Current · Source: Reserve Bank of India · RBI/2010-11/197 · issued 13 Sep 2010 · ~2 min read
Quick answerRBI mandates banks to update the UN 1267 consolidated list of terrorist individuals/entities linked to Al-Qaida and Taliban. Screen all new and existing accounts against this list and comply with UAPA freezing orders.
Sanctions-list safety note. This circular refers to a specific UN Security Council / UAPA designated-entities list update as it stood on the date above — sanctions lists change often, and a newer update almost certainly exists today. Never use this page, or any single dated circular, as your current screening list. Always screen against the live, current list at the official UAPA proscribed-organisations list and the UN Consolidated List, and confirm the obligations for your bank on the official rbi.org.in source below.
The rule, in the simplest words
Banks must update their list of bad people (terrorists linked to Al-Qaida and Taliban) using the new UN list from September 9, 2010.
Before opening any new account, check if the customer's name is on this list.
Check all existing accounts to see if any are linked to people or groups on the list.
If you find a match, freeze their money and assets following the rules from an earlier RBI circular (September 17, 2009).
Follow the government's UAPA order (August 27, 2009) for handling these cases.
How it plays out — a real example
A KYC & compliance officer in Indore, Priya, receives this RBI circular. She immediately updates her bank's internal sanctions list with the new UN 1267 consolidated list. Before approving a new gold loan for a customer, she screens the applicant's name against the list and finds no match, so she proceeds. She also runs a retrospective scan of all existing gold-loan accounts and finds one account linked to a newly listed entity, so she freezes that account's funds and assets as per the September 17, 2009 circular.
What changed
RBI has received from the Government of India (Ministry of External Affairs) a new UN Security Council 1267 Committee note dated September 9, 2010, which updates the consolidated list of individuals and entities linked to Al-Qaida and Taliban. Banks must now use this updated list for screening.
What it means for you
Banks must immediately update their internal sanctions lists with the latest UN 1267 consolidated list. Failure to screen new accounts or review existing ones against this list could lead to regulatory action. Freezing of funds and assets must follow the procedures outlined in the earlier September 17, 2009 circular.
What you must do
Update your internal sanctions database with the latest UN 1267 consolidated list available on the UN website.
Screen all new account applications against the updated list before onboarding.
Conduct a retrospective scan of all existing accounts to identify any matches with the updated list.
Freeze funds and assets of any matched individuals/entities as per paragraph 6 of the September 17, 2009 circular.
Ensure compliance with the UAPA Order dated August 27, 2009, and acknowledge receipt of this circular.
Who it affects
All Scheduled Commercial Banks (excluding RRBs), Local Area Banks, All India Financial Institutions
❓ Common questions
What is the source of the updated list?
The updated list comes from the UN Security Council's 1267 Committee, forwarded by the Ministry of External Affairs. The full list is on the UN website.
Do we need to freeze accounts immediately upon finding a match?
Yes, follow the freezing procedures detailed in paragraph 6 of the September 17, 2009 circular. This includes freezing funds, financial assets, and economic resources.
Is this a one-time check or ongoing?
This is an ongoing requirement. Banks must continuously update their lists and screen new accounts. Existing accounts must be scanned each time the list is updated.
📜 Read the original circular — full text as issued by RBI
RBI/2010-11/197
DBOD. AML. No. 4154 /14.06.078/2010-11
September 13, 2010
The Chairmen / CEOs of all Scheduled Commercial Banks (Excluding RRBs)/
Local Area Banks / All India Financial Institutions
Dear Sir,
List of Terrorist Individuals/Organisations - under UNSCR 1267(1999) and
1822(2008) on Taliban/Al-Qaida Organisation
Please refer to our circular letter DBOD. AML.No.3549/14.06.077/2010-11 dated September 1, 2010 . We have since received from Government of India (Ministry of External Affairs) copy of note dated September 9, 2010 ( copy enclosed ) forwarded by the Chairmen of UN Security Council's 1267 Committee regarding changes made in the Consolidated List of Individuals and entities linked to Al-Qaida and Taliban.
