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Indian Bad Loans Crisis: How NPAs Rose to 11.2% and Fell to 1.8%

📅 Updated 21 October 2026📖 25 milestones📈 Peak March 2018
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Indian bad loans crisis explained: how gross NPAs hit 11.2% in 2018 and fell to 1.8% by 2026, with the AQR, IBC, recapitalisation and write-offs.

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The Indian bad loans crisis took the gross NPA ratio of scheduled commercial banks from 3.8% in March 2014 to a peak of 11.2% (Rs 10.4 lakh crore) in March 2018 on RBI’s own table, before reforms, recapitalisation and write-offs brought it down to 1.8% by March 2026. This timeline runs newest first, ties every figure to its date and bank group, and separates recoveries from write-offs and from the ratio itself.

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💡 Short Answer

India’s bad-loan crisis grew out of heavy lending to infrastructure and industry after 2008, projects that stalled, and restructuring that hid stress. RBI’s Asset Quality Review from 2015 exposed it, pushing gross NPAs to 11.2% in March 2018. The 2016 IBC, Rs 2.11 lakh crore of announced recapitalisation, write-offs and a bad bank followed. RBI put the ratio at 1.8% in March 2026; the Government cites 1.73%.

⚡ Bad Loans Quick Facts
March 20143.8% GNPA
Peak, March 201811.2%, Rs 10.4 lakh cr
March 20261.8% (RBI)
IBC enacted28 May 2016
Recap planRs 2.11 lakh cr
Written off, 5 yrsRs 10.09 lakh cr
⚡ Quick Answers — AI Overview Ready

Indian Bad Loans Crisis: Key Questions

What caused it?
Aggressive lending to infrastructure and industry after 2008, stalled projects, weak appraisal and monitoring, restructuring that delayed recognition, slow recovery and some fraud and wilful default.
When was the peak?
March 2018: RBI’s table shows gross NPAs of Rs 10.40 lakh crore, or 11.2% of advances. Some later series show 11.5%.
What is the ratio now?
RBI’s June 2026 report gives 1.8% for March 2026 and net NPAs of 0.4%. The Government told Parliament 1.73%.
Were all the loans recovered?
No. The ratio fell through recoveries, write-offs, upgrades and loan growth. Banks recovered Rs 1.32 lakh crore from Rs 10.09 lakh crore written off in five years to FY2022.
📚 Key Takeaways

The Bad-Loan Story in Ten Points

  • Build-up: post-2008 lending to infrastructure and industry, with restructured loans still counted as standard.
  • 2014: gross NPAs were 3.8% of advances, Rs 2.63 lakh crore.
  • 2015-17: the Asset Quality Review lifted the ratio to 7.5% (2016) and 9.3% (2017).
  • Peak: 11.2% and Rs 10.40 lakh crore in March 2018, per RBI’s bank-group table.
  • Law: the IBC (May 2016) shifted control of defaulters to creditors; 12 large accounts were referred in June 2017.
  • Capital: a Rs 2.11 lakh crore recapitalisation plan was announced on 24 October 2017.
  • Rules: the 12 February 2018 circular ended restructuring schemes and was struck down on 2 April 2019.
  • Write-offs: Rs 10.09 lakh crore in five years to FY2022, with Rs 1.32 lakh crore recovered from written-off accounts.
  • Today: 1.8% in March 2026 (RBI) with agriculture at 5.1% and small finance banks’ NPAs rising.
  • 2026: an IBC amendment, a creditor-initiated process and a bad bank still working through Rs 1.66 lakh crore.

Indian Bad Loans Crisis Timeline, Latest First

Each entry is tagged and ends with why it matters. Use the filter to isolate a phase.

🎯 Interactive: Filter the Timeline

Build-up, reckoning, repair or latest data? Filter the Indian bad loans crisis timeline by phase.

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21 Jul
2026

Government: gross NPAs 1.73% in March 2026 Latest

Rajya Sabha reply, 21 Jul 20262.75% in Mar 2024PSB NPAs Rs 6.16 lakh cr (Mar 2021) to Rs 2.45 lakh cr (Mar 2026)

The Government told the Rajya Sabha that the gross NPA ratio of scheduled commercial banks had fallen to 1.73 per cent in March 2026 from 2.75 per cent in March 2024. Bank-group figures showed public sector banks’ NPAs down from Rs 6.16 lakh crore in March 2021 to Rs 2.45 lakh crore in March 2026, private banks from Rs 2.02 lakh crore to Rs 1.26 lakh crore, and urban co-operative banks lower too, while small finance banks’ NPAs rose from Rs 5,971 crore to Rs 10,448 crore. The reply repeated that write-offs are an accounting step that do not waive the borrower’s liability, and listed the IBC, SARFAESI amendments, early warning systems and stressed-asset verticals as measures.

