**Executive Summary**
This document contains Amendment Directions issued by the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) on January 22, 2026, regarding Cash Reserve Ratio (CRR) and Statutory Liquidity Ratio (SLR) for Payments Banks. These directions, effective immediately, modify the RBI's 2025 directions on the same subject. The amendments are based on the Banking Laws (Amendment) Act, 2025, and related regulations.
**Key Points / Main Content**
* **Amendments to 2025 Directions:** These directions modify the Reserve Bank of India (Payments Banks – Cash Reserve Ratio and Statutory Liquidity Ratio) Directions, 2025.
* **Paragraph 19 (1) Modification:**
* The phrase "other development financial institutions as defined in section 2 (cccii) of the RBI Act, 1934" will be inserted.
* **Paragraph 26 (6) (v) Modification:**
* The words 'under "Cash in hand"' are to be deleted.
* **Annex I (Form A) Modification:**
* The text "National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development, Export Import Bank of India" should be changed to "the Exim Bank, the National Housing Bank, the National Bank, the Small Industries Bank, the National Bank for Financing Infrastructure and Development or the other development financial institution".
* **Annex II (Form VIII) Modifications:**
* The text "Export-Import Bank of India and National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development" should be changed to "Exim Bank, National Bank, National Housing Bank, Small Industries Bank, National Bank for Financing Infrastructure and Development and other development financial institutions as defined in section 2 (cccii) of the Reserve Bank of India Act, 1934".
* Replace "specified" with "notified" and delete "from time to time".
* A new item: "Amount deposited with the Reserve Bank, under Standing Deposit Facility Scheme" is to be inserted.
**Impact Analysis**
**Payments Banks**
* **Impact**: Payments Banks must adhere to the revised guidelines regarding CRR and SLR as specified in the amended directions.
* **Action Required**: Payments Banks must update their internal processes, reporting formats, and compliance procedures to reflect the changes introduced by these Amendment Directions. They should also review their liquid asset portfolios and cash reserve management strategies to ensure compliance with the new requirements.
Key Entities Referenced
Reserve Bank of India: India's central bank and the primary regulator in this context.
Reserve Bank of India (Payments Banks – Cash Reserve Ratio and Statutory Liquidity Ratio) Directions, 2026: Amendment directions regarding Cash Reserve Ratio and Statutory Liquidity Ratio for Payments Banks.
Reserve Bank of India (Payments Banks – Cash Reserve Ratio and Statutory Liquidity Ratio) Directions, 2025: The directions that are being amended by the 2026 directions.
Banking Regulation Act, 1949: Indian law regulating banking companies. Powers under section 35A are being exercised.
Reserve Bank of India Act, 1934: Indian law establishing the Reserve Bank of India. Powers under section 42 are being exercised.
भारतीय ररज़र्व बैंक
RESERVE BANK OF INDIA
RBI/2025-26/199
DOR.RET.REC.396/12.01.001/2025-26 January 22, 2026
Reserve Bank of India (Payments Banks – Cash Reserve Ratio and Statutory
Liquidity Ratio) Amendment Directions, 2026
Please refer to Reserve Bank of India (Payments Banks – Cash Reserve Ratio and
Statutory Liquidity Ratio) Directions, 2025 dated November 28, 2025.
2. Pursuant to the enactment of the Banking Laws (Amendment) Act, 2025, the
Banking Regulation (Companies) Amendment Rules, 2025 and the Reserve Bank of
India Scheduled Banks' (Amendment) Regulations 2025 have been published in the
Gazette of India dated December 10, 2025 and January 15, 2026 respectively.
3. Accordingly, in exercise of the powers conferred by Section 35A of the Banking
Regulation Act, 1949 and pursuant to Section 42 of the Reserve Bank of India Act,
1934 and Sections 18 and 24 of Banking Regulation Act, 1949, as amended from time
to time, and all other provisions / laws enabling the Reserve Bank of India in this
regard, the Reserve Bank being satisfied that it is necessary and expedient in the
public interest so to do, hereby, issues the Amendment Directions hereinafter
specified.
4. These Directions shall be called the Reserve Bank of India (Payments Banks –
Cash Reserve Ratio and Statutory Liquidity Ratio) Amendment Directions, 2026.
5. The provisions shall come into force with immediate effect.
6. These Amendment Directions modify the Reserve Bank of India (Payments Banks
– Cash Reserve Ratio and Statutory Liquidity Ratio) Directions, 2025 as under:
(i) In paragraph 19 (1), the words "other development financial institutions as
defined in section 2 (cccii) of the RBI Act, 1934" shall be inserted.
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
विवियमि विभाग, केंद्रीय कायाालय, 12िी ींऔर 13िी ींमींव़िल, िरीमि भिि, िरीमि पॉइींट, म ींबई 400021
Department of Regulation, Central Office, 12th & 13th Floor, Nariman Bhavan, Nariman Point, Mumbai 400021
बैंक व ींदी में पत्राचार का स्वागत करता ै
Caution: RBI never sends mails, SMSs or makes calls asking for personal information like bank account details, passwords,
etc. It never keeps or offers funds to anyone. Please do not respond in any manner to such offers.(ii) In paragraphs 26 (6) (v), the words ‘under "Cash in hand" ‘ shall be deleted.
(iii) In Annex I (Form A), the words "National Bank for Agriculture and Rural
Development, Export Import Bank of India" shall be substituted with "the Exim
Bank, the National Housing Bank, the National Bank, the Small Industries
Bank, the National Bank for Financing Infrastructure and Development or the
other development financial institution".
(iv) In Annex II (Form VIII),
• The words "Export-Import Bank of India and National Bank for Agriculture
and Rural Development" shall be substituted with "Exim Bank, National
Bank, National Housing Bank, Small Industries Bank, National Bank for
Financing Infrastructure and Development and other development
financial institutions as defined in section 2 (cccii) of the Reserve Bank of
India Act, 1934"
• The word "specified" shall be substituted with "notified" and words “from
time to time” shall be deleted.
• a new item “Amount deposited with the Reserve Bank, under Standing
Deposit Facility Scheme” shall be inserted.
Yours faithfully,
(Manoranjan Padhy)
Chief General Manager
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