Lenders have sanctioned Rs 33.62 billion to 774 applicants under the Rs 200 billion Credit Guarantee Scheme for Exporters (CGSE) within a month, aimed at supporting exporters facing pressure from steep US tariffs. The scheme, approved by the Union Cabinet on November 12, provides 100 per cent credit guarantee cover through the National Credit Guarantee Trustee Company Ltd to member lending institutions for extending additional credit facilities of up to Rs 200 billion to eligible exporters, including micro, small and medium enterprises. CGSE was made operational on December 1, 2025, enabling banks and financial institutions to extend additional financial assistance to Indian exporters during a period of external headwinds, with the objective of helping them diversify markets and enhance global competitiveness. According to the Department of Financial Services, applications worth Rs 87.65 billion across 1,840 proposals had been received by January 2, 2026, of which Rs 33.62 billion covering 774 applications had been sanctioned by lenders. Implemented by the Department of Financial Services, the CGSE will remain valid until March 31, 2026, or until guarantees worth Rs 200 billion are issued. The department also highlighted progress under the Mutual Credit Guarantee Scheme for MSMEs, which provides credit guarantees to incentivise lenders to extend additional credit facilities of up to Rs 1 billion per borrower for the purchase of plant, machinery and equipment. As of December 2025, banks had sanctioned Rs 168.36 billion against around 896,000 applications under the scheme. Sharing broader banking sector performance, the department said scheduled commercial banks recorded their highest-ever aggregate net profit of Rs 40.1 billion. Public sector banks posted a record aggregate net profit of Rs 17.8 billion in 2024–25, while net profit during the first half of 2025–26 stood at Rs 9.4 billion. Global deposits and advances of public sector banks rose from Rs 719.5 billion and Rs 561.6 billion in March 2015 to Rs 1,462.7 billion and Rs 1,148.5 billion, respectively, by September 2025. The gross non-performing asset ratio of public sector banks declined to 2.30 per cent, equivalent to Rs 26.5 billion, in September 2025, compared with 4.97 per cent, or Rs 27.9 billion, in March 2015, and a peak of 14.58 per cent, or Rs 89.6 billion, in March 2018. The capital adequacy ratio of public sector banks also improved by 451 basis points to 15.96 per cent in September 2025 from 11.45 per cent in March 2015.