Why it matters: The ratio is now below the 2010-11 level, but the reply also shows pockets, such as small finance banks, where NPAs are rising.
30 Jun
2026

RBI Financial Stability Report: 1.8% and 0.4% Latest

June 2026 FSRGNPA 1.8%, NNPA 0.4% at end-March 2026Agriculture highest at 5.1%

RBI’s June 2026 Financial Stability Report, as reported on 30 June, put scheduled commercial banks’ gross NPA ratio at a multi-decadal low of 1.8 per cent at the end of March 2026, with net NPAs at 0.4 per cent. Agriculture showed the highest sector ratio, 5.1 per cent. In the baseline stress-test scenario the ratio for 46 banks was projected to edge up to 1.9 per cent by March 2028. The RBI figure (1.8%) and the Government’s parliamentary figure (1.73%) cover slightly different bases; this page cites both rather than choosing one.

Why it matters: Even the baseline scenario has the ratio drifting up from its low, not falling further.

NARCL: 33 accounts, Rs 1.66 lakh crore, Rs 6,345 crore recovered Repair

Finance Ministry release around 30 Apr-1 May 2026FY26 recoveries Rs 4,364 crGovernment guarantee up to Rs 30,600 cr

A Finance Ministry release said that by March 2026 NARCL had acquired 33 borrower entities with aggregate debt exposure of Rs 1,65,862 crore, against a target of about Rs 2 lakh crore. It had recovered about Rs 6,345 crore across 23 accounts, of which Rs 4,364 crore came in FY2025-26, and three accounts were fully resolved with recovery ratios of 148, 115 and 183 per cent of acquisition cost. The bad bank pays 15 per cent in cash and issues government-guaranteed security receipts for the remaining 85 per cent; resolution work sits with India Debt Resolution Company Ltd.

Why it matters: Five years after the Cabinet approved it, the bad bank has resolved only a small slice of the Rs 2 lakh crore it was meant to take on.
6 Apr
2026

IBC (Amendment) Act, 2026 gives creditors more control Repair

Lok Sabha 30 Mar 2026Assent 6 Apr 2026Creditor-initiated insolvency resolution process (CIIRP)

The Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code (Amendment) Act, 2026 received assent on 6 April 2026 after the Lok Sabha passed it on 30 March. It introduced a creditor-initiated insolvency resolution process under a new Chapter IV-A, requires admission or rejection of applications within 14 days, treats proven default as sufficient ground for admission and bars withdrawal once the committee of creditors is formed and resolution plans are invited. Reports differ on commencement: some provisions were reported in force from 25 May 2026, with others awaiting notification, so the Gazette should be checked.

Why it matters: Ten years after the original Code, the main fix is speed: admission delays and withdrawals were among the practical obstacles to timely resolution.
9 Feb
2026

Finance Ministry: 2.15% in September 2025, lower than 2010-11 Latest

PIB 9 Feb 2026Domestic operations, provisionalPSBs 2.50%, private 1.73%, foreign 0.80%

On 9 February 2026 the Ministry of Finance said the gross NPA ratio of scheduled commercial banks’ domestic operations had declined for eight successive financial years to a historic low of 2.15 per cent at the end of September 2025 on provisional data, lower than the 2010-11 level. Public sector banks stood at 2.50 per cent, private banks at 1.73 per cent and foreign banks at 0.80 per cent, and PSB slippage had improved to 0.8 per cent against 1.8 per cent for private banks. It credited the 2015 Asset Quality Review, the 4Rs strategy and other reforms, and said more than 30,000 IBC applications with Rs 13.78 lakh crore of underlying default were settled before admission by March 2025.

Why it matters: A government figure for domestic operations, not the same series as RBI’s all-bank tables.

RBI: 2.1% in September 2025, stress tests up to 4.2% Latest

December 2025 FSRBaseline: 1.9% by Mar 2027Adverse scenarios: 3.2% and 4.2%

RBI’s December 2025 Financial Stability Report put the gross NPA ratio at 2.1 per cent in September 2025. Its stress tests projected that the aggregate ratio for 46 banks might improve to 1.9 per cent by March 2027 under the baseline, and rise to 3.2 per cent or 4.2 per cent under adverse scenarios. The later June 2026 report moved the baseline horizon to March 2028.

Why it matters: Regulators publish adverse scenarios because low ratios do not remove the risk.
2 May
2025

Bhushan Power case: liquidation order, then recall Repair

2 May 2025 judgmentRecalled 31 Jul 2025JSW Steel plan Rs 19,700 cr

On 2 May 2025 the Supreme Court set aside JSW Steel’s Rs 19,700 crore resolution plan for Bhushan Power and Steel and ordered liquidation, holding the plan violated the IBC. It ordered status quo on liquidation in late May and, on 31 July 2025, recalled the judgment so the matter could be considered afresh. Later reports say the court approved the acquisition, but the date and details were not verified for this page.

Why it matters: Years after admission, a major resolution plan was still contested at the Supreme Court, which is the legal-certainty problem the 2026 amendment tries to address.

RBI June 2025 report: 2.3% in March 2025 Latest

June 2025 FSR2.3% GNPA, 0.5% NNPAPrevious year 2.8%

RBI’s June 2025 Financial Stability Report put gross NPAs at 2.3 per cent of gross advances at the end of March 2025, against 2.8 per cent a year earlier, and net NPAs at 0.5 per cent. The provisional bank-group table (Table 50 of RBI’s Statistical Tables) shows 2.2 per cent for 2024-25; the gap reflects data vintage and rounding.

