(a) the total number of foreign branches and other operations of public sector banks (PSBs) abroad at present, bank-wise and country-wise;
(b) whether the Government has decided to close certain loss making foreign branches of PSBs and if so, the details thereof; and
(c) the fresh steps taken by the Government to rationalise unviable overseas branch operations of these banks?
FINANCE MINISTER
(a): Bank-wise and country-wise number of foreign operations of Public Sector Banks (PSBs), as on 31.5.2019, is at Annex.
(b) and (c): A reforms agenda based on recommendations made by Whole-Time Directors and senior management of PSBs was referred by the Government to PSBs for appropriate action as per approval of bank Boards. The agenda covered, inter-alia, rationalisation of overseas operations for cost efficiencies and synergies in overseas markets, based on competitive strength and viability.
As per bank inputs, all PSBs having foreign operations jointly took the initiative to prepare a note in mutual consultation for rationalisation of their foreign operations for cost efficiencies and synergies in overseas markets, based on competitive strength, viability and commercial considerations, and 18 branches have been rationalised since 1.1.2018.
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Annex
Lok Sabha Unstarred Parliament Question No. 1369, for 1.7.2019
Number of foreign operations# of Public Sector Banks, as on 31.5.2019
Country Allahabad Bank Andhra Bank Bank of Baroda Bank of India Canara Bank Central Bank of India Corporation Bank Indian Bank Indian Overseas Bank Oriental Bank of Commerce Punjab National Bank State Bank of India Syndicate Bank UCO Bank Union Bank of India United Bank of India
Australia - - 1 - - - - - - - - 1 - - 1 -
Bahamas Island - - - - - - - - - - - 1 - - - -
Bahrain - - - - - - - - - - - 2 - - - -
Bangladesh - - - - - - - - - - 1 4 - - - 1
Belgium - - 1 1 - - - - - - - 1 - - - -
Bhutan - - - - - - - - - - 1 1 - - - -
Botswana - - 1 1 - - - - - - - 1 - - - -
Brazil - - - - - - - - - - - 1 - - - -
Canada - - - - - - - - - - - 1 - - - -
Cambodia - - - 1 - - - - - - - - - - - -
Cayman Islands - - - 1 - - - - - - - - - - - -
China - - 1 2 1 - 1 - - - 1 2 - - 2 -
France - - - 1 - - - - - - - 1 - - - -
Fiji Islands - - 9 - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Germany - - - - - - - - - - - 1 - - - -
Guyana - - 1 - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Hong Kong 1 - 1 2 1 - - - 1 - 2 1 - 1 1 -
Indonesia - - - 2 - - - - - - - 1 - - - -
Iran - - - - - - - - - - - 1 - 1 - -
Israel - - - - - - - - - - - 1 - - - -
Japan - - - 2 - - - - - - - 2 - - - -
Kazakhstan - - - - - - - - - - 1 - - - - -
Kenya - - 1 6 - - - - - - - - - - - -
Maldives Islands - - - - - - - - - - - 4 - - - -
Malaysia - 1 1 - - - - - 1 - - - - - - -
Mauritius - - 9 - - - - - - - - 1 - - - -
Myanmar - - - - - - - - - - - 1 - - - 1
Nepal - - - - - - - - - - 1 1 - - - -
New Zealand - - 1 1 - - - - - - - - - - - -
Nigeria - - - - - - - - - - - 1 - - - -
Philippines - - - - - - - - - - - 1 - - - -
Russia - - - - 1 - - - - - - 1 - - - -
Saudi Arabia - - - - - - - - - - - 1 - - - -
Seychelles - - 1 - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Singapore - - 1 1 - - - 1 1 - - 6 - 1 - -
Sri Lanka - - - - - - - 3 1 - - 4 - - - -
South Africa - - 2 1 1 - - - - - - 1 - - - -
South Korea - - - - - - - - 1 - - 1 - - - -
Sultanate of Oman - - 3 - - - - - - - - 1 - - - -
Tanzania - - 1 1 1 - - - - - - - - - - -
Thailand - - - - - - - - 1 - - - - - - -
Trinidad and Tobago - - 1 - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Turkey - - - - - - - - - - - 1 - - - -
Uganda - - 1 1 - - - - - - - - - - - -
United Kingdom - - 4 5 1 - - - - - 1 2 1 - 1 -
United State of America - - 1 2 1 - - - - - - 5 - - - -
United Arab Emirates - - 7 2 2 - 1 - 1 1 2 3 - - 2 -
Vietnam - - - 1 - - - - - - - - - - - -
Zambia - - 1 1 - 1 - - - - - - - - - -
Source: RBI
#Foreign operation includes branches, subsidiaries, joint ventures and representative offices.
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