According to Reserve Bank of India’s Governor Raghuram Rajan, banks should refrain from taking a majority stake in planned stressed-asset funds, and prefers external investors and funds to take up that role.
His words came amid the Indian government’s plans to find ways to lower bank’s distressed debt pile of $120bn, or 11.5% of all loans.
However, bankers have said talks are on for two kinds of stressed-asset funds: one that would buy bad loans from the banks and the other that can invest in companies needing more capital.
Rajan also stressed that pricing would be a key issue for a stressed fund if it wanted to buy bad loans from the banks.
The government, as part of its plan of implementing new bankruptcy laws, is considering setting up an external panel to decide on the quantum of ‘haircuts’ taken on the bad loans, mainly due to disagreements between companies and banks at the time of transacting on such loans.
Source: Reuters