Equitas Small Finance Bank has announced that the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has granted approval to ICICI Prudential Asset Management Company Limited, along with group entities of ICICI Bank Limited. The approval permits the consortium to acquire an aggregate holding of up to 9.95% of the bank’s paid-up equity capital or voting rights. This regulatory clearance, received on February 10, 2026, is valid for one year from the date of approval and is subject to compliance with various banking and foreign exchange regulations.
Regulatory Approval Secured for Share Acquisition
Equitas Small Finance Bank Limited (ESFBL) formally disclosed receiving an important regulatory intimation on February 11, 2026. The communication, dated February 10, 2026, confirmed that the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has granted its sanction for a significant change in ownership structure.
The approval is specifically granted to M/s. ICICI Prudential Asset Management Company Limited, which will operate in conjunction with other affiliated group entities of ICICI Bank Limited. The core purpose of this regulatory nod is to allow the consortium to acquire “aggregate holding” of up to 9.95% of the total paid-up equity capital or voting rights in ESFBL.
Conditions and Validity Period
The RBI’s sanction is not unconditional. The proposed acquisition must strictly adhere to the relevant provisions laid out in the Banking Regulation Act, 1949, as well as the Reserve Bank of India (Commercial Banks-Acquisition and Holding of Shares or Voting Rights) Directions, 2025, as they may be amended from time to time.
Furthermore, compliance is required with the regulations governing the Foreign Exchange Management Act, 1999, and all other applicable statutes, regulations, and guidelines issued by relevant authorities. Importantly, this RBI approval is finite and remains valid for a period of one year, commencing from the date the approval was granted.
The Bank has requested that the stock exchanges take this crucial corporate development on record immediately.
Source: BSE
