India: Reserve Bank of India published Draft (Commercial Banks-Responsible Business Conduct) Amendment Directions, 2026

On 11 February 2026, the Reserve Bank of India published the (Commercial Banks-Responsible Business Conduct) Amendment Directions, 2026, issued under Section 35A of the Banking Regulation Act, 1949, and proposed to take effect from 1 July 2026. The Draft Amendment Directions modify the Reserve Bank of India (Commercial Banks – Responsible Business Conduct) Directions, 2025, and apply to all Commercial Banks other than Small Finance Banks, Payments Banks, Regional Rural Banks, and Local Area Banks. The modifications insert a definition of dark pattern, described as any practice or deceptive design pattern using user interface or user experience interactions on any platform designed to mislead or trick users by subverting consumer autonomy, decision-making, or choice. Banks would be required to ensure that user interfaces do not deploy any dark patterns and would be subject to user testing and periodic internal audit. A new Annex IIA sets out an illustrative list of dark patterns relevant to banks, including false urgency, basket sneaking, confirm shaming, forced action, subscription trap, interface interference, bait and switch, drip pricing, disguised advertisement, nagging, and trick wording. Banks would also be required to adhere to the Guidelines for Prevention and Regulation of Dark Patterns, 2023, issued by the Central Consumer Protection Authority (CCPA).