DIPAM secy: IDBI sale at stage 3, more clarity before FY26-end

The strategic disinvestment of IDBI Bank has moved to an advanced stage, with technical and financial bids now invited, DIPAM Secretary Arunish Chawla said on Saturday, January 31.

In a post-Budget conversation with CNBC-TV18, Chawla said,  “The strategic disinvestment of IDBI Bank has reached stage three, which essentially means that technical and financial bids have been invited,” adding that more details on the IDBI transaction will be shared before the end of FY26.

Chawla said the government’s disinvestment

target is a composite number that includes asset and land monetisation as well as the launch of infrastructure investment trusts (InViTs) for public sector enterprises. “We do not have split targets. We don’t want to create a price overhang or make the markets nervous,” he said, noting that launching InViTs for PSEs takes the monetisation programme to another level.

On reports around bringing down the government’s stake in select PSEs to 26%, Chawla said the Economic Survey is an ideation document and all possibilities are on the table, which will be deliberated in the policy domain in line with PSE policy.

Commenting on the potential PFC-REC merger, he said the idea is to have a central agency to finance power utilities at both the central and state levels, while retaining economies of scale. Any such decision would be taken by the respective boards, and all options remain open.

Chawla also said the government typically keeps 3-4 transactions live at any given time, and investors can expect 3-4 more deals in the current financial year, with the number likely to double in the next fiscal.

Also Read: Budget 2026: PFC, REC shares surge after restructuring proposal by FM Sitharaman