In FY 14, private sector lenders experienced significant growth in credit cards and personal loan
businesses. ICICI Bank saw 141.6 per cent growth in personal loan disbursement in FY 14, as
per a report by Emkay Global Financial Services. The bank also experienced healthy growth of
20.8 per cent in credit card dues, according to the report. Axis Bank’s personal loan business also
grew 49.8 per cent, with its credit card business expanding by 31.1 per cent.
Investments:
HDFC Bank and state-owned United Bank of India plan to tap the equity markets to raise funds
to enhance capital base and lending. HDFC Bank plans to raise Rs 10,000 crore (US$ 1.66
billion) while the board of Kolkata-based United Bank will seek approval for raising about Rs
1,300 crore (US$ 216.47 million) by selling shares to increase its capital base.
Export-Import Bank of India (Exim Bank) will increase its focus on supporting project exports
from India to South Asia, Africa and Latin America, as per Mr. Yaduvendra Mathur, Chairman
and MD, Exim Bank. The bank has moved up the value chain by supporting project exports so
that India earns foreign exchange. In 2012-13, Exim Bank had lent support to 85 project export
contracts valued at Rs 24,255 crore (US$ 4.03 billion) secured by 47 companies in 23 countries.
IndusInd Bank will soon begin its asset reconstruction business. The private-sector lender plans
to partner asset reconstruction companies (ARCs) for this venture. “I think our new initiative,
which is going to launch in the next two months, is about asset reconstruction. We will do asset
reconstruction within the bank but in tie-ups with ARCs. The business plan is ready. We believe a
huge stock of assets is coming into the ARCs as a business area that we need to look at and we
will exploit,” as per Mr. Romesh Sobti, CEO and MD, IndusInd Bank.
Jammu and Kashmir (J&K) Bank plans to increase its presence outside India. The bank is
looking to establish branches in London and Dubai to enhance its relationship with current
customers who have business interests in West Asia and Europe. “We have a number of business
relationships in these countries and it makes sense for us to have a presence there,” as per
Mr.Mushtaq Ahmad, Chairman and CEO, J&K Bank.