Public sector banks recently presented dividend cheques totaling over Rs 9,400 crore to Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman for the financial year 2025-26. Bank of Baroda, among the lenders, provided a dividend cheque of Rs 2,811 crore for the fiscal year ending March 31, 2026. This cheque was presented by the bank’s Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer, Dr. Debadatta Chand, in the presence of Department of Financial Services Secretary Sanjay Lohiya and the bank’s executive directors.
Bank of Baroda had a remarkable year, achieving its highest-ever standalone net profit of Rs 20,021 crore in FY26, marking the first time the bank surpassed the Rs 20,000-crore profit mark. Additionally, the bank’s global business surpassed Rs 30 lakh crore as of March 31, 2026. For the same fiscal year, Bank of Baroda announced a dividend of Rs 8.50 per equity share, which is 425% of the face value of Rs 2 per share.
Finance Minister Sitharaman also received a dividend cheque of Rs 2,416 crore from Punjab National Bank, presented by the bank’s Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer, Ashok Chandra. Canara Bank contributed with a dividend cheque of Rs 2,397 crore for FY26, handed over by the bank’s Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer, Brajesh Kumar Singh. Indian Bank also participated in the dividend payout, with its Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer, Binod Kumar, presenting a cheque worth Rs 1,815 crore for the financial year 2025-26.
The dividend payments made by the public sector banks follow a year of strong earnings growth, improved asset quality, and reinforced balance sheets. These positive developments have allowed the banks to increase returns to the government, which remains the primary shareholder in these institutions.
