Tag: Financial Crises

Basel Norms are international regulatory frameworks, established by the Basel Committee on Banking Supervision (BCBS), designed to strengthen the regulation, supervision, and risk management within the global banking sector. Their primary objective is to ensure that banks maintain adequate capital buffers to absorb unexpected financial losses, thereby promoting stability and reducing systemic risk. The norms have evolved through successive accords—Basel I, II, and III—each introducing more sophisticated measures for credit, market, and operational risk. Basel III, the current standard, emphasizes higher capital quality, introduces liquidity requirements, and mandates leverage ratios to curb excessive borrowing. These compulsory standards aim to prevent bank failures, protect depositors, and foster confidence in the international financial system.

Objectives of Basel Norms:

1. Strengthening Capital of Banks

One main objective of Basel Norms is to ensure that banks maintain sufficient capital to absorb losses. Capital acts as a safety cushion during financial problems. By fixing minimum capital requirements, Basel Norms protect depositors’ money and improve bank stability. Strong capital base helps banks face loan defaults, economic slowdown, and financial crises without collapsing. This builds confidence in the banking system.

2. Reducing Risk in Banking System

Basel Norms aim to control different risks such as credit risk, market risk, and operational risk. Banks are required to measure and manage these risks carefully. Proper risk control reduces chances of bank failure. It encourages safe lending practices and avoids reckless financial decisions. This leads to a healthier banking environment.

3. Improving Transparency and Disclosure

Another objective is to make banks more transparent in their financial reporting. Banks must disclose capital structure, risk exposure, and financial position clearly. This allows regulators, investors, and customers to understand bank health. Transparency improves trust and discipline in the banking system.

4. Promoting International Banking Stability

Basel Norms create common banking standards across countries. This ensures that banks worldwide follow similar safety rules. It reduces unfair competition and strengthens global financial stability. In times of international crisis, strong banking systems help protect economies.

Types of Basel Norms:

• Basel I (1988)

Introduced in 1988, Basel I was the first international accord establishing minimum capital requirements for banks. Its primary focus was credit risk. It mandated that banks hold capital equal to at least 8% of their risk-weighted assets (RWAs). Assets were categorized into broad risk buckets (0%, 20%, 50%, 100%) based on borrower type (e.g., sovereigns, banks, corporations). While groundbreaking for creating a global standard, Basel I was criticized for being overly simplistic. It used crude risk classifications that did not differentiate within categories, leading to regulatory arbitrage. It largely ignored market risk and operational risk, setting the stage for more sophisticated future frameworks.

• Basel II (2004)

Implemented in the mid-2000s, Basel II introduced a more risk-sensitive three-pillar structure. Pillar 1 expanded minimum capital requirements to include not only credit risk but also market risk and, for the first time, operational risk. It allowed advanced banks to use their own internal models for risk calculation. Pillar 2 added supervisory review, requiring regulators to evaluate banks’ internal capital adequacy assessments and intervene if needed. Pillar 3 mandated market discipline through public disclosure, enhancing transparency. However, its complexity and reliance on banks’ own models were later seen as contributors to the 2008 financial crisis, as it underestimated risks and procyclicality.

• Basel III (2010/2017)

Developed in response to the 2008 crisis, Basel III significantly strengthened bank regulation. It focuses on improving the quality and quantity of capital (emphasizing Common Equity Tier 1), introducing new capital buffers (conservation and countercyclical), and imposing a non-risk-based leverage ratio to curb excessive borrowing. Crucially, it added liquidity standards: the Liquidity Coverage Ratio (LCR) for short-term resilience and the Net Stable Funding Ratio (NSFR) for long-term funding stability. Basel III aims to make banks more resilient to financial and economic stress, reduce procyclicality, and improve risk management. Its phased implementation continues globally.

