RBI Mandates Banks to Clear Trade Payment Mismatches

RBI directs banks to resolve significant backlogs in trade and payment data mismatches, impacting thousands of crores and ensuring accurate financial data.

sivam July 19, 2026

The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has issued a directive to all banks to expedite the resolution of long-pending mismatches in trade and payment records. These discrepancies, collectively valued in the thousands of crores, have accumulated over time and require immediate attention to ensure accurate financial data and facilitate smoother international trade operations.

Under the new directive, banks are required to meticulously verify the documentation and transactions associated with these outstanding entries. The primary objective is to regularize genuine export-import cases that have been flagged due to data inconsistencies. This process is crucial for maintaining the integrity of India’s trade data and ensuring that legitimate businesses are not adversely affected by administrative backlogs.

The RBI’s push to clear old Export Data Processing and Monitoring System (EDPMS) and Import Data Processing and Monitoring System (IDPMS) entries is expected to significantly improve regulatory compliance across the banking sector. By addressing these legacy issues, the central bank aims to prevent businesses from being unfairly flagged in trade systems and enhance the overall accuracy and reliability of trade statistics. This move is anticipated to streamline processes for exporters and importers, reduce compliance burdens, and contribute to a more robust financial ecosystem for international trade in India.