INDIAN BANKS' ASSOCIATION

The 25th Bank Economists' Conference was held on 11th and 12th, December, 2003 at Grand Maratha Sheraton Hotels and Towers, Andheri (E), Mumbai. The Union Bank of India was the host bank of the conference and IBA provided organizational support to the conference. The theme of the conference was "Indian Banking - Moving Towards Globalisation".
An important feature of globalisation is the increasing role of cross-border business and convergence of banking practices and banking standards. The on-going negotiations under WTO envisage greater openness and easier access to banking services across the countries. The move towards greater globalisation and higher integration of banking has been gaining momentum at a fast pace.
Till recently, Indian banks have been operating under a protected environment. With the initiation of reforms, they have made rapid strides in changing their outlook and character, as also business practices and standards and codes. In several respect, their present position is comparable to the best practices in the world.
Against this backdrop, the Conference was intended to address mainly two issues: (i) a critical assessment of the present position of Indian banks vis-à-vis international best practices in important areas thereby locating gaps, and (ii) finding ways and means of bridging the gaps with the hindsight gained from international experience.
The programme was divided into 2 days three sessions per day, viz.
On 11th December 2003,
Session I: Globalisation: International Experience: Where India stands?
Session II: Regulatory Issues: Unshackling the Past
Session III: Technology Life-line or Cost Monster?
And
On 12th December 2003,
Session IV: Retail Banking: Challenges Ahead in Distribution Channels in Urban/Rural India
Session V: Market Mechanism - Preparing for the Change
Session VI: Profit Pools: Emerging Trends
The conference was opened by an inaugural address by Dr. Y. V. Reddy, Governor, Reserve Bank of India . Prominent speakers and experts from the financial sector addressed the various technical sessions of BECON . The speakers covered a wide spectrum of issues faced by banks in the deregulated era of Indian Banking and the strategies that may be adopted by the financial institutions to survive in the global arena.
Each session was followed by an interactive session where the audience's thought provoking questions were answered by the eminent panelists with equal commitment.
The Conference ended on an apt note with Shri N.S. Sisodia, Secretary (Financial Sector), Ministry of Finance, Govt. of India, giving the valedictory address.