AAA-Rated War Chest: Axis Bank Raises Rs 5,000 Cr via NCDs, Names New Risk Chief
Axis Bank successfully secures Rs 5,000 Cr via AAA-rated NCDs with a 7.27% coupon to boost capital; also appoints Anand Viswanathan as new CRO for 3 years starting Jan 2026.
Mumbai: Axis Bank, India's third-largest private sector lender, has successfully strengthened its capital base by approving the allotment of 5,00,000 Non-Convertible Debentures (NCDs), aggregating a massive Rs 5,000 crore.
The allotment was cleared by the board on a private placement basis, marking a significant move in the bank's long-term funding strategy.
Fundraising and Financial Structure
The newly issued debentures, known as Series-9 NCDs, carry strong financial and structural characteristics:
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Fund Raised: Rs 5,000 crore
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Coupon Rate: 7.27% per annum, payable annually.
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Maturity: 10-year tenure, maturing on November 26, 2035.
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Instrument Type: Fully paid, senior, unsecured, taxable, and redeemable long-term NCDs.
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Credit Rating: The NCDs have secured the highest ratings from major agencies: "CRISIL AAA/Stable", "[ICRA]AAA/Stable", and "Ind AAA/Stable".
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Listing: They are proposed to be listed on both the BSE and NSE.
Leadership Transition in Risk Management
In a significant leadership change, Axis Bank announced the appointment of a new Chief Risk Officer (CRO).
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New CRO: Anand Viswanathan
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Effective Date: January 1, 2026
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Term: 3 years, up to December 31, 2028.
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Succession: Mr. Viswanathan will succeed Amit Talgeri, whose second term concludes at the close of business hours on December 31, 2025.
Q2 Financial Snapshot
The announcement comes shortly after the bank reported its Q2 FY26 financial results:
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Standalone Net Profit: Rs 5,089.64 crore, reflecting a 26.42% decline compared to Rs 6,917.57 crore in Q2 FY25 (this decline was largely due to a one-time standard asset provisioning related to discontinued crop loan variants).
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Total Income: Increased by 1.22% year-over-year (YoY) to Rs 37,594.81 crore.
The bank's stock reacted positively to the fundraising and organizational news, with the scrip rising 0.32% to close at Rs 1,294.30 on the BSE. As of September 30, 2025, Axis Bank operates a large network comprising 5,976 domestic branches and 13,177 ATMs.