Empowering India's Credit Evolution: TransUnion CIBIL Credit Conference 2025 Explores Inclusive Finance and Economic Empowerment

Business Standard

04-07-2025

BusinessWire India
Mumbai (Maharashtra) [India], July 4: As India's credit growth reaches new segments and geographies, the focus is shifting towards enabling access to financial services supported by data-driven insights, transparency, and informed risk management. This transformation, along with collaborating to extend financial inclusion in India, saw industry leaders, policymakers, and innovators convene at the TransUnion CIBIL Credit Conference 2025 to explore how data, trust, and collaboration in the financial ecosystem are reshaping the way India lends, borrows, and builds resilience.
From veteran bankers and fintech pioneers to policy architects and development finance experts, the event spotlighted voices shaping the future of India's credit lending ecosystem. Underpinning the conference was a celebration of the growth of India's credit landscape over the last 25 years, during which TransUnion CIBIL has played a pivotal role in this evolution through data, scale, and reach.
Some of the most impactful outcomes of India's evolving credit landscape include:
-Over 714 million individuals have gained access to formal credit, positively impacting households across the country, over the past two decades
-1,036 million consumer loans have been facilitated, including 52 million housing loans and six million education loans, in the last 25 years
-118 million women consumers in the last 10 years have entered the credit mainstream for the first time, unlocking opportunities that were previously unavailable to them
-34 million MSME loans have been disbursed in the past 25 years, powering the growth of India's future
-Since 2004, more than 3,172 million credit reports issued by TransUnion CIBIL have helped more than 4,000+ financial institutions make better-informed lending decisions
-Retail delinquencies (balance-level, at 90 days or more past due) have improved by 130 bps in the last 10 years
Speaking at the conference, Mr. M. Rajeshwar Rao, Deputy Governor, Reserve Bank of India, said, "Credit reporting and TransUnion CIBIL have grown together in India and the company has made a significant contribution in expanding the footprint of credit reporting in the country. Credit reporting systems today operate as a key element in the national financial architecture, encouraging greater credit access, supporting financial inclusion, enabling effective supervision, and enhancing financial stability. This silver jubilee therefore, also represents a significant milestone in TransUnion CIBIL's ongoing contribution to strengthening this framework. This also gives us an occasion to reflect on how the information gap between the credit institutions and the borrowers has been addressed over time and the possible way ahead."
Additionally, the Deputy Governor, said, "At the heart of a sustainable credit landscape lies an empowered consumer which is enabled when we have a financially aware and literate customer. While regulations mandate transparency and awareness, the responsibility needs to be fulfilled by all of us. Financial literacy cannot be achieved through a one-time campaign; it has to be a sustained commitment for all the institutions and entities involved. The setting up of Credit Information Companies was in one sense the starting point of this journey of financial inclusion and democratisation of credit. Even as the journey continues, the role of the CICs remains integral and important in realizing the vision of total financial Inclusion."
Mr. Bhavesh Jain, MD & CEO, TransUnion CIBIL, said, "India's credit ecosystem is becoming more inclusive, transparent, and future-ready. Reliable data empowers lenders to take strategically informed decisions which in turn support borrowers in building and strengthening their financial profiles. Our focus remains to enable all stakeholders to navigate this transformation responsibly and sustainably."
Mr. Deepak Parekh, Former Chairman, HDFC Limited, said, "One needs to position the role of a credit bureau as one that protects the customer, works for the customer, and helps prevent the customer from getting into financial difficulties. The credit score is like a medical report--and based on the report, one is diagnosed, if required. It is true when experts say that the credit score is the mirror of one's credit behaviour. Checking it regularly is like monitoring blood pressure or cholesterol levels--a preventive financial health measure we must all adopt. Trust, and only trust, remains the most critical aspect of financial services. Customer centricity is the only differentiator among credit bureaus."
Mr. Amitabh Chaudhry, MD & CEO, Axis Bank, said, "We must invest in financial literacy, helping borrowers understand credit health and long-term financial planning. This is not just a regulatory obligation, it is a moral imperative if we want to build a Viksit Bharat. Banks, bureaus, fintechs, and regulators must work together to harvest alternate data, build smarter risk tools, and create credit systems that say 'yes' more often, responsibly, creatively, and at the speed of India's aspirations."
Mr. K V Kamath, Chairman, Jio Financial Services Limited, said, "As India moves from a $4 trillion to an $8 trillion economy, the task ahead won't just double, it will expand exponentially. With a rapidly growing aspirational class and the rise of new technologies like AI, the demand for trusted, curated data will become even more critical. This marks the beginning of a new chapter for TransUnion CIBIL, one that's closely tied to India's next wave of growth,"
The CIBIL Score continues to play a key role in how creditworthiness is evaluated by banks, NBFCs, and FinTechs. To enhance market transparency, at the conference TransUnion CIBIL shared deeper insights from the latest Credit Market Indicator (CMI) Report, an essential resource for lenders, economists, and policymakers to monitor credit trends in retail lending.
The conference devoted special attention to one of India's key drivers for growth, the MSME sector. An MSME Day special edition of the MSME Pulse Report was shared, giving in-depth insights on credit participation and sectoral performance. The recently launched CreditVision® CIBIL Commercial Rank (CV CMR), complementary to the Company Credit Report (CCR), was also introduced. These tools help assess credit behavior across enterprises, improving underwriting accuracy and deepening access to finance for MSMEs.
The conference concluded with a shared vision for building a financially confident and credit-aware India. Speakers emphasized the need to strengthen creditworthiness across a broader borrower base through improved data access, financial literacy, and ecosystem-wide collaboration.
"As India progresses towards the goals outlined in Bharat@2047, expanding the credit-ready population, especially in semi-urban and rural regions, will be instrumental in unlocking economic growth," said Jain. "By enabling lenders to better assess risk and empowering individuals and small businesses to build and improve their credit profiles, TransUnion CIBIL's insights continue to play a catalytic role in putting more capital in the hands of individuals and small businesses. A more inclusive credit ecosystem is not only vital for economic progress, but also foundational to a future where opportunity reaches every corner of the country."
The conference commenced with the traditional lighting of the diya, symbolizing knowledge, progress, and a shared commitment to inclusive financial growth. The ceremony was led by Chris Cartwright, CEO, TransUnion; Venkataramanan Anantharaman, Chairman, TransUnion CIBIL; Ketaki Bhagwati, Independent Director, TransUnion CIBIL; Sanjay Prasad, Independent Director, TransUnion CIBIL; Todd Skinner, President - International, TransUnion; and N.S. Kannan, Independent Director, in the presence of industry leaders and stakeholders.