Mumbai: The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) will roll out its own cloud infrastructure in 2025–26 to push data localisation and reduce reliance on foreign cloud providers, marking a significant shift in how financial data will be stored and managed in India.
Developed by the central bank’s subsidiary Indian Financial Technology & Allied Services (IFTAS), the Indian Financial Services (IFS) Cloud will be a community cloud built specifically for the RBI and regulated financial institutions. The initiative aims to align with India’s data localisation policies and bring financial operations under tighter regulatory oversight.
According to RBI documents, the cloud service will offer cost-effective and scalable solutions, which could benefit smaller banks and NBFCs by improving access to cloud-based infrastructure without depending on global tech firms. While initially developed by IFTAS, ownership of the IFS Cloud is expected to transition to a consortium of financial sector participants over time.
In parallel, RBI plans to upgrade its core banking solution, e-Kuber, which supports real-time settlements such as RTGS and NEFT. The upgrade will introduce modules for government auctions, public debt management, and financial literacy, expanding its role beyond traditional functions.
The cloud-native, API-first redesign of e-Kuber aims to improve scalability and adapt to India’s growing digital transaction volumes. Currently, e-Kuber services over 250 commercial banks and state governments.
In response to rising digital payment fraud, the RBI also plans to launch exclusive internet domains— ‘bank.in’ and ‘fin.in’—to reduce phishing risks. The Institute for Development and Research in Banking Technology (IDRBT) will serve as the domain registrar. These domains aim to enhance trust in digital banking platforms.
Further, the central bank will introduce an AI governance framework to regulate the use of artificial intelligence and machine learning by its staff and partners. The policy will focus on data protection, transparency, and operational integrity, especially as AI use increases across financial services.