Why it matters: Two RBI series can differ by a tenth of a point, which is why each figure here carries its source.

Parliament: Rs 10.09 lakh crore written off in five years Repair

Rajya Sabha, 13 Dec 2022FY2017-18 to FY2021-22Rs 1.32 lakh cr recovered from written-off accounts

A written reply in the Rajya Sabha on 13 December 2022 said scheduled commercial banks wrote off Rs 10,09,510 crore in the five years to FY2021-22, including Rs 1,74,966 crore in 2021-22. In the same period they recovered Rs 1,32,036 crore from written-off accounts, about 13 per cent, and Rs 6,59,596 crore in all across NPA accounts. A December 2023 reply put write-offs at Rs 10.57 lakh crore for FY2018-19 to FY2022-23. The Government and RBI stress that a write-off is accounting, not forgiveness, and that banks still pursue recovery.

Why it matters: Write-offs explain part of the ratio’s fall, and recoveries from them have been a fraction of what was removed.

The ratio halves: 5.8%, 3.9%, 2.7% Repair

Mar 2022: 5.8%Mar 2023: 3.9%Mar 2024: 2.7%RBI Table 50

RBI’s bank-group table shows gross NPAs of scheduled commercial banks falling from Rs 7.44 lakh crore (5.8 per cent) in March 2022 to Rs 5.72 lakh crore (3.9 per cent) in March 2023 and Rs 4.81 lakh crore (2.7 per cent) in March 2024, while gross advances grew from Rs 127.5 lakh crore to Rs 175.1 lakh crore. Both the numerator and the denominator moved, which is why the ratio fell faster than the rupee amount of NPAs.

Why it matters: Loan growth lowers the ratio even when old defaults are not recovered.

Bad bank: NARCL gets a Rs 30,600 crore guarantee Repair

Cabinet, mid-Sep 202115% cash, 85% security receiptsTarget about Rs 2 lakh croreGuarantee valid five years

In September 2021 the Union Cabinet approved a Government guarantee of up to Rs 30,600 crore for security receipts issued by the National Asset Reconstruction Company Ltd (NARCL), the so-called bad bank announced in the 2021-22 Budget. NARCL was to acquire stressed assets of about Rs 2 trillion in phases, paying 15 per cent in cash and the rest in security receipts, with the guarantee invoked only if resolution or liquidation fell short. The guarantee is a contingent liability, so no immediate fiscal outgo.

Why it matters: It moved the largest and oldest stressed loans off bank books without forcing banks to book the loss at once.

COVID-19: moratorium, stand-still and a falling ratio Repair

Moratorium from Mar 2020New IBC filings suspended from 25 Mar 2020GNPA 8.2% (Mar 2020), 7.3% (Mar 2021)

The pandemic prompted a loan moratorium from March 2020, a suspension of fresh insolvency filings from 25 March 2020 for a year and a one-time restructuring window. The gross NPA ratio nevertheless fell from 8.2 per cent in March 2020 to 7.3 per cent in March 2021, helped by relief measures and by write-offs of Rs 2.03 lakh crore in FY2020-21. A moratorium deferred repayments; it did not cancel debt.

Why it matters: A fall in the ratio during a shock partly reflects relief and write-offs, not only better repayment.

Public sector banks merged: 27 down to 12 Repair

1 Apr 2019: Bank of Baroda, Vijaya, Dena1 Apr 2020: 10 PSBs into 412 PSBs after

On 1 April 2019 Vijaya Bank and Dena Bank merged into Bank of Baroda. On 1 April 2020 ten public sector banks were amalgamated into four: Oriental Bank of Commerce and United Bank into Punjab National Bank, Syndicate into Canara, Andhra and Corporation into Union Bank, and Allahabad into Indian Bank. Together with the 2017 absorption of SBI’s associates, the number of public sector banks fell from 27 to 12. Consolidation was meant to build larger, better-capitalised lenders.

Why it matters: Merging weak and strong banks changes the denominator and capital buffers, though it does not by itself recover a defaulted loan.
15 Nov
2019

Essar Steel: Supreme Court backs creditors’ commercial wisdom Repair

ArcelorMittal Rs 42,000 cr planFinancial creditors’ primacy330-day timeline relaxed

On 15 November 2019 the Supreme Court set aside an NCLAT order that had given operational creditors equal status with financial creditors in the Essar Steel resolution, clearing the way for ArcelorMittal’s roughly Rs 42,000 crore takeover. The bench held that the committee of creditors’ commercial decision cannot be interfered with by the adjudicating authority and relaxed the 330-day limit for finishing resolution. Essar was one of the 12 large accounts referred in 2017.

Why it matters: It settled how proceeds are shared and strengthened the creditor-in-control model, though banks took large haircuts.
The dome of the Supreme Court of India seen behind a black iron fence and trees in New Delhi
Supreme Court of India, Tilak Marg, New Delhi. Photo: Pinakpani, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
2 Apr
2019

Supreme Court strikes down the 12 February circular Reckoning

2 Apr 2019Mar 2019 GNPA 9.1%New framework June 2019

On 2 April 2019 the Supreme Court struck down RBI’s 12 February 2018 circular, which had required lenders to resolve large defaults within 180 days or go to insolvency, holding it ultra vires the Banking Regulation Act as drafted. RBI issued a revised Prudential Framework for Resolution of Stressed Assets in June 2019, with an inter-creditor agreement and a review period. The gross NPA ratio at the end of March 2019 was 9.1 per cent, down from 11.2 per cent a year earlier.