• Basel IV / Finalization of Basel III (2017)

Often called “Basel IV,” this refers to the 2017 finalization package that reforms the standardized approaches for credit, market, and operational risk under Pillar 1. It aims to reduce excessive variability in risk-weighted assets calculated by internal models, enhancing comparability across banks. Key changes include output floors that limit the benefit banks can derive from their internal models, ensuring a minimum level of capital. It also refines the credit valuation adjustment (CVA) framework and operational risk methodologies. This package is not a new accord but a crucial completion of Basel III, designed to restore credibility in bank capital ratios and ensure a more level playing field.

Implementation of Basel III in Indian Banks:

1. Enhanced Capital Requirements & Buffers

RBI mandated higher and better-quality capital. Minimum Common Equity Tier 1 (CET1) was set at 5.5% of Risk-Weighted Assets (RWAs), Tier 1 capital at 7%, and Total Capital (CRAR) at 9% (higher than Basel’s 8%). Additionally, banks must maintain a Capital Conservation Buffer (CCB) of 2.5% (of RWAs) and a Countercyclical Capital Buffer (CCyB) of 0-2.5% (activated based on systemic risk). These buffers ensure banks can absorb losses during stress without breaching minimum capital.

2. Introduction of Leverage Ratio

To curb excessive leverage, RBI introduced a minimum Leverage Ratio of 4.5% (Tier 1 Capital as a percentage of total exposure). This acts as a non-risk-based backstop to the risk-weighted capital framework. It measures capital against total exposures (including derivatives, off-balance sheet items), ensuring banks do not grow assets excessively without adequate capital support, thereby enhancing stability.

3. Liquidity Standards: LCR & NSFR

To manage short-term and long-term liquidity risk, RBI implemented two ratios:

• Liquidity Coverage Ratio (LCR): Requires banks to hold high-quality liquid assets (HQLA) sufficient to cover net cash outflows over a 30-day stressed scenario. Minimum requirement is 100%.

• Net Stable Funding Ratio (NSFR): Ensures banks maintain a stable funding profile relative to their asset base over a one-year horizon. Minimum requirement is 100%.
  These reduce dependency on short-term wholesale funding.

4. Systemically Important Banks (D–SIBs)

Domestic Systemically Important Banks (D-SIBs) are identified based on size, interconnectedness, and complexity. They are required to maintain additional Common Equity Tier 1 (CET1) capital surcharge, ranging from 0.20% to 0.80% of RWAs, depending on their bucket classification (RBI announces D-SIBs like SBI, ICICI, HDFC). This ensures these “too big to fail” banks have extra loss-absorbing capacity.

5. Implementation Timeline & Phasing

RBI adopted a phased implementation from April 2013 to March 2019 for capital ratios, with full CCB implementation by March 2019. The LCR was phased in, reaching 100% by January 2019. The NSFR was introduced from April 2020. This staggered approach gave banks time to raise capital (via equity, AT1 bonds) and adjust business models without disrupting credit flow.

6. Challenges for Public Sector Banks (PSBs)

PSBs faced significant challenges due to high Non-Performing Assets (NPAs) and limited access to capital markets. They required substantial government capital infusion through schemes like Bank Recapitalization (Recap) to meet Basel III norms. Mergers of PSBs (e.g., creation of SBI associates) were also partly driven by the need to build scale and capital efficiency.

7. Impact on Profitability & Lending

Higher capital and liquidity requirements initially increased the cost of capital for banks and potentially compressed net interest margins. Banks became more risk-averse, potentially tightening credit, especially to sectors like infrastructure. However, it also led to improved asset quality focus, better pricing of risk, and long-term resilience, benefiting the overall financial system.

8. RBI’s Supervisory Review (Pillar 2)

Under Pillar 2 of Basel III, RBI enhanced its supervisory review process. This includes the Internal Capital Adequacy Assessment Process (ICAAP) for banks and Supervisory Review and Evaluation Process (SREP) by RBI. It assesses risks not fully covered under Pillar 1 (like interest rate risk in banking book, concentration risk) and ensures banks maintain capital above regulatory minima.