The Reserve Bank of India has issued draft 2026 directions for public comment to revise prudential norms on the declaration of dividends and, for commercial banks, the remittance of profits, including a new methodology for computing the maximum eligible dividend payout. The proposals follow the RBI’s review of existing guidelines on dividends and profit remittances by foreign banks operating in branch mode in India. After issuing a draft revised framework in January 2024 and considering stakeholder feedback and consultations, the RBI is now consulting on separate draft directions for commercial banks, small finance banks, payment banks, regional rural banks and local area banks. Comments are open until 5 February 2026 via the RBI’s Connect2Regulate channel.