Why it matters: A clean-up rule was voided on a point of law, but the principle of time-bound resolution survived in the 2019 framework.

Peak: Rs 10.4 lakh crore, 11.2% of advances Reckoning

RBI Table 50Gross advances Rs 92.7 lakh crNet NPA 6.0%Some series show 11.5%

At the end of March 2018, RBI’s bank-group table shows gross NPAs of scheduled commercial banks at Rs 10,39,679 crore, or 11.2 per cent of gross advances of Rs 92.7 lakh crore, with net NPAs at 6.0 per cent. Some later RBI commentary cites 11.5 per cent for the same date, which reflects a different data vintage. The ratio had been 3.8 per cent four years earlier.

Why it matters: The peak is the point at which recognition was complete enough for repair to begin.
14 Feb
2018

PNB discloses a Rs 11,400 crore fraud Reckoning

Punjab National Bank, Mumbai Brady House branchFraudulent letters of undertakingLinked to Nirav Modi group

On 14 February 2018 Punjab National Bank told the exchanges it had detected fraudulent transactions of about Rs 11,400 crore through letters of undertaking issued by one branch. The case, linked to Nirav Modi’s companies, was a fraud rather than ordinary credit stress, but it landed two days after RBI’s 12 February circular and deepened scrutiny of public sector bank controls. Later estimates of the exposure were higher.

Why it matters: Fraud and stalled projects were different problems; the crisis mixed both.
The wide sandstone-coloured Punjab National Bank head office building with a central glass atrium in Dwarka, Delhi
Punjab National Bank head office, Dwarka Sector 10, Delhi. Photo: Meet.arpit99, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
12 Feb
2018

RBI scraps restructuring schemes, sets a 180-day clock Reckoning

Circular of 12 Feb 2018CDR, SDR, S4A withdrawnExposure threshold Rs 2,000 cr

RBI’s circular of 12 February 2018 withdrew its earlier stressed-asset schemes, including corporate debt restructuring, strategic debt restructuring and the scheme for sustainable structuring of stressed assets (S4A). Lenders had to put a resolution plan in place within 180 days of default for accounts with aggregate exposure above Rs 2,000 crore or refer them to insolvency. The circular ended the restructuring route that had let stressed loans stay classified as standard.

Why it matters: It removed the main way of postponing recognition.
24 Oct
2017

Rs 2.11 lakh crore recapitalisation for public sector banks Repair

Cabinet, 24 Oct 2017About Rs 1.35 lakh cr recapitalisation bondsRs 76,000 cr budget and marketTwo years

On 24 October 2017 the Cabinet announced a Rs 2.11 lakh crore recapitalisation plan for public sector banks, to be spread over two years, with roughly Rs 1.35 lakh crore through recapitalisation bonds and the balance from budgetary support and equity raising; it was announced alongside the Bharatmala road programme. Reports of actual infusions vary slightly: about Rs 88,000-90,000 crore in 2017-18 and Rs 1.06 lakh crore in 2018-19. The Finance Ministry later described recapitalisation as the third of its 4Rs.

Why it matters: Capital allowed banks to book losses without breaching minimum capital rules.
13 Jun
2017

RBI names a 25% slice of NPAs for insolvency Reckoning

Internal Advisory Committee, 13 Jun 201712 accounts, each over Rs 5,000 crAbout 25% of gross NPAs

Under powers in the Banking Regulation (Amendment) Ordinance of May 2017, RBI’s Internal Advisory Committee identified 12 accounts, each with outstanding exposure above Rs 5,000 crore and at least 60 per cent classified as NPA at 31 March 2016, which together accounted for about a quarter of the banking system’s gross NPAs. RBI did not name the borrowers, but banks were directed to file for insolvency. Essar Steel was among those widely reported.

Why it matters: The first mass use of the IBC turned the Code from a concept into the main recovery route for large defaulters.
A multi-storey beige Reserve Bank of India office building on a Mumbai street corner with trees and a taxi in front
A Reserve Bank of India building in Fort, Mumbai. Photo: Sailko, CC BY 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons.

Revised Prompt Corrective Action and a 9.3% ratio Reckoning

RBI PCA framework revised Apr 2017Mar 2017 GNPA 9.3%Banking Regulation Ordinance May 2017

RBI revised its Prompt Corrective Action framework in April 2017, with triggers based on capital, asset quality and profitability and restrictions such as limits on dividends, branch expansion and new lending for banks that breached them. The gross NPA ratio at the end of March 2017 was 9.3 per cent (Rs 7.92 lakh crore), up from 7.5 per cent a year earlier. A Banking Regulation (Amendment) Ordinance in May 2017 then gave RBI powers to direct banks to initiate insolvency proceedings.

