NRI deposits in Kerala banks soar to touch Rs3tr mark

Deposits by Non-Resident Indians (NRIs) in Kerala banks are rising steadily in recent times with scope for achieving a major financial milestone of crossing Rs3 trillion in the January-March 2025 quarter, if the last year’s trend is any indication.

- AM Abdussalam

As of 31 December, 2024, Non-Resident (NR) deposits stood at Rs286,063 crore - up nearly Rs24,000 crore from the year before. This marks a 9.4 per cent increase year-on-year. The data for this year’s January-March quarter is yet to be released. NR deposits are foreign currency accounts maintained by NRIs, different from personal remittances in Rupees sent to families to meet expenses. Even so, a large part of remittances ends up in these accounts, driven by interest rates and currency exchange benefits.

This milestone underscores Kerala's enduring status as India’s hub for expatriate remittances and savings, even as banks intensify their efforts to attract funds from overseas Indians.