How Much Do Indian Banks Spend on Printing and Stationery? FY2025 Financial Analysis

Published on August 28, 2026 by Harsha, Insyra Labs

India's banking ecosystem is celebrated worldwide for digital triumphs like UPI, mobile banking apps, and digital KYC. Yet financial statements reveal that top Indian scheduled commercial banks spend thousands of crores annually on printing and stationery.

The Scale of Bank Print Spending in FY2025

Corporate annual filings and financial disclosures analyzed by Mint show the enormous scale of physical printing and paper expenditures across leading Indian banks:

Scheduled Commercial BankFY2025 Printing & Stationery Spend
State Bank of India (SBI)₹986.4 crore
HDFC Bank₹922.5 crore
Axis Bank₹373.8 crore
ICICI Bank₹318.5 crore
Bank of Baroda₹211.9 crore
Punjab National Bank (PNB)₹173.8 crore
Kotak Mahindra Bank₹167.0 crore

These seven institutions alone recorded an aggregate expenditure of nearly ₹3,000 crore on printing and stationery during FY2025.

SBI's Near-₹1,000 Crore Print Commitment

In its official FY2025 audited financial statements, State Bank of India reported exactly ₹986.35 crore under Schedule 16 (Operating Expenses: Printing & Stationery). With over 22,000 branches nationwide, physical documentation remains deeply integrated into banking operations.

What Are Banks Still Printing in a Digital Age?

Digital-Physical Coexistence

The fact that bank stationery budgets remain massive does not mean digital banking has stalled. Rather, it proves that routine notifications shift to SMS and apps, while high-stakes legal, transactional, and compliance workflows continue to mandate physical paper.

Takeaway: Digital transformation in banking has not eradicated paper; it has filtered printing so that remaining physical documents carry higher legal and operational value.

Official Data Sources & Citations