Why it matters: PCA forced weak banks to stop growing until they were repaired.
28 May
2016

The Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code becomes law Reckoning

Assent 28 May 2016IBBI set up 1 Oct 2016Corporate insolvency provisions in force 1 Dec 2016

Parliament enacted the Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code in May 2016, replacing a patchwork of older laws with a single, time-bound process under the National Company Law Tribunal. It moved control of a defaulting company from its promoters to a committee of creditors and an insolvency professional, and the Insolvency and Bankruptcy Board of India began regulating the system in October 2016. Corporate insolvency provisions began operating in December 2016.

Why it matters: It changed borrower behaviour, since losing control of the company became a real consequence of default.

Asset Quality Review: the books are opened Reckoning

AQR from 2015Rajan: clean-up by March 2017Mar 2015 GNPA 4.3% to Mar 2016 7.5%

RBI began its Asset Quality Review in 2015, scrutinising banks’ loan books and pushing accounts that had been restructured or carried as standard into the non-performing category. In December 2015 Governor Raghuram Rajan said he wanted something like March 2017 on the table as the date by which a full clean-up would be done. Reported gross NPAs of scheduled commercial banks rose from Rs 3.23 lakh crore (4.3 per cent) in March 2015 to Rs 6.12 lakh crore (7.5 per cent) in March 2016. Much of the stress had built up earlier; the AQR revealed it.

Why it matters: Recognition made the ratio jump even though the underlying defaults were older.
RBI Governor Raghuram Rajan seated at a table with microphones in front of the Reserve Bank of India emblem, flanked by officials
RBI Governor Raghuram Rajan addressing the media in Chennai, 2 July 2015. Photo: Ministry of Finance, Government of India, GODL-India, via Wikimedia Commons.
A multi-storey beige Reserve Bank of India office building on a Mumbai street corner with trees and a taxi in front
A Reserve Bank of India building in Fort, Mumbai. Photo: Sailko, CC BY 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons.

Indradhanush: seven-point plan for public sector banks Repair

Announced 14 Aug 2015Rs 70,000 cr capital over four yearsBank Board Bureau

In August 2015 the Government launched the Indradhanush plan for public sector banks, with measures on appointments, a Bank Board Bureau, capitalisation, de-stressing, empowerment, accountability and governance. It promised Rs 70,000 crore of capital over four years, with more to be raised from the market. It was the first step in what the Finance Ministry later called the 4Rs.

Why it matters: It acknowledged the capital need just before RBI’s review exposed the scale of the problem.

A lending boom meets a slowdown Build-up

Mar 2014: GNPA 3.8% (Rs 2.63 lakh cr)Mar 2015: 4.3%Gross advances Rs 68.8 lakh cr in Mar 2014

After the 2008 global financial crisis, India’s banks kept lending heavily to infrastructure, power, steel and other capital-intensive projects, and regulatory forbearance allowed restructured loans to stay classified as standard. When land, environmental and regulatory approvals slowed, costs overran and demand weakened, borrowers struggled to service debt. RBI’s bank-group table shows gross NPAs of Rs 2.63 lakh crore (3.8 per cent of Rs 68.8 lakh crore advances) in March 2014 and Rs 3.23 lakh crore (4.3 per cent) in March 2015, a modest-looking ratio that hid restructured loans.

Why it matters: The visible NPA ratio understated stress because restructuring kept problem loans out of the NPA count.
The curved blue-green glass facade of the State Bank of India Local Head Office building in Mumbai
State Bank of India Local Head Office, Mumbai Circle. Photo: Manjulkumar, CC BY 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
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The Ratio in One Picture

Gross NPA ratio of scheduled commercial banks, % of gross advancesRBI Table 50 to March 2025 (provisional); March 2026 from RBI FSR June 2026. Red bar marks the March 2018 peak.0369123.820144.320157.520169.3201711.220189.120198.220207.320215.820223.920232.720242.22025*1.82026Years are fiscal year-ends (March). * Provisional. RBI FSR cites 2.3% for March 2025. Government cites 1.73% for March 2026.
The ratio rose for four years as recognition caught up, peaked in March 2018 and has fallen every year since, to 1.8% in March 2026.

Where the Stress Sat: Bank Groups

Gross NPAs by bank group, Rs lakh croreMarch 2021 (red) vs March 2026 (teal), Ministry of Finance data given to Rajya Sabha on 21 July 2026.02466.162.45Public sector banks2.021.26Private sector banks0.380.22Urban co-op banks0.060.1Small finance banksSmall finance banks: Rs 5,971 cr to Rs 10,448 cr. Urban co-op banks: Rs 37,993 cr to Rs 21,769 cr. Foreign banks omitted (Rs 0.10 to 0.04 lakh cr).
Public sector banks carried the bulk of the stress and show the largest drop; small finance banks are the exception.

The Official Series, Year by Year

Scheduled commercial banks, RBI Statistical Tables (Table 50). Keep the date, bank group and gross-versus-net distinction beside every figure.

