Workflow
Diversification of Corporate Funding
icon
Search documents
It’s the non-banks’ time to shine
BusinessLine· 2025-12-22 01:11
Core Insights - India's industry, trade, and commerce are experiencing a significant shift in credit sourcing, with non-traditional funding sources gaining prominence amid a GDP growth averaging around 8% over the past few years [1][5]. Credit Flow Trends - The flow of bank credit in FY25 decreased by approximately ₹3.4 lakh crore, dropping from ₹21.4 lakh crore to ₹18 lakh crore, while non-bank sources compensated for this decline with an increase of ₹4.3 lakh crore, rising from ₹12.5 lakh crore in FY24 to ₹16.8 lakh crore in FY25 [2][4]. - In FY26 (up to October 31), the total flow of financial resources to the commercial sector increased to ₹20.1 lakh crore from ₹16.2 lakh crore a year ago, with non-bank sources contributing ₹8,95,813 crore, marking a 39% year-on-year increase [13]. Non-Bank Financing Sources - Non-bank financing sources include commercial papers, corporate bonds, private equity, venture capital, credit from non-banking financial companies (NBFCs), external commercial borrowings (ECBs), and foreign direct investments (FDI) [6]. - In FY25, corporate bond issuances reached ₹9.9 lakh crore, a 16.1% increase from the previous year, while investments from alternative investment funds (AIFs) grew by 32% year-on-year to ₹5,38,161 crore as of March-end 2025 [20]. Structural Changes in Financing - The shift towards non-bank financing is driven by India's rapid economic expansion and formalization, which have increased corporate financing needs, while banks face exposure limits and tighter lending norms [18]. - Companies are increasingly seeking non-bank capital as it offers faster execution, higher ticket sizes, and capital aligned with long-term growth rather than short-term debt servicing [19]. Regulatory Environment - The RBI and SEBI are encouraging diversification of corporate funding by deepening the corporate bond market and enhancing supervision of NBFCs, which reflects a regulatory nudge towards non-bank financing [21][22]. - The upcoming withdrawal of guidelines that limited bank credit to large borrowers is expected to allow banks to increase their lending to corporations, potentially balancing the shift towards non-bank sources [24][25].