Current · Source: Reserve Bank of India · RBI/2013-14/295 · issued 26 Sep 2013 · ~2 min read
Quick answerRBI mandates banks to update the UN Al-Qaida sanctions list (23rd update) and screen all new and existing accounts against it. Freeze assets of designated individuals/entities per UAPA Order. Compliance acknowledgment required.
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 (sanctions list) with the newest UN Al-Qaida deletions (23rd update).
Before opening a new account, check the customer's name against this updated list to make sure they are not on it.
Check all existing accounts to see if any are linked to people or groups on the list.
If you find a match, freeze (stop all use of) their money and assets as per the government's rules (UAPA Order).
Your compliance officer (the person in charge of following rules) must say 'yes, we got this' to the RBI.
How it plays out — a real example
A KYC & compliance officer in Indore updates the bank's internal sanctions list using the UN website. Before approving a new gold loan for a customer, she screens the name against the updated list. Later, she scans all existing loan accounts and finds one linked to a newly deleted entity, so she freezes that account's assets and reports it to the compliance officer.
What changed
RBI circulated the 23rd update to the Al-Qaida sanctions list under UNSCR 1267/1989, based on a Government of India notification forwarding a UN Security Council Committee note dated September 11, 2013. This update includes deletions from the list. Banks must incorporate these changes into their screening processes.
What it means for you
Banks must immediately update their internal sanctions lists to reflect the latest UN deletions. All new account openings must be checked against this list, and existing accounts must be scanned for matches. Non-compliance could lead to regulatory action.
What you must do
Update your internal sanctions database with the 23rd UN Al-Qaida list deletions using the UN website at http://www.un.org/News/Press/docs//2013/sc11117.doc.htm and http://www.un.org/sc/committees/1267/aq_sanctions_list.shtml.
Screen all new account applications against the updated list before onboarding.
Scan all existing customer accounts to identify any linked to listed individuals/entities.
Freeze funds and assets of any matched accounts as per the UAPA Order procedures from the circular dated September 17, 2009.
Acknowledge receipt of this circular via your Compliance Officer/Principal Officer.
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 sanctions list?
The list is the UN Security Council's 1267/1989 Committee's Al-Qaida Sanctions List, with the 23rd update forwarded by the Chairman of the Committee and provided by the Government of India's Ministry of External Affairs.
What action is required for existing accounts that match the list?
Banks must freeze the funds, financial assets, or economic resources of such accounts, following the procedure in paragraph 6 of the circular dated September 17, 2009.
How do I access the full updated list?
The complete list is available on the UN website at http://www.un.org/sc/committees/1267/aq_sanctions_list.shtml and http://www.un.org/sc/committees/1267/delisting.shtml.
📜 Read the original circular — full text as issued by RBI
RBI/2013-14/295
DBOD. AML.No.5719/14.06.001/2013-14
September 26, 2013
The Chairmen / CEOs of all Scheduled Commercial Banks (Excluding RRBs)/
Local Area Banks / All India Financial Institutions
Dear Sir,
Implementation of Section 51-A of UAPA, 1967- Updates of the UNSCR 1267(1999) / 1989(2011) Committee's Al Qaida Sanctions List
Please refer to our circular DBOD. AML No. 3817/14.06.001/2013-14 dated September 10, 2013 on the captioned subject releasing 22nd update. We have since received from Government of India, Ministry of External Affairs, UNP Division, copy of twenty-third update note dated September 11, 2013 ( copy enclosed ) forwarded by the Chairman of UN Security Council's 1267/1989 Committee regarding deletions made in the “Al-Qaida Sanctions List”, i.e. list of individuals and entities linked to Al-Qaida. The copy of the update is available on UN website at the following URL:
http://www.un.org/News/Press/docs//2013/sc11117.doc.htm
2. Banks/All India Financial Institutions are required to update the 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 list are available on the UN website:
http://www.un.org/sc/committees/1267/delisting.shtml
http://www.un.org/sc/committees/1267/aq_sanctions_list.shtml
6. Compliance Officer/Principal Officer should acknowledge receipt of this circular.
Yours faithfully,
(Prakash Chandra Sahoo)
Chief General Manager
Encl: As above
Reproduced for reference with acknowledgment — Source: Reserve Bank of India · RBI/2013-14/295 · issued 26 Sep 2013. 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 23rd UN Al-Qaida list deletions using the UN website at http://www.un.org/News/Press/docs//2013/sc11117.doc.htm and http://www.un.org/sc/committees/1267/aq_sanctions_list.shtml.
Scan all existing customer accounts to identify any linked to listed individuals/entities.
Freeze funds and assets of any matched accounts as per the UAPA Order procedures from the circular dated September 17, 2009.
Acknowledge receipt of this circular via your Compliance Officer/Principal Officer.
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 “UAPA Section 51-A: Al-Qaida Sanctions List Update” is: “Update your internal sanctions database with the 23rd UN Al-Qaida list deletions using the UN website at http://www.un.org/News/Press/docs//2013/sc11117.doc.htm and http://www.un.org/sc/committees/1267/aq_sanctions_list.shtml.” (RBI issued this 26 Sep 2013).
Circular: RBI/2013-14/295 -- UAPA Section 51-A: Al-Qaida Sanctions List Update
Issued: 26 Sep 2013
Action required: Update your internal sanctions database with the 23rd UN Al-Qaida list deletions using the UN website at http://www.un.org/News/Press/docs//2013/sc11117.doc.htm and http://www.un.org/sc/committees/1267/aq_sanctions_list.shtml.
Action required: Screen all new account applications against the updated list before onboarding.
Action required: Scan all existing customer accounts to identify any linked to listed individuals/entities.
Action required: Freeze funds and assets of any matched accounts as per the UAPA Order procedures from the circular dated September 17, 2009.
Action required: Acknowledge receipt of this circular via your Compliance Officer/Principal Officer.
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=8468&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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