Year-endGross advances (Rs lakh cr)Gross NPAs (Rs lakh cr)Gross NPA ratio
Mar 201468.82.633.8%
Mar 201575.63.234.3%
Mar 201681.76.127.5%
Mar 201784.97.929.3%
Mar 201892.710.4011.2%
Mar 2019102.99.369.1%
Mar 2020109.29.008.2%
Mar 2021114.08.357.3%
Mar 2022127.57.445.8%
Mar 2023147.65.723.9%
Mar 2024175.14.812.7%
Mar 2025*194.54.322.2%
Mar 2026n/a heren/a here1.8% (RBI FSR) / 1.73% (Govt)

Reading the table. Rows to March 2025 come from RBI’s bank-group table, with 2024-25 provisional. The March 2026 ratio is not in that table here; the 1.8% figure is from RBI’s June 2026 report and the 1.73% from a Government reply. Domestic-operations figures, such as the Ministry’s 2.15% for September 2025, are a different series.

What Is an NPA?

A non-performing asset is a loan that has stopped generating income for the bank under RBI’s classification norms. For a typical term loan, interest or principal overdue for more than 90 days triggers the classification, subject to specific rules and exceptions.

TermMeaningWhy it matters
Gross NPATotal loans classed as non-performing before provisionsHeadline measure; ratio = gross NPAs / gross advances
Net NPAGross NPAs less provisions held against themShows the unprovided part of the problem
ProvisioningMoney set aside for expected lossesCuts profit now, cushions later losses
Write-offAccounting removal of a loan from the balance sheetLowers reported NPAs; borrower still owes the debt
RecoveryCash or value actually collectedDifferent from the NPA ratio; reported separately
Slippage ratioFresh NPAs as a share of standard advancesShows whether new stress is building
HaircutShare of a claim lenders give up in a resolutionIBC haircuts were about 68% in FY2026 per ICRA

Why Did the Crisis Happen?

Aggressive corporate lending. Banks expanded lending to power, steel, roads and other capital-intensive sectors, often on optimistic growth and commodity-price assumptions.

Stalled projects. Land, environmental and regulatory approvals, construction delays and cost overruns weakened the economics of several projects.

Weak appraisal and monitoring. Some lenders underestimated risk or acted too slowly when a loan showed signs of stress.

Delayed recognition. Restructuring and forbearance let problem loans stay classified as standard until the 2015 review.

Slow recovery. Long proceedings and creditor disputes reduced collateral value and tied up bank capital.

Fraud and wilful default. These were central in some accounts, such as the PNB case, but should not be treated as the explanation for every bad loan.

Did the IBC Recover All the Bad Loans?

No. The Code provides a process, not a guarantee. IBBI’s December 2025 newsletter reported 8,833 admitted CIRPs, 1,376 resolution plans and 2,952 liquidation orders, with creditors realising about 31.63% of admitted claims and 171.54% of liquidation value. The Finance Ministry says over 30,000 applications with Rs 13.78 lakh crore of default were settled before admission, a sign of the Code’s deterrent effect. ICRA reported haircuts of about 68% for FY2026 and cumulative realisations of Rs 4.3 lakh crore by March 2026; those are third-party figures.

Six Lessons from the Crisis

1. Lending standards matter more than lending volume. Fast credit growth looks good until borrowers struggle to repay.

2. Recognise losses early. Restructuring kept problem loans classed as standard; the 2015 review and 2018 circular ended that, but only after the problem had grown.

3. Recovery systems need to be timely. IBBI data show 31.6% of admitted claims realised and long case timelines; delay erodes asset value.

4. Public capital has an opportunity cost. Recapitalisation stabilised banks, and also used public resources.

5. Write-offs are not waivers, and not recoveries. Report them separately, as Parliament replies now do.

6. Monitor new credit. A low legacy NPA ratio does not guarantee that unsecured loans or NBFC exposure stay safe.

The Popular Story vs the Record

Short versions of the bad-loan story blur several details.

Popular versionWhat the record shows
NPAs fell because the bad loans were recoveredRecoveries, upgrades, write-offs and loan growth all lowered the ratio; Rs 1.32 lakh crore was recovered from Rs 10.09 lakh crore written off in five years to FY2022
Write-offs mean the borrower was let offThe legal liability stays and banks can still pursue recovery, as the Government told Parliament in July 2026
The crisis was all fraud and wilful defaultFraud mattered in some accounts, but stalled projects, weak appraisal and slowdown caused many defaults
The crisis began in 2015The Asset Quality Review revealed stress that had built since 2008-14; March 2014 was already 3.8%
The peak was 11.5%, Rs 9.6 lakh croreRBI Table 50 shows 11.2% and Rs 10.40 lakh crore for March 2018; some later series cite 11.5%
The IBC recovered most of what was owedIBBI shows about 31.6% of admitted claims realised by December 2025, with long timelines

The Crisis in Numbers

MeasureFigureSource and caveat
Ratio, March 20143.8%RBI Table 50
Peak ratio, March 201811.2% (Rs 10.40 lakh cr)RBI Table 50; some series 11.5%
Ratio, March 20261.8% (RBI) / 1.73% (Govt)FSR June 2026 / Rajya Sabha 21 Jul 2026
Domestic ratio, Sep 20252.15%Ministry of Finance, provisional
Recapitalisation plan, Oct 2017Rs 2.11 lakh crCabinet; actual infusions varied
Write-offs FY2018-FY2022Rs 10.09 lakh crRajya Sabha, 13 Dec 2022
Recovered from written-off accountsRs 1.32 lakh crSame reply; about 13%
IBC realisation vs admitted claims31.63%IBBI, Dec 2025
CIRPs admitted / resolution plans8,833 / 1,376IBBI, Dec 2025
NARCL debt acquiredRs 1,65,862 cr, 33 entitiesFinance Ministry, Mar 2026

Who Shaped the Story

Roles as described in public sources.

