RBI Data Reveals 13.5% Rise in Credit to Industry in February

Bank Credit to Industry Sees Faster Growth in February 2026

The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) released data on sectoral deployment of bank credit for February 2026, showing a significant increase in bank credit to industry. According to the data, bank credit to industry grew at a faster pace of 13.5 per cent on the fortnight ending February 28, compared with 7.5 per cent in the year-ago period.

The RBI attributed the buoyant growth to higher growth in key sectors such as infrastructure, all engineering, chemicals and chemical products, petroleum, coal products and nuclear fuels, and textiles. The data was collected from 41 select scheduled commercial banks (SCBs), which together account for about 95 per cent of the total non-food credit by all commercial banks.

Non-Food Bank Credit Growth

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On a year-on-year (y-o-y) basis, non-food bank credit grew by 14.3 per cent as on the fortnight ended February 28, 2026, compared to 11.1 per cent during the corresponding fortnight of the previous year (March 7, 2025).

The RBI noted that credit to industry recorded a year-on-year growth of 13.5 per cent, compared with 7.5 per cent in the corresponding fortnight of last year. Loans to micro and small, and medium industries continued to exhibit double-digit expansion, while credit to large industries also registered higher growth.

In addition, credit to services sector registered a growth rate of 16.3 per cent year-on-year, supported by higher growth in segments such as banks' credit to non-banking financial companies (NBFCs) and commercial real estate. Credit to personal loans segment recorded a year-on-year growth of 15.2 per cent, as compared with 11.7 per cent a year ago. Housing continued with steady growth, while segments such as vehicle loans and loans against gold jewellery sustained sharp expansion.

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The RBI also reported that credit to agriculture and allied activities registered an expansion of 12.3 per cent, compared with 11.4 per cent in the corresponding fortnight of the previous year.