Latest Updates on Bank Merger and Privatisation

According to sources, the Indian government is creating a new plan to combine a few public sector banks. The government intends to combine Union Bank of India with Bank of India, according to sources. If all goes according to plan, the merger will result in the creation of India's second-biggest bank, after State Bank of India, the nation's largest bank in terms of assets. Mumbai serves as the headquarters for both Union Bank of India and Bank of India. 

 As of June 30, 2025, Bank of Baroda had ₹18.62 trillion in total assets, making it the second largest public sector bank in India. Among all banks, including private banks like ICICI Bank and HDFC Bank, its asset base places it fourth. A merged Union Bank of India and Bank of India would have assets of ₹25.67 trillion.

Additionally, the ministry is considering combining Indian Bank and Indian Overseas Bank. Chennai is home to the headquarters of both banks. In subsequent stages, the privatization of Bank of Maharashtra and Punjab & Sind Bank is being discussed. The merger of other banks under government control may be taken into consideration. 

 Although merger timelines are still pending, the process is expected to begin in FY27. In order to establish fewer but more powerful institutions, the government is developing a massive merger plan that would combine smaller banks with larger ones. The goal is to assist the next stage of credit expansion and financial reforms while fortifying and improving the banking sector.

The government is reportedly thinking of combining Indian Overseas Bank (IOB), Central Bank of India (CBI), Bank of India (BOI), and Bank of Maharashtra (BoM) with bigger banks like Punjab National Bank (PNB), Bank of Baroda (BoB), and State Bank of India (SBI).