Finance Ministry approves Emirates NBD Bank's proposal to acquire up to 74% stake in RBL Bank

Exam-focused facts from the 19 May 2026 current affairs briefing.

Key facts

The Department of Financial Services (DFS) approved the proposal of Dubai-based Emirates NBD Bank to acquire up to 74 per cent stake in RBL Bank on May 14, 2026.
The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) had previously approved the plan, requiring Emirates NBD to acquire and maintain at least 51 per cent shareholding in RBL Bank.
In October 2025, Emirates NBD, the second-largest bank in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), expressed interest in acquiring a 60 per cent stake in RBL Bank for ₹26,853 crore.
Following the transaction, RBL Bank will be classified as a foreign bank in subsidiary mode, with Emirates NBD as the parent foreign bank.
The Competition Commission of India (CCI) cleared the proposal for Emirates NBD to acquire a majority stake in RBL Bank in January.