"Bank has also been examining options of installing Iris scanners at our BC/CSP (Bank Mitra) channels to address the challenges faced by our Senior Pensioners/ Customers," SBI said in a statement.

Union Bank of India customers can avail banking services in 7 different languages through UVConn by sending 'Hi' through WhatsApp on the Bank's number '09666606060' from their registered mobile number with the Bank, the state-owned lender said in a release.

"Our endeavour is to include every underserved household and small business under financial services. As we commence on our ambitious five-Year Vision plan of rapid expansion path to serve 20 million lives by 2027, we plan to enter Gujarat, Haryana and Maharashtra this year, besides expanding our footprint in Madhya Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh," said MD and CEO Manoj Nambiar .

HDFC Bank's request for an exception on cash reserve ratio (CRR) and statutory liquidity ratio (SLR) requirements has been refused by the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) ahead of its merger with mortgage financier parent HDFC. RBI has allowed HDFC Bank some leeways on the priority sector lending front, according to the bank. CRR and SLR requests have been turned down despite being exempt from non-bank lenders which HDFC Bank is classified.

The central bank has permitted the bank to meet priority sector lending requirements in a staggered fashion over three years, the bank said in an exchange notification.

Unsecured loans – mostly personal loans and credit cards – do not carry any collateral and therefore pose higher risk. Indian banks have been growing their unsecured lending portfolio as the pandemic-induced stress began to ease.

Indian banks are expected to avoid investing large amounts in the central bank's 14-day variable rate reverse repo as cash in circulation and increased credit demand eat away at liquidity levels. Traders have also said that few banks have ample cash, leaving many susceptible to funding shortfalls. Subscription to the Reserve Bank of India's variable rate reverse repo on Friday was less than half the previous week, indicating the trend of reduced demand will continue.

India's largest lender, the State Bank of India (SBI), has reportedly contacted international banks to explore options for a possible bond issue, with initial estimates pointing towards $500m. The bank is expected to formally involve investment banks in the project within a week, with the issue's size dependent on the response from investors. The regulatory framework allowing companies to issue securities to investors in the US and other markets without registering with the SEC is expected to help to bring down costs.

Kotak Mahindra Bank has won a case to liquidate ARSS Infrastructure Projects instead of accepting a resolution plan approved by over three-quarters of lenders for the troubled borrower. On Tuesday, a bankruptcy court ordered the liquidation of the civil construction firm on the grounds that the approved resolution plan deprived a dissenting creditor of the right to recover the remaining loan amount from a guarantor.