PSB Shakeup 2.0: India Charts Bold Course to Global Banking Giants

Image Source : Physics Wallah

India is set to restart consolidation of public sector banks by fiscal-end after six years, aiming to build globally competitive financial giants. The phased mergers intend to boost lending, efficiency, and inclusion, aligning with Viksit Bharat 2047 to support India’s climb as the world’s third-largest economy.

India is poised to revive the consolidation of Public Sector Banks (PSBs) after a six-year hiatus, with the first phase of mergers expected to wrap up by the end of the current financial year. This renewed push aims to create more robust banking entities, equipped to compete on a global scale and support India’s accelerating economic ambitions.

Key highlights include an initial plan to merge three to four smaller PSBs with larger counterparts, followed by a medium-term strategy to combine some of the resulting entities into fewer, stronger banks. The ultimate goal is to forge at least two PSBs capable of ranking among the top 20 global banks—a milestone reflecting India's growing global economic stature.

This consolidation aligns with the government's 2021 Public Sector Enterprises (PSE) policy, which focuses on optimizing the state’s role in strategic sectors like banking. Experts believe these mergers will boost lending capacity, improve resource mobilization, and spread best practices across banks, thus fortifying the overall financial system.

Notably, the consolidation echoes global competitive trends where scale matters; while Indian banks like SBI and HDFC Bank have made significant progress, China’s banking giants dominate the top global rankings, encouraging India to expand its footprint internationally.

Officials stress the move will enhance financial inclusion, allowing banks to better serve underserved regions, while also improving cost efficiency and risk management. This endeavor supports the broader "Viksit Bharat 2047" vision, aiming for India to become the world’s third-largest economy by 2027-28.

Additionally, PSBs have showcased strong fundamentals recently, with cumulative profits reaching record highs, which lays a solid foundation for upcoming consolidation moves. This initiative not only responds to economic necessities but also adapts to evolving market conditions, technology adoption, and customer service demands.

The revival of PSB consolidation signals a transformative phase for India's banking sector, promising stronger institutions that are globally competitive and better equipped to fuel India’s long-term economic growth.

Sources: Moneycontrol, Financial Express, Economic Times