The amendment directly regulates commercial banks' operational and service delivery obligations during calamities, including branch operations, ATM services, account opening, and fee waivers—all core retail banking functions affecting consumer access to deposits and payment services.
Low confidence — REQUIRES HUMAN REVIEW. This update focuses purely on operational continuity and consumer protection during emergencies; there is no investment, asset management, or growth-oriented angle that would warrant Investment Services tagging.
Specialism
The amendment establishes protocols for banking service continuity during calamities, including temporary premises operations, ATM restoration, and alternative arrangements, which directly address operational resilience and business continuity requirements.
Mandatory inheritance: Operational Resilience is a child of Supervision, so Supervision must be raised as the secondary tag.
2026-04-30 10:29:37·pthandapani@vixio.com
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Notifications - Reserve Bank of India
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TITLE: India's Reserve Bank Issues Amendment Directions on Commercial Banks' Responsible Business Conduct
BODY:
On April 29, 2026, the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) issued the Reserve Bank of India (Commercial Banks – Responsible Business Conduct) Amendment Directions, 2026, exercising powers conferred under sections 21 and 35A of the Banking Regulation Act, 1949.
The amendment introduces new provisions in Chapter V (Financial Inclusion and Accessibility) establishing protocols for banking services during declared calamities. The new section 121A permits banks to operate calamity-affected branches from temporary premises under advice to the relevant RBI Regional Office. For temporary premises operations exceeding 30 days, banks must obtain specific approval from their respective Regional Office. Banks are also required to establish satellite offices, extension counters, or mobile banking facilities in affected areas under RBI intimation.
Section 121B mandates immediate action for restoring automated teller machine (ATM) services and requires banks to provide alternative arrangements addressing immediate cash requirements in affected areas. Section 121C allows banks to open small accounts—as stipulated in the Reserve Bank of India (Commercial Banks – Know Your Customer) Directions, 2025—for persons displaced or adversely affected by calamity who lack access to identification and personal records. Section 121D grants banks discretion to provide relief measures, including waiver or reduction of various fees and charges for customers in calamity-declared areas, for a period not exceeding one year.
These amendments apply to all commercial banks operating in India and aim to ensure continuity of banking services and financial inclusion during calamity situations. The amendment directions come into force with effect from July 1, 2026.
Notifications - Reserve Bank of India Skip to main content Selected Selected Language हिंदी Search the Website Search Notifications ( 423 kb ) Reserve Bank of India (Commercial Banks – Responsible Business Conduct) Amendment Directions, 2026 RBI/2026-27/46 DOR.STR.REC.35/21-04-048/2026-27 April 29, 2026 Reserve Bank of India (Commercial Banks – Responsible Business Conduct) Amendment Directions, 2026 Please refer to Reserve Bank of India (Commercial Banks – Resolution of Stressed Assets) Second Amendment Directions, 2026 dated April 29, 2026 . 2. Consequent to the aforesaid Amendment Directions, in exercise of the powers conferred by the sections 21 and 35A of the Banking Regulation Act, 1949 and all other laws enabling the Reserve Bank of India (hereinafter called the Reserve Bank) 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. 3. These Amendment Directions modify the Directions as under: i. In Chapter V – Financial Inclusion and Accessibility, part E shall be inserted as under: E. Banking services in case of declaration of calamity 121A. A bank may operate their calamity affected branches from temporary premises under advice to the concerned Regional Office of RBI. For continuing the temporary premise beyond 30 days, banks may obtain specific approval from the respective Regional Office of RBI. A bank shall also make arrangements to render banking services in the affected areas by setting up satellite offices, extension counters or mobile banking facilities etc. under intimation to Reserve Bank. 121B. A bank shall take immediate action for restoration of ATM services at the earliest. During the period, it shall provide alternative arrangements to address the immediate cash requirements of the affected areas. 121C. Persons displaced or adversely affected by a calamity may not have access to their identification and personal records. In such cases, small accounts as stipulated in the Reserve Bank of India (Commercial Banks– Know Your Customer) Directions, 2025 , may be opened by banks. 121D. A bank at its discretion, may provide relief measures such as waiver / reduction of various fees and charges in respect of customers in the areas where a calamity has been declared, for a period not exceeding one year. 4. The above amendment shall come into force with effect from July 1, 2026. 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