Regulator

Reserve Bank of India

Ran the 2015 Asset Quality Review, issued the 2017-19 stressed-asset rules and publishes the NPA series and Financial Stability Reports.

Government

Ministry of Finance

Designed the 4Rs strategy, the recapitalisation plans and the bad bank guarantee.

Insolvency regulator

Insolvency and Bankruptcy Board of India

Regulates insolvency professionals and publishes quarterly realisation and timeline data.

Tribunal

National Company Law Tribunal

Admits and approves corporate insolvency cases; delays here are a recurring complaint.

Courts

Supreme Court of India

Struck down the 12 Feb 2018 circular, settled the Essar waterfall and reviewed the Bhushan Power plan.

Bad bank

NARCL and IDRCL

Acquire and resolve large stressed loans with a Government-guaranteed security-receipt structure.

Lenders

Public sector banks

Held most of the stressed corporate loans and received most of the recapitalisation.

Legislature

Parliament

Enacted the IBC in 2016 and amended it in 2026; ministers’ written replies are the main source of write-off data.

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People Also Ask

Why did India have so many bad loans?
Heavy lending to infrastructure and industrial projects that stalled or earned less than expected, weak monitoring and delayed recognition of stress, plus fraud and wilful default in some accounts.
When was India’s NPA crisis at its worst?
March 2018, when gross NPAs of scheduled commercial banks reached about Rs 10.4 lakh crore, or 11.2% of advances in RBI’s bank-group table.
How did India reduce its bad loans?
Through the 2015 Asset Quality Review, the 2016 Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code, Rs 2.11 lakh crore of announced recapitalisation, write-offs, recoveries, a bad bank and tighter bank supervision.
Are Indian bank NPAs at a record low?
The RBI put gross NPAs at 1.8% in March 2026 and described it as a multi-decadal low; the Government cited 1.73%.
Does the NPA ratio show how much was recovered?
No. It reflects recoveries, write-offs, upgrades and loan growth together, so recovery data must be read separately.

