Bank Credit to Industry Expands 15 Percent in March, RBI Data Reveals

Bank Credit to Industry Sees Faster Yearly Growth in March

The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) released data on 'sectoral deployment of bank credit' for March, collected from 41 select banks that together account for about 95 per cent of the total non-food credit by all scheduled commercial banks (SCBs). According to the data, bank credit to industry clocked a faster yearly growth of 15 per cent in March, mainly driven by a consistent uptick in advances to large companies.

On a year-on-year basis, non-food bank credit grew by 15.9 per cent as of the fortnight ended March 31, 2026, compared to 10.9 per cent during the corresponding period of the previous year (April 04, 2025). Credit to industry recorded a year-over-year growth of 15 per cent (8.2 per cent in the corresponding fortnight of the last year), as stated by the RBI.

Bank loans to micro, small, and medium industries sustained robust expansion, while credit to large industries also strengthened further. Among major industries, outstanding credit to infrastructure, all engineering, basic metal and metal product, chemical and chemical products, and petroleum, coal products, and nuclear fuels marked resilient annual growth.

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The RBI data also showed that credit to agriculture and allied activities registered a year-on-year growth of 15.7 per cent compared to 10.4 per cent in the corresponding fortnight of the previous year. In contrast, credit to the services sector registered a growth rate of 19 per cent (12 per cent in the corresponding fortnight of the previous year), supported by higher growth in segments, such as non-banking financial companies, trade, and commercial real estate.

Credit to personal loans recorded a growth of 16.2 per cent compared to 11.7 per cent a year ago. While segments such as vehicle loans and loans against gold jewellery sustained robust credit growth, credit to the housing segment remained steady.