SMFG India Credit Company Limited has expanded its lending operations across semi urban and rural markets in India, reflecting a broader trend among non-banking financial companies (NBFCs) to increase credit access among Indians living in smaller markets.
These regions have seen growing demand for formal lending services as local entrepreneurship, small businesses, and consumption activity have expanded beyond major metropolitan areas.
SMFG India Credit provides loans to retail borrowers, self-employed professionals, and micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs). The company offers a range of credit products including personal loans, business loans, loans against property, and commercial vehicle financing.
It also provides housing finance through its housing finance subsidiary, which focuses on borrowers in the affordable housing segment, including customers in emerging towns and smaller cities.
As of FY2024–25, SMFG India Credit Company Limited reported assets under management (AUM) of ₹56,989 crore and served a customer base of approximately 29 lakh across India.
Its lending operations are supported by a nationwide network of 829 branches across multiple states and union territories. This network enables the company to reach customers in a wide range of Indian markets.
A significant component of the company’s outreach in smaller towns is supported through its rural lending initiative, SMFG Gramshakti. The rural business operates a network of branches across several states and provides credit to borrowers in villages and smaller towns, including individuals involved in agriculture-linked activities, small trading businesses, and local enterprises.
Through this network, the company serves borrowers across tens of thousands of villages in India, reflecting the increasing role of NBFCs in expanding credit access beyond traditional banking centres.
The expansion of NBFCs into semi urban and rural markets has been linked to the evolving structure of India’s retail credit landscape. In many smaller towns, formal banking infrastructure historically had limited reach, particularly for borrowers with informal income sources or limited credit history.
NBFCs have therefore played a role in extending financing to segments such as small entrepreneurs, traders, and self-employed professionals who require credit for purposes such as working capital, vehicle purchases, or property financing.
Within this broader industry context, the growth of SMFG India Credit’s distribution network andcustomer base in smaller cities reflects the increasing importance of non-bank lenders insupporting retail and small business credit demand beyond India’s major metropolitan centres.
