Home › Circulars › RBI/2022-23/188

Abu Dhabi Commercial Bank PJSC ceases to be a banking company under BR Act

Current · Source: Reserve Bank of India · RBI/2022-23/188 · issued 27 Mar 2023 · ~1 min read
Quick answerRBI notifies that Abu Dhabi Commercial Bank PJSC has ceased to be a banking company under Section 36A(2) of the Banking Regulation Act, 1949, effective from a notification dated February 23, 2023, published in the Gazette of India.
The rule, in the simplest words
How it plays out — a real example

A compliance officer at a public-sector bank in Mumbai reviews the bank's list of foreign partners. She sees Abu Dhabi Commercial Bank PJSC is still marked as a 'banking company'. She updates the system to 'non-banking entity' and alerts the legal team to re-check a loan agreement with that firm, ensuring it now follows non-bank lending rules.

What changed

RBI has officially communicated that Abu Dhabi Commercial Bank PJSC no longer qualifies as a banking company under the Banking Regulation Act, 1949. This cessation was formalized through a prior notification dated February 23, 2023, and published in the Gazette of India between March 25-31, 2023.

What it means for you

For Indian banks, this means Abu Dhabi Commercial Bank PJSC is no longer subject to the regulatory framework applicable to banking companies under the BR Act. Lenders should update their records and ensure any transactions or exposures with this entity are reviewed for compliance with non-banking regulations.

What you must do

Who it affects

All banks regulated by RBI, Lenders with exposures to Abu Dhabi Commercial Bank PJSC, Compliance and legal teams handling foreign entity classifications

❓ Common questions

What does 'ceased to be a banking company' mean for Abu Dhabi Commercial Bank PJSC?

It means the entity is no longer considered a banking company under the Banking Regulation Act, 1949, and thus not subject to the same regulatory requirements as banks in India.

When did this cessation take effect?

The cessation was effective from a notification dated February 23, 2023, which was published in the Gazette of India between March 25-31, 2023.

Do Indian banks need to take any immediate action?

Yes, banks should update their records and review any dealings with this entity to ensure compliance with non-banking regulations.

📜 Read the original circular — full text as issued by RBI
RBI/2022-23/188 DOR.RET.REC.108/12.07.160/2022-23 March 27, 2023 All Banks Madam/Sir, Cessation of “Abu Dhabi Commercial Bank PJSC” as a banking company within the meaning of sub section (2) of Section 36 A of Banking Regulation Act, 1949 It is advised that the “Abu Dhabi Commercial Bank PJSC” has ceased to be a banking company within the meaning of the Banking Regulation Act, 1949 vide Notification DoR.LIC.No.S7539/23.13.021/2022-23 dated February 23, 2023, which is published in the Gazette of India (Part III - Section 4) dated March 25 – March 31, 2023. Yours faithfully, (Prakash Baliarsingh) Chief General Manager
Reproduced for reference with acknowledgment — Source: Reserve Bank of India · RBI/2022-23/188 · issued 27 Mar 2023. The plain-English explanation above is BankPulse’s own independent summary.
🧰 Tools — save, print, templates & related
Most relevant forCompliance TeamCorporate / Wholesale Banking RMLegal / Documentation & Recovery-LegalRisk ManagementSenior Management / BoardInternal Audit
🛠 Banker’s toolkit — checklists & reply templates →
Related circulars · Department of Regulation
SFB Pillar 3 Disclosure Norms Aligned with BaselUCB Deposit Rate Disclosure & Uniformity Rules UpdatedLAB Deposit Rate Disclosure & Uniformity Rules TightenedPayments Banks: Interest Rates Must Match Disclosed ScheduleRBI Updates Bulk Deposit Rate Rules and Disclosure Timing
Browse all departments →
Who does what — compliance checklist
💻 IT / Systems
  • Update internal systems to reflect that Abu Dhabi Commercial Bank PJSC is no longer a banking company under the BR Act.
📜 Compliance
  • Review any existing exposures, contracts, or relationships with this entity for regulatory implications.
  • Ensure compliance with any applicable non-banking regulations for transactions involving this entity.
Grouped from the action items above — a single circular may involve more than one team.
Worked example & action-note template

Example: if you are an IT/Systems lead at a bank this circular applies to (All banks regulated by RBI, Lenders with exposures to Abu Dhabi Commercial Bank PJSC, Compliance and legal teams handling foreign entity classifications), your first concrete step on “Abu Dhabi Commercial Bank PJSC ceases to be a banking company under BR Act” is: “Update internal systems to reflect that Abu Dhabi Commercial Bank PJSC is no longer a banking company under the BR Act.” (RBI issued this 27 Mar 2023).

  1. Circular: RBI/2022-23/188 -- Abu Dhabi Commercial Bank PJSC ceases to be a banking company under BR Act
  2. Issued: 27 Mar 2023
  3. Action required: Update internal systems to reflect that Abu Dhabi Commercial Bank PJSC is no longer a banking company under the BR Act.
  4. Action required: Review any existing exposures, contracts, or relationships with this entity for regulatory implications.
  5. Action required: Ensure compliance with any applicable non-banking regulations for transactions involving this entity.
  6. Owner: ____________ Target date: ____________
  7. Board/committee approval needed? Y / N
  8. 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.

Loading comments…
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=12464&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.
Public beta — plain-English informational summaries. Always verify against the official RBI source (circular number cited on every page) before making compliance, credit, treasury, audit, or operational decisions. · Join our WhatsApp channel ↗
—