RBI reschedules Basel III implementation start date to April 1

31 Dec 2012 Evaluate

Providing additional time to some banks that need to enhance their capital base, the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has rescheduled the start date for implementation of Basel III, the global capital norms for banks, by three months to April 1, 2013 from January 1, 2013. The norms are to be implemented in a phased manner by March 31, 2018.

Further, RBI giving out no other reason for the delay would align the introduction of the rules with the start of the country's tax year, which runs from April to March. It would also closely monitor the progress on Basel III implementation in other countries, particularly the major ones, who are the members of the Basel Committee.

These guidelines, which were floated back in May, envisages scheduled commercial banks (excluding LABs and RRBs) operating in India to maintain a minimum total capital (MTC) of 9 per cent of total risk weighted assets (RWAs) as against a MTC of 8 per cent of RWAs as prescribed in Basel III rules text of the BCBS (Basel Committee on Banking Supervision), which is also higher than the international norm of 8%.

However, the RBI Governor D Subbarao, back in September reported that the government will have to infuse Rs 90,000 crore in state-run banks in the next five years, if the Centre fails to scale down their holding in these entities to 51%. Underscoring that both public and private banks together need an additional capital of Rs 5 trillion (Rs 5 lakh crore) by March 31, 2018 to comply with the Basel III regulations, the governor stated, 'the government, in order to maintain majority shareholding under the Basel III, will have to infuse Rs 90,000 crore into the state-run banks, which in light of precarious fiscal position would be a tall task. Out of Rs 5 trillion additional capital requirements, banks would require Rs 1.75 trillion as total equity capital, and the remaining Rs 3.25 trillion as non-equity capital of Rs 3.25 trillion.

Further towards this development, the Basel Committee, on December 14, reported that it would be incorporating all the transitional deadlines in line with the original global agreement, even where they have not been able to meet the January 1, 2013 start date. Eleven member jurisdictions, including India, had finalised Basel-III regulations effective from January 1, 2013, while seven others, including the European Union and the United States, published the final set of Basel III regulations effective from the start date of January 1, 2013. While, seven other jurisdictions including the European Union and the US have issued draft regulations, and have indicated that they are working towards issuing final versions as quickly as possible.

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