Domestic scheduled commercial banks (SCBs) off-balance exposures, comprising guarantees, letters of credit and derivatives contracts rose sharply by 88.4 per cent in 2007-08. The exposure to forward exchange contracts increased by 94.6 per cent, according to a study by Dun & Bradstreet.
During FY08, the foreign exchange contracts for foreign banks were higher by Rs 43,60,800 crore as compared to Rs 85,82,300 crore in FY07, amounting to an 84 per cent of off-balance sheet exposure of foreign banks, according to study titled ‘India’s Top Banks 2009’.
Public sector banks (PSBs), which are perceived to have a low-risk appetite, have the lowest ratio of off-balance sheet exposure to total assets ratio at 61 per cent, compared to 251 per cent for private sector banks and 2,803 per cent for foreign banks.