2. Banks/Financial Institutions are required to update the consolidated list of individuals/entities as circulated by Reserve Bank and before opening any new account, it should be ensured that the name/s of the proposed customer does not appear in the list. Further, banks should scan all existing accounts to ensure that no account is held by or linked to any of the entities or individuals included in the list.
3 . Banks are advised to strictly follow the procedure laid down in the UAPA Order dated August 27, 2009 enclosed to our circular DBOD.AML.BC. No. 44/14.01.001/2009-10 dated September 17, 2009 and ensure meticulous compliance to the Order issued by the Government.
4. As far as freezing of funds, financial assets or economic resources or related services held in the form of bank accounts of the designated individuals/entities are concerned, action should be taken as detailed in paragraph 6 of the circular dated September 17, 2009, mentioned above.
5. The complete details of the said consolidated list are available on the UN website :
http://www.un.org/sc/committees/1267/consolist.shtml
6. Compliance Officer/Principal Officer should acknowledge receipt of this circular letter.
Yours faithfully,
(Rachna Dikshit)
Deputy General Manager
Encl: As above
Reproduced for reference with acknowledgment — Source: Reserve Bank of India · RBI/2010-11/197 · issued 13 Sep 2010. The plain-English explanation above is BankPulse’s own independent summary.
Screen all new account applications against the updated list before onboarding.
📜 Compliance
Update your internal sanctions database with the latest UN 1267 consolidated list available on the UN website.
Conduct a retrospective scan of all existing accounts to identify any matches with the updated list.
Freeze funds and assets of any matched individuals/entities as per paragraph 6 of the September 17, 2009 circular.
Ensure compliance with the UAPA Order dated August 27, 2009, and acknowledge receipt of this circular.
Grouped from the action items above — a single circular may involve more than one team.
Worked example & action-note template
Example: if you are a Compliance officer at a bank this circular applies to (All Scheduled Commercial Banks (excluding RRBs), Local Area Banks, All India Financial Institutions), your first concrete step on “UN Terror List Update: Al-Qaida/Taliban Sanctions” is: “Update your internal sanctions database with the latest UN 1267 consolidated list available on the UN website.” (RBI issued this 13 Sep 2010).
Circular: RBI/2010-11/197 -- UN Terror List Update: Al-Qaida/Taliban Sanctions
Issued: 13 Sep 2010
Action required: Update your internal sanctions database with the latest UN 1267 consolidated list available on the UN website.
Action required: Screen all new account applications against the updated list before onboarding.
Action required: Conduct a retrospective scan of all existing accounts to identify any matches with the updated list.
Action required: Freeze funds and assets of any matched individuals/entities as per paragraph 6 of the September 17, 2009 circular.
Action required: Ensure compliance with the UAPA Order dated August 27, 2009, and acknowledge receipt of this circular.
Owner: ____________ Target date: ____________
Board/committee approval needed? Y / N
Evidence filed in compliance register on: ____________
Built only from this circular’s own published fields — not legal advice; always confirm against the official RBI source.
💬 Banker Discussion
Discuss this circular with fellow bankers — reply, upvote what helps, report what doesn’t belong. Be professional; no client data. Views are the commenter’s own, not BankPulse’s.
BankPulse Compliance Evidence Pack — generated 03 Aug 2026 · status cross-checked against RBI’s official withdrawal register (refreshed weekly). Official RBI source: https://www.rbi.org.in/Scripts/NotificationUser.aspx?Id=5989&Mode=0 — Plain-English summary by BankPulse (bankpulse.ai), reviewed by our expert reviewer, CA Amit Jain. Independent platform, not affiliated with the Reserve Bank of India; is our own plain-English paraphrase, not RBI’s original wording.
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