Characteristics, Importance, and Benefits of Credit Ratings

Credit rating agencies provide an objective and unbiased evaluation of the credit risk of diverse entities, including individuals, groups, businesses, non-profit organisations, governments, and even nations. They provide transparency and consistency in assessing institutions/borrowers’ creditworthiness, making it easier for lenders and investors to make informed decisions. The main characteristics of credit rating are that these…

What’s the big deal about bankruptcy law?

(This post narrates the background of introducing the ‘bankruptcy law’ and in what way the new law is likely flags the problem loans and protects the interest of lenders.) The ‘Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code, 2016’ bill will be shortly enacted as an ‘ACT’ which will be dealing with resolutions of insolvency and bankruptcy. The fundamental…

What is Credit Rating and the Role of Credit Rating Agencies (CRA) in India

Credit Rating is an opinion provided by a Credit Rating Agency regarding the ability and willingness of an entity (Government, corporate, municipality, Bank lending, etc. to fulfill its financial obligations in completeness and within the established due dates. Such ratings are based on a comprehensive analysis of various factors, including the issuer’s financial health, debt…

RBI Bans Pre-Payment Charges on Floating Rate Loans for Individual Borrowers

Article:The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has issued a directive prohibiting banks and other regulated entities from levying pre-payment penalties on floating rate loans availed by individual borrowers for non-business purposes. The new framework, titled Reserve Bank of India (Pre-payment Charges on Loans) Directions, 2025, will come into effect from January 1, 2026. This move…

Enhancing Credit Underwriting through Straight-Through Processing (STP) or Credit Underwriting Engines

IntroductionCredit underwriting is a critical process through which lenders evaluate a borrower’s creditworthiness and ability to repay a loan. With the advent of technology, traditional manual underwriting methods are increasingly being replaced by automated solutions. One such innovation is Straight-Through Processing (STP), which enables end-to-end automation of financial transactions, thereby improving speed, accuracy, and customer…

Lending under Consortium, Multiple Banking Arrangements and Syndicated loans: A Regulatory and Operational Overview

Introduction In the evolving landscape of credit delivery, the mechanisms of consortium lending, multiple banking arrangements, and syndicated loans serve as important frameworks for financing large borrowers. These arrangements enable sharing of credit exposure among financial institutions and contribute to risk mitigation. However, they also necessitate strong inter-bank coordination and transparency to function effectively and…

Regulations for Credit Rating Agencies (CRAs) in India

The Indian Credit Rating agencies are governed by the Securities and Exchange Board of India (Credit Rating Agencies) Regulations, 1999 (“the Regulations”). SEBI however recognizing the need for more stringent oversight introduced the SEBI (Credit Rating Agencies) Regulations, 2018, which replaced the earlier regulations. These updated regulations aimed to reinforce the credibility and accountability of…