TITLE: India's Reserve Bank Issues Second Amendment Directions on All India Financial Institutions Stressed Asset Resolution
BODY:
On July 16, 2026, the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) issued the Reserve Bank of India (All India Financial Institutions – Resolution of Stressed Assets) Second Amendment Directions, 2026, amending the original Directions issued in 2025. The amendment introduces prudential norms governing the acquisition and disposal of specified non-financial assets (SNFAs) by All India Financial Institutions (AIFIs).
AIFIs typically do not transact in immovable assets as part of core operations, except in exceptional cases where such assets are acquired in satisfaction of claims on borrowers. The amendment clarifies the prudential treatment applicable to these acquisitions. An SNFA is defined as an immovable asset acquired by an AIFI in satisfaction or partial satisfaction of its claims on a borrower. SNFAs may only be acquired where an AIFI's exposure to a borrower is classified as non-performing and must be acquired on a non-recourse basis. Upon acquisition, SNFAs are recorded at the lower of the net book value of the extinguished exposure or the distress sale value determined by at least two independent external valuers.
AIFIs must incorporate suitable clauses in their policies governing SNFA acquisition and disposal, specifying limits on SNFAs as a share of total assets, eligibility criteria, delegation matrices, and maximum disposal periods not exceeding seven years. AIFIs must dispose of SNFAs within their policy-defined periods through public auction, adhering to principles enshrined in the Securitisation and Reconstruction of Financial Assets and Enforcement of Security Interest Act, 2002. SNFAs cannot be sold back to borrowers or related parties as defined in the Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code, 2016. Legacy SNFAs outstanding as of September 30, 2026 must achieve compliance by September 30, 2027.
The directions become effective from October 1, 2026, and apply to all AIFIs acquiring SNFAs through bilateral acquisitions or securitisation mechanisms.