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CNBC-TV18 hosted second edition of ‘Banking Transformation Summit’
Mumbai: CNBC-TV18 in partnership with Nucleus Software hosted the second edition of the ‘Banking Transformation Summit’ on Friday, bringing together banking professionals, policymakers, and finance experts under one roof. This year’s theme, ‘Bharat’s Banking Roadmap For The Future’, highlighted the economic growth of India, and the crucial role of financial and banking institutions in driving this progress.
Reserve Bank of India, deputy governor, J. Swaminathan presented the keynote address, followed by his fireside chat on ‘Transforming Financial Landscapes: Building Resilience for Economic Stability’. Swaminathan elaborated on the current dynamics of the financial system and offered insights into the regulatory approach of the RBI.
He noted that while deposits are still growing at a healthy rate of 11-12% year-on-year, they have struggled to keep up with the surging demand for credit, which has been increasingly driven by digital lending. Swaminathan linked this development to broader changes in how younger generations manage their savings, suggesting that these shifts are part of a cyclical pattern in the financial landscape.
“We had 8-9 quarters where deposits were outpacing credit, but today the demand for credit is more, aided by digital lending,” Swaminathan stated. “As the regulator, we have sensitised lenders that if this credit-deposit gap is allowed to continue for longer, there may be challenges, especially for players with a high credit-deposit ratio.”
The evening saw another fireside chat with State Bank of India chairperson Dinesh Kumar Khera, followed by a panel discussion on ‘Filling the Credit Gap to Fuel Economic Growth’ with A.K. Tewari, MD, State Bank of India; Prashant Kumar, MD & CEO, Yes Bank and Ashok Vaswani, MD & CEO, Kotak Mahindra Bank.
In a Ǫ&A with Shereen Bhan, V. Anantha Nageswaran, Chief Economic Advisor, Govt. of India said, “The next set of growth for the Indian public has to be to achieve the right kind of balance in their portfolio between financial and real assets, and also have a high sense of financial literacy.”
Nageswaran highlighted that the expansion of the financial sector depends on employment generation, income growth, and increased savings.
He also stressed the importance of growing the concept of insurance alongside banking. “These are all the next steps that we need to contemplate as the Indian public overall
achieves a higher level of financial inclusion than we have seen in the previous decade,”
he noted.
In a fireside chat on new age digital lending, Vishnu R. Dusad, MD & Co-founder, Nucleus Software highlighted the importance of data protection. “With the new data protection act now in place, banks and NBFCs must reassess their approach to data handling. This involves not just the usage of data, but also its capture, storage, and overall management. We are entering an era where data truly is the new oil, and its value will only continue to grow. However, with this value comes the responsibility to ensure that this data is not misused or abused. It’s imperative that no individual feels their personal information is being exploited or mishandled. There must be a substantial recalibration in how financial institutions manage data, focusing on robust policies and systems that prevent data from falling into the wrong hands. The most important thing is to ensure data is handled with the utmost care and security. With the right measures in place, banks can build trust and confidence among their customers, ensuring data protection is a top priority.”
“At CNBC-TV18, India’s most credible & influential business news platform, we’re proud to focus on issues and sectors that are key to the Growth of our economy. The CNBC- TV18 Banking Transformation Summit brought together the very best of India’s financial sector to brainstorm on the future of banking while addressing current opportunities & challenges. In partnership with our collaborators, the Summit generated a robust dialogue on what it will take to build a more resilient and dynamic banking system,” said Shereen Bhan, Managing Editor, CNBC-TV18.
Other sessions and panels featured thought leaders like Prashant Kumar, MD & CEO, Yes Bank; Ashok Vaswani, MD & CEO, Kotak Mahindra Bank; Lizzie Chapman, Co- Founder, Swiffylabs; Srinivasu MN, Co-Founder, Billdesk; Shinjini Kumar, Co-Founder, Salt and Anand Kumar Bajaj, Founder, MD & CEO, PayNearby, Shyam Srinivasan, CEO, Federal Bank, Raul Rebello, MD & CEO, Mahindra Finance; Y. S. Chakravarti, MD & CEO, Shriram Finance; Jairam Sridharan, MD, Piramal Capital & Housing Finance; Aseem Dhru, MD & CEO, SBFC Finance; Kunal Shah, Founder, CRED and Parag Bhise, CEO, Nucleus Software.
The evening included a special felicitation by CNBC-TV18 for Dinesh Kumar Khara, Chairperson of State Bank of India, and Shyam Srinivasan, CEO of Federal Bank, in recognition of their long-standing service in the banking sector.
News Broadcasting
Network18 Q4 revenue grows 9.7 per cent, EBITDA at Rs 30 crore
PAT improves to Rs 306.6 crore, margins steady amid cost pressures.
MUMBAI: Not all news is breaking, some of it is quietly improving. Network18 Media & Investments Limited appears to be doing just that, tightening losses and stabilising margins even as costs continue to weigh on the business. For FY26, the company reported revenue from operations of Rs 1,955.1 crore, up from Rs 1,896.2 crore in FY25, signalling modest top-line growth in a challenging media environment. Total income stood at Rs 1,978.2 crore, compared to Rs 1,913 crore a year earlier.
Profit after tax came in at Rs 306.6 crore for the year, a sharp turnaround from Rs 3,225.4 crore in FY25, largely reflecting the absence of large exceptional items that had inflated the previous year’s numbers. On a more comparable basis, the company’s operating performance showed signs of gradual stabilisation.
However, the quarterly picture remained under pressure. For the March quarter, Network18 reported a loss of Rs 53.1 crore, narrower than the Rs 98.1 crore loss in the same period last year, but still indicative of ongoing cost challenges.
Expenses continued to track high. Total expenses for FY26 stood at Rs 2,235.7 crore, up from Rs 2,197.8 crore in FY25. Key cost heads included operational expenses of Rs 765.9 crore, employee benefits of Rs 475.9 crore, and marketing, distribution and promotional spends of Rs 427.1 crore, underlining the continued investment required to sustain reach and engagement.
At an operating level, margins remained under strain. Operating margin stood at 2.33 per cent for FY26, marginally higher than 1.77 per cent in FY25, while net profit margin remained negative at -13.02 per cent, though improved from -14.89 per cent.
On the balance sheet, total assets rose to Rs 8,957.6 crore as of 31 March 2026, from Rs 8,317.5 crore a year earlier. Equity strengthened to Rs 4,958.7 crore, while borrowings increased to Rs 3,112.8 crore, reflecting a higher reliance on debt to support operations.
Cash flows told a mixed story. While financing activities generated Rs 83.9 crore, operating cash flow remained negative at Rs -24 crore, highlighting ongoing pressure on core cash generation. Cash and cash equivalents, however, improved to Rs 33.9 crore from Rs 1.8 crore.
The numbers point to a company in transition growing revenues, trimming losses, but still grappling with structural cost pressures. In a sector where scale often comes at a price, Network18 seems to be inching towards balance, one quarter at a time.
