HomeCirculars › RBI/2010-11/247

Zero Coupon Bond Norms Extended to AIFIs

No longer current — withdrawn, no replacement on file yet
Source: Reserve Bank of India · RBI/2010-11/247 · issued 28 Oct 2010 · ~1 min read
Quick answerRBI extends prudential norms on zero coupon bond investments to select AIFIs (Exim Bank, NABARD, NHB, SIDBI), aligning them with bank guidelines from September 2010.

What changed

RBI circular DBOD.FID.FIC.No 7/01.02.00/2010-11 dated October 28, 2010, applies the prudential norms on zero coupon bond investments, originally issued to banks on September 29, 2010, to select All-India Financial Institutions (AIFIs). These norms now apply mutatis mutandis to Exim Bank, NABARD, NHB, and SIDBI.

What it means for you

AIFIs must now follow the same investment classification, valuation, and provisioning rules for zero coupon bonds as banks. This ensures consistent prudential treatment across financial entities, reducing regulatory arbitrage. Lenders should review their zero coupon bond portfolios to comply with the new norms.

Historical instruction — do not use for current compliance. This is what was required at the time; it no longer reflects current RBI requirements. If no replacement rule is linked above, that only means none is recorded on our register yet — it does not prove no later applicable rule exists. Confirm on the official RBI source below.

What banks were required to do at the time

Who it affects

Exim Bank, NABARD, NHB, SIDBI, Treasury departments of AIFIs, Risk management teams of AIFIs

❓ Common questions

Regulatory timeline

Built from our lineage records — each fact carries its provenance; missing history simply is not shown (never guessed).

What are zero coupon bonds?

Zero coupon bonds are debt instruments that do not pay periodic interest but are issued at a discount and redeemed at face value, with the difference representing the return.

Which AIFIs are covered by this circular?

The circular applies to Exim Bank, NABARD, NHB, and SIDBI, as specified in the notification.

When do these norms take effect?

The circular is dated October 28, 2010, and applies the bank guidelines from September 29, 2010, to AIFIs. Implementation should be immediate.

📜 This document’s life story (1 recorded event, each backed by RBI’s own words)
Repealed by RBI/2025-26/100 — Consolidation of Regulations — Withdrawal of circulars (28 Nov 2025)
RBI’s words: “Official withdrawal register entry #1598: DBOD.FID.FIC.No.7/01.02.00/2010-11 — "Prudential Norms on Investment in Zero Coupon Bonds" dated October 28, 2010”
📜 Read the original circular — full text as issued by RBI
RBI/2010-11/247 DBOD.FID.FIC.No  7/01.02.00 /2010-11 October 28, 2010 The CEOs of select All-India Term Lending and Refinancing Institutions (Exim Bank, NABARD, NHB and SIDBI) Dear Sir, Prudential Norms on Investment in Zero Coupon Bonds Please  find  enclosed  circular  DBOD  No. BP .BC .44  / 21.04.141 /  2010-11 dated September 29, 2010 on the above subject. In this connection, it is advised that the above guidelines   issued to banks, shall  mutatis mutandis apply  to the select All-India Financial Institutions (AIFIs) Yours faithfully, (Vinay Baijal) Chief General Manager
Reproduced for reference with acknowledgment — Source: Reserve Bank of India · RBI/2010-11/247 · issued 28 Oct 2010. The plain-English explanation above is BankPulse’s own independent summary.
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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=6059&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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