RBI CIRCULAR December 2025

December 19, 2025January 12, 2026 admin 0 Comments banking regulations, compliance, financial regulation, Indian Banks, rbi, RBI Circular

Amendments to Directions – Compounding of Contraventions under FEMA, 1999

November 24, 2025

1. Attention of Authorised Persons is invited to Master Directions on compounding of contraventions under FEMA, 1999, dated April 22, 2025.

2. In order to streamline the receipt of compounding application fee and ‘sum for which a contravention is compounded’ (‘compounding amount’), it has been decided to change the account details of account where compounding application fee and compounding amount will be received through National Electronic Fund Transfer (NEFT), Real Time Gross Settlement (RTGS). Accordingly, Annexure I of the aforesaid Master Directions has been modified to include the re- vised account details.

3. All Authorised Persons may bring the guidelines contained in this circular to the notice of their

4. The directions contained in this circular have been is- sued under sections 10(4) and 11(1) of the Foreign Ex- change Management Act, 1999 (42 of 1999) and are without prejudice to permissions/approval, if any, required under any other law.

Implementation of Section 51A of UAPA,1967: Updates to UNSC’s 1267/1989 ISIL (Da’esh) & Al-Qaida Sanctions List: Delisting of 02 Entries

October 03, 2025

1. Please refer to paragraph 51 of the RBI Master Direction on Know Your Customer dated February 25, 2016 as amended on August 14, 2025 (MD on KYC), in terms of which “Regulated Entities (REs) shall ensure that in terms of Section 51A of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) (UAPA) Act, 1967 and amendments thereto, they do not have any account in the name of individuals/entities appearing in the lists of individuals and entities, suspected of having terrorist links, which are approved by and periodically circulated by the United Nations Security Council (UNSC).”

2. In this connection, Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), Government of India has informed about the UNSC press release SC/16214 dated November 06, 2025 wherein the Security Council Committee has decided to remove two individuals from its Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant (ISIL/Da’esh) and Al-Qaida sanctions

2.1The Committee recalling its previous resolutions on the Syrian Arab Republic and those relating to the ISIL (Da’esh) and Al-Qaida sanctions regime, including 1267 (1999), 1989 (2011), 2178 (2014), 2253 (2015), 2368 (2017), 2396 (2017), 2462,(2019), 2664 (2022), 2734 (2024), and 2761 (2024), as well as the main principles and objectives embodied in its resolution 2254 (2015), adopted Resolution 2799 (2025) under Chapter VII of the Charter of the United Nations:

Deciding that Ahmed al-Sharaa, included on the ISIL (Da’esh) and Al-Qaida Sanctions List as Ahmad Hussain Al-Sharaa (QDi.317), and Anas Hasan Khattab (QDi.336) are delisted from the ISIL (Da’esh) and Al- Qaida Sanctions List.

3. Press release dated November 06, 2025 regarding the above can be found at https://press.un.org/en/2025/ doc.htm

The details of the sanction measures and exemptions are available at the following URL: https:// w w w.un.org / security council/ sanctions/ 1267#further_information

4. In view of the above, REs are advised to take appropriate action in terms of paragraph 51 of the MD on KYC and strictly follow the procedure as laid down in the UAPA Order dated February 02, 2021 (amended on April 22, 2024) annexed to the MD on KYC.

5. Updated lists of individuals and entities linked to ISIL (Da’esh), Al-Qaida and Taliban are available at:

www.un.org/securitycouncil/sanctions/1267/ aq_sanctions_list

https://www.un.org/securitycouncil/sanctions/1988/ materials

6. Further, as per the instructions from the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA), any request for de-listing received by any RE is to be forwarded electronically to Joint Secretary (CTCR), MHA for consideration. Individuals, groups, undertakings or entities seeking to be removed from the Security Council’s ISIL (Da’esh) and Al-Qaida Sanctions List can submit their request for delisting to an independent and impartial Ombudsperson who has been appointed by the United Nations Secretary-General. More details are available at the following URL:

https://www.un.org/securitycouncil/ombudsperson/ap- plication

7. REs are advised to take note of the aforementioned UNSC communications and ensure meticulous compliance.

Implementation of Section 51A of UAPA,1967: Updates to UNSC’s 1267/ 1989 ISIL (Da’esh) & Al- Qaida Sanctions List: Amendments to 01 Entry

October 24, 2025

1. Please refer to paragraph 51 of the RBI Master Direction on Know Your Customer dated February 25, 2016 as amended on August 14, 2025 (MD on KYC), in terms of which “Regulated Entities (REs) shall ensure that in terms of Section 51A of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) (UAPA) Act, 1967 and amendments thereto, they do not have any account in the name of individuals and entities, suspected of having terrorist links, which are approved by and periodically circulated by the United Nations Security Council (UNSC).”

2. In this connection, Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), Government of India has informed about the UNSC press release SC / 16197 dated October 21, 2025 wherein the Security Council Committee pursuant to resolutions 1267 (1999), 1989 (2011) and 2253 (2015) concerning ISIL (Da’esh), Al-Qaida and associated individuals, groups, undertakings and entities enacted the amendments specified with strikethrough and / or underline in the entry below on its ISIL (Da’esh) and Al- Qaida Sanctions List of individuals and entities subject to the assets freeze, travel ban and arms embargo set out in paragraph 1of Security Council resolution 2734 (2024) and adopted under Chapter VII of the Charter of the United Nations.

3. In accordance with paragraph 58 of resolution 2610 (2021), the Committee has made accessible on its website the narrative summaries of reasons for listing of the above entries at the following URL:

www.un.org/securitycouncil/sanctions/1267/ aq_sanctions_list/summaries.

4.Press release dated October 21, 2025 regarding the above can be found at https://main.un.org/ securitycouncil/en/content/sc16197

Further, the UNSC press releases concerning amend- ments to the list are available at URL: https:// www.un.org/securitycouncil/sanctions/1267/press-re- leases

5. The details of the sanction measures and exemptions are available at the following URL: https:// w w un.org / security council/ sanctions/ 1267#further_information

6. In view of the above, REs are advised to take appropriate action in terms of paragraph 51 of the MD on KYC and strictly follow the procedure as laid down in the UAPA Order dated February 02, 2021 (amended on April 22, 2024) annexed to the MD on KYC.

7. Updated lists of individuals and entities linked to ISIL (Da’esh), Al-Qaida and Taliban are available at:

www.un.org/securitycouncil/sanctions/1267/ aq_sanctions_list

https://www.un.org/securitycouncil/sanctions/1988/materials