuters) - RBL Bank Ltd RATB.NS:

• RBI APPROVES SBI MUTUAL FUND TO ACQUIRE UP TO 9.99% STAKE IN BANK WITHIN ONE YEAR

Source text: [ID:]

Further company coverage: RATB.NS

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Feb 23 (Reuters) - RBL Bank Ltd RATB.NS:

• RBI APPROVES RE-APPOINTMENT OF CHANDAN SINHA AS NON-EXECUTIVE (PART-TIME) CHAIRMAN

Source text: ID:nBSE842y4j

Further company coverage: RATB.NS

(([email protected];;))

Adds details from paragraph 2-9

By Nikunj Ohri

NEW DELHI, Feb 2 (Reuters) - The Indian government is holding inter-ministerial consultations to raise the limit on foreign direct investment in state-run banks to 49% from 20%, India's financial services secretary M Nagaraju told reporters on Monday.

Foreign interest in India's banking industry is on the rise as evidenced for instance by Dubai-based Emirates NBD's ENBD.DU $3 billion purchase of a 60% stake in private RBL Bank RATB.NS.

Currently, India allows 74% foreign investment in private banks but limits shareholdings of any single foreign institution to 15% unless the Reserve Bank of India grants an exemption.

The Asian nation plans to more than double current limits of direct foreign investment in state-run banks, Nagaraju said. Raising the foreign ownership limit will help them gain more capital in the coming years, Reuters reported last year.

Separately, India's state-run banks will launch qualified institutional placement (QIP) of shares worth about 500 billion rupees ($5.46 billion) in the fiscal 2026-27 year (April-March), more than the planned 450 billion rupees in the current fiscal year, Nagaraju said.

He was speaking to reporters in New Delhi a day after Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman presented the nation's annual budget .

New Delhi may also launch an offer next year to sell a portion of its stake in the insurance behemoth Life Insurance Corporation LIFI.NS, he added.

The Indian government will also get financial bids for IDBI Bank IDBI.NS this month, Nagaraju said.

The government, which owns 45.48% in IDBI Bank, and state-owned LIC which holds 49.24%, together plan to sell 60.7% of the lender. IDBI Bank had to be rescued by the state-owned insurer in 2019 after a surge in bad loans at the lender.

($1 = 91.6350 Indian rupees)

(Reporting by Nikunj Ohri; Writing by Tanvi Mehta; Editing by Sonali Paul and Raju Gopalakrishnan)

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Jan 21 (Reuters) - Major stock markets in the Gulf were subdued in early trade on Wednesday, tracking softer Asian equities as worries over global trade and geopolitical tensions dampened investor sentiment.

Asian shares fell for a third straight session as tensions rose over U.S. President Donald Trump's threats to acquire Greenland and revive a trade dispute with the European Union.

The MSCI's broadest index of Asia-Pacific shares outside Japan .MIAPJ0000PUS fell 0.5%.

Saudi Arabia's benchmark index .TASI fluctuated in a narrow band around its previous close.

Meanwhile, oil prices - a catalyst for the Gulf's financial markets - slipped as expectations of a rise in U.S. crude stockpiles overshadowed a brief production stoppage at two major Kazakh oilfields and fresh geopolitical jitters tied to U.S. tariff threats amid its push to take control of Greenland.

Dubai's main share index .DFMGI edged 0.1% higher, helped by a 1.3% rise in top lender Emirates NBD (ENBD) ENBD.DU. India's competition regulator said on Tuesday it had cleared ENBD's acquisition of a stake in RBL Bank RATB.NS.

In Abu Dhabi, the index .FTFADGI traded flat.

Separately, Abu Dhabi sovereign wealth fund Mubadala is targeting opportunities in artificial intelligence and robotics, viewing the sectors as a major source of industrial growth and a guide for future investments, its group CEO said on Tuesday.

The Qatari index .QSI added 0.2%, with telecoms firm Ooredoo ORDS.QA rising 2.5%.

Qatari Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman al-Thani said on Tuesday that Qatar intends to support local firms in competing internationally, indicating fresh measures in the country's drive to diversify its economy beyond energy.

(Reporting by Ateeq Shariff in Bengaluru; Editing by Ronojoy Mazumdar)

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Jan 20 (Reuters) - India's competition regulator on Tuesday said it approved the acquisition of shares in RBL Bank RATB.NS by Dubai's Emirates NBD Bank ENBD.DU.

In October, Emirates NBD announced a plan to buy 60% stake in the Indian lender for $3 billion.

(Reporting by Nishit Navin)

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** Nifty 50 .NSEI and Sensex .BSESN fall 0.7% each, as heavyweights Reliance and ICICI Bank drop on Q3 profit miss

** 13 of 16 major sectors decline; small-caps .NIFSMCP100 and mid-caps .NIFMDCP100 fall 0.7% and 0.4%, respectively

** Reliance RELI.NS sheds 3.3%; Q3 profit view missed on retail slowdown

** ICICI Bank ICBK.NS slips 3%; RBI-led provisions on agri loans and new labour law hurt Q3

** RBL Bank RATB.NS dips 7.3% after reporting lower-than-expected December quarter profit

** Wipro WIPR.NS falls 7% on dour earnings outlook for ongoing Q4 after posting tepid Q3 results

** IT firm Tech Mahindra TEML.NS gains 3.2% after robust Q3, aided by growth in communications and manufacturing segments

** Bharat Coking Coal BARC.NS, country's top coking coal miner, lists at 96% premium

** Sentiment hit after Trump vows to impose new tariffs on 8 EU members unless Washington is allowed to buy Greenland

(Reporting by Bharath Rajeswaran in Bengaluru)

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