The Chairman of the State Bank of India (SBI), C. S. Sethi, stated that the bank's total business volume could double to approximately 200 trillion rupees by 2030, when the bank celebrates its platinum jubilee, based on the current growth trajectory.
SBI was established on July 1, 1955, under an Act of Parliament that provided for the transfer of the operations of the Imperial Bank of India. The country's largest lender has already exceeded the mark of 100 trillion rupees in total business, which represents the aggregate of all loans and advances in the second quarter of the last fiscal year. By the end of June 2026, this amount increased to 110.01 trillion rupees.
Sethi noted that although no formal target was set for the platinum jubilee year, the bank's growth could bring its total business to the level of 170–180 trillion rupees, and potentially up to 200 trillion rupees by 2030. He told PTI in an interview: 'We do not have any milestone, but if we take the current rate of growth, I think we should be around 170–180 trillion rupees, or possibly reach 200 trillion. That would be another important milestone.'
The Chairman emphasized that the scale of SBI's operations is closely linked to the state of the Indian economy. He stated: 'For a bank of our size, the scale is inevitable, and it is completely intertwined with what is happening in the Indian economy.'
He added that if the Indian economy grows at a rate of 7–8 percent, SBI's balance sheet is capable of expanding by 11–12 percent annually. 'If the Indian economy grows by 7–8 percent, and our balance sheet has the potential to grow by 11–12 percent, it brings me back to my favorite topic: every six years, the SBI balance sheet doubles. Therefore, I think that by 2030, we could potentially have a total business of 200 trillion.'
Furthermore, Sethi mentioned that SBI is implementing the Vision 2030 strategy, which aims to ensure that all bank activities meet the needs of four key stakeholders: customers, employees, shareholders, and the government with regulators, including the Reserve Bank of India (RBI).
Under this strategy, the bank is working on the requirements of all these parties. When compared to the best global examples, SBI must meet the highest standards in each of these areas. For customers, the priority is improving service and experience. Regarding employees, SBI strives to simplify processes, increase productivity, and create an environment where they feel satisfied and can perform at their best.
For shareholders, the focus is on creating value through improved efficiency and productivity. As for the government, SBI continues to play the role of the country's premier bank, mobilizing nearly a quarter of the nation's savings and supporting economic growth in sectors such as agriculture, MSMEs, and rural economy. As a systemically important institution, SBI also aims to ensure that the regulator views it as a well-managed and regulated organization.
At the micro level, Sethi pointed out that maintaining sufficient capital to support lending growth is another key objective. SBI plans to maintain a Common Equity Tier 1 (CET1) ratio of about 12 percent and a Capital to Risk-weighted Assets Ratio (CRAR) of about 15 percent throughout economic cycles, regardless of fluctuations in lending growth.
Regarding shareholder value creation, the bank intends to consistently reduce the cost-to-income ratio by about 2–3 percentage points. However, he noted that this cannot be achieved solely by cutting costs, as many of the bank's expenses are fixed or relatively rigid. 'The focus is on increasing efficiency and achieving productivity gains.'
Sethi concluded that while specific targets and figures may be adjusted annually based on forecasts and progress, these overarching goals will continue to define SBI's strategy across various economic cycles.