Frequently Asked Questions

What caused India’s bad-loan crisis?
A lending boom to infrastructure, power, steel and other capital-intensive projects after 2008, projects delayed by approvals and cost overruns, weak appraisal and monitoring, restructuring that postponed recognition, slow recovery through courts, and some fraud and wilful default. The 2015-16 Asset Quality Review forced banks to show the stress.
When did India’s gross NPA ratio peak?
RBI’s bank-group data put the gross NPA ratio of scheduled commercial banks at 11.2% in March 2018, or Rs 10.40 lakh crore. Some later series show 11.5% for the same date, so the figure depends on the data vintage. The ratio had been 3.8% in March 2014.
What is a non-performing asset (NPA)?
A loan or advance on which interest or principal has stayed overdue for more than 90 days, under RBI’s classification norms, with specific exceptions. Gross NPAs are the total before provisions; net NPAs deduct provisions. The ratio divides gross NPAs by gross advances.
What was the RBI’s Asset Quality Review?
An exercise that began in 2015, during Raghuram Rajan’s term as RBI Governor, to examine banks’ loan books and push accounts that were being restructured or carried as standard into the non-performing category. Rajan set March 2017 as the target for a full clean-up. It lifted reported NPAs sharply in 2015-16 and 2016-17.
What is the Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code?
India’s insolvency law, enacted in 2016, with a time-bound corporate insolvency process run by a committee of creditors and the National Company Law Tribunal. It moved control of a defaulting company from the debtor to its creditors. Outcomes vary: IBBI data show creditors realised about 31.6% of admitted claims by December 2025.
Did the IBC recover all the bad loans?
No. IBBI reported realisation of about 31.63% of admitted claims by December 2025, though that is about 171.5% of liquidation value. Many more cases were settled before admission: the Finance Ministry said over 30,000 applications with Rs 13.78 lakh crore of default were settled at that stage by March 2025.
Does a write-off mean the borrower no longer owes the money?
No. A write-off removes a loan from the balance sheet for accounting and tax purposes; the legal liability remains and banks can keep pursuing recovery. The Government told Parliament this in July 2026. But recoveries from written-off accounts are small relative to the amounts written off.
How much have banks written off?
Scheduled commercial banks wrote off Rs 10.09 lakh crore in the five years to FY2021-22, according to a December 2022 Rajya Sabha reply, and recovered Rs 1.32 lakh crore from written-off accounts in the same period, about 13%. A December 2023 reply gave Rs 10.57 lakh crore for FY2018-19 to FY2022-23.
What is India’s gross NPA ratio now?
RBI’s June 2026 Financial Stability Report put it at 1.8% in March 2026, with net NPAs at 0.4%. The Government told Parliament in July 2026 that the ratio was 1.73% in March 2026, down from 2.75% in March 2024. The two differ in basis; both are multi-decade lows.
What did the Finance Ministry report for September 2025?
On 9 February 2026 it said the gross NPA ratio of scheduled commercial banks, domestic operations, was a historic low of 2.15% at end-September 2025 on provisional data, with public sector banks at 2.50%, private banks at 1.73% and foreign banks at 0.80%. It said this was lower than the 2010-11 level.
What are the 4Rs?
The Government’s description of its approach: Recognition of NPAs transparently, Resolution and recovery of value from stressed accounts, Recapitalisation of public sector banks, and Reforms in banks and the wider financial system. The Finance Ministry links it to the 2015 Asset Quality Review.
How much capital did the Government put into public sector banks?
In October 2017 the Cabinet approved a Rs 2.11 lakh crore recapitalisation plan, mostly through recapitalisation bonds (about Rs 1.35 lakh crore) with the rest from budget support and market raising. It followed the Indradhanush plan of August 2015, which had promised Rs 70,000 crore over four years.
What did the RBI’s 12 February 2018 circular do?
It withdrew restructuring schemes such as CDR, SDR and S4A and required lenders to resolve large defaults within 180 days or refer them to insolvency. The Supreme Court struck the circular down on 2 April 2019. A revised Prudential Framework for Resolution of Stressed Assets followed in June 2019.
What was the PNB fraud?
On 14 February 2018 Punjab National Bank disclosed fraudulent letters of undertaking worth about Rs 11,400 crore linked to Nirav Modi’s group. It was a fraud case rather than ordinary credit stress, but it hit trust in public sector banks at the moment the NPA ratio was at its peak.
What is Prompt Corrective Action?
An RBI supervisory framework that places restrictions on banks that breach thresholds for capital, asset quality or profitability, such as limits on dividends, branch expansion or fresh lending. RBI revised the framework in April 2017 and used it on several public sector banks during the peak of the crisis.
What is NARCL, the bad bank?
The National Asset Reconstruction Company Ltd, set up to take over large stressed loans. In September 2021 the Cabinet backed its security receipts with a Government guarantee of up to Rs 30,600 crore. By March 2026 it had acquired 33 borrower entities with Rs 1,65,862 crore of debt, according to a Finance Ministry release.
Why did the ratio fall so quickly after 2018?
Because of several things at once: recoveries and resolutions, upgrades, large write-offs, a bigger loan book that enlarges the denominator, recapitalisation and tighter lending. The ratio alone cannot separate them, which is why recovery rates and write-offs have to be read alongside it.
Did COVID-19 cause a new wave of bad loans?
Not on the scale feared. A moratorium from March 2020, a suspension of fresh insolvency filings from 25 March 2020 and a one-time restructuring window cushioned borrowers, and the ratio kept falling from 8.2% in March 2020 to 7.3% in March 2021. Relief measures and write-offs both affected reported figures.
Are new risks building in bank lending?
Regulators have watched unsecured personal loans, credit cards and lending to NBFCs. RBI raised risk weights on some consumer credit and bank loans to NBFCs in November 2023. The June 2026 report still ranks agriculture highest at 5.1% gross NPAs, and small finance banks’ NPAs rose between 2021 and 2026.
Is the Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code still changing?
Yes. The IBC (Amendment) Act, 2026 was passed by the Lok Sabha on 30 March 2026 and received assent on 6 April 2026. It adds a creditor-initiated insolvency resolution process, a 14-day admission timeline and limits on withdrawal after the creditors’ committee forms. Check the Gazette for commencement dates.
What is the difference between gross NPA, net NPA and a write-off?
Gross NPAs are all loans classed as non-performing. Net NPAs deduct provisions set aside for them. A write-off removes the loan from the books but does not cancel what the borrower owes. Recovery is cash or value actually collected, which is a separate number.
Why do NPA numbers differ between sources?
Because they cover different bank groups, domestic or global operations, provisional or revised data and different dates. RBI’s Table 50 shows 11.2% for March 2018, a later series shows 11.5%, and the Ministry’s 2.15% covers domestic operations in September 2025. This page labels each figure.
Is this page a complete account of India’s NPA problem?
No. It is a dated, sourced timeline built mainly from RBI series, Finance Ministry and Parliament replies, IBBI data and court rulings. Some figures from news coverage of RBI’s June 2026 report could not be checked against the report itself, and the page says where.

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⚠️ Editorial Note

This page is a dated, sourced record drawn from RBI statistical tables and Financial Stability Reports, Finance Ministry releases, Parliament replies, IBBI data and court rulings. It is general information, not investment or banking advice. NPA ratios measure the share of loans classified as non-performing, not cash recovered. Several details in the original brief were corrected: RBI’s table gives 3.8% (not 4.1%) for March 2014 and 11.2% with Rs 10.40 lakh crore (not 11.5% and Rs 9.6 lakh crore) for March 2018; the 2012 figure of 2.8% was not verified and is omitted; the brief’s 2013-2015 entries were re-ordered and expanded with the 2015 Indradhanush plan, the 2017 recapitalisation and the 2018 and 2019 circular events; and the latest data point was updated from September 2025 to March 2026. Figures from news summaries of RBI’s June 2026 report could not be checked against the report itself.

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