As India accelerates towards becoming a digitally
empowered economy, Non-Banking Financial Companies (NBFCs) are playing an
increasingly important role in expanding access to credit, particularly in
underserved and rural markets. In this interview with IANS, Mr. Subhash
Chandra Acharya, Managing Director and CEO of Seeds Fincap Private Limited,
shares his perspective on the future of India's lending ecosystem, the rise of
AI and climate finance, the importance of financial inclusion, and how Seeds
Fincap is working to bridge the country's credit gap through a combination of
technology, local engagement, and responsible lending.
1.What trends do you believe will define the next
decade for India's NBFC sector?
The next decade for India’s NBFC sector will be shaped
by four key trends: technology, wider
product offerings, smarter workforce talent, and theme-based financing.
At SEEDS, we believe technology creates the greatest
value when it is combined with a human touch. Digital tools can improve speed
and efficiency, but trust and customer understanding will continue to be
critical, especially in financial inclusion.
We also see growing demand for more tailored financial
solutions that meet the specific needs of different customer segments. At the
same time, building agile and skilled will be essential as the sector evolves.
Another important trend will be climate finance.
Financing clean energy, sustainable livelihoods, and climate-resilient smart
agriculture solutions will not only create
social impact but also become an important growth opportunity for
responsible lenders.
2. With increasing competition from fintech players,
how can traditional NBFCs stay relevant and agile?
Traditional
NBFCs can stay relevant by embracing technology while preserving the strength
of their local presence. Fintech have brought speed and convenience, but many
customers still value personal relationship and local understanding. At SEEDS,
we believe in a ‘tech plus touch’ approach. Technology helps us improve
efficiency and customer experience, while our field presence helps us better
understand customer needs and local market realities.
In my view, the institutions that successfully combine
digital innovation with human connection will be best positioned for the
future.
3.If you had to identify one major opportunity and one
major challenge for India's lending ecosystem today, what would they be?
One of the biggest opportunities in India’s lending
ecosystem is the huge untapped credit demand among individuals,
micro-enterprises, and underserved communities.
As India’s economy continues to grow, the need for
accessible and timely credit will increase significantly.
The biggest challenge is ensuring responsible lending
in an increasingly digital environment. Lenders must use technology wisely,
while maintaining strong risk management, data privacy and customer trust. At
SEEDS, we believe sustainable growth comes from expanding credit access
responsibly and keeping the customer at the centre of every decision.
4.India's credit landscape is changing rapidly. What
do you believe will separate successful lenders from the rest over the next
decade?
I believe successful lenders will be those that
balance technology with trust. While technology can improve efficiency and
reach, but customer still value relationship and reliability.
Lenders that understand customer needs and serve
underserved markets responsibly will be best positioned for long term growth.
At SEEDS, we see sustainable lending as a combination of innovation, trust and
customer focus.
5.There is a growing conversation around financial
inclusion, but are we truly reaching the last mile? What more needs to be done?
India has made meaningful progress in financial
inclusion through initiatives like Jan Dhan, Aadhar and Mobile Connectivity. It
has enabled the ground for financial empowerment now. We are certainly moving
closer to the last mile. However, in a country as vast and diverse as ours,
there is still significant ground to cover.
At SEEDS, we are consciously deepening our presence in
Tier 2 and Tier 3 markets and strengthening our local connect by hiring talent
from the communities we serve.
We believe, true financial empowerment requires
localized financial solutions, customer trust and the right balance of
technology and human engagement. The opportunity is immense, and so is the
responsibility.
6.What advice would you give to aspiring entrepreneurs
looking to build businesses in the financial services sector?
My advice to aspiring entrepreneurs is to remember
that financial services are an enabler to realize the potential of individual.
In long run you have to understand people and financial inclusion should not be
limited to numbers. Products and portfolios matter, but trust, empathy, and
integrity matter even more. Start with a vision, but remember that institutions
are built through discipline, consistency, and resilience. Use technology to
improve efficiency, but never lose the human touch.
Most importantly, create value for your customers. In
financial services, trust is your most valuable asset, and long-term success
comes from building it consistently. At SEEDS, we strongly believe that
inclusion and profitability can go hand in hand when the intent is to create
meaningful and lasting impact.
7.AI is increasingly becoming a part of financial
services. How do you see emerging technologies shaping the future of lending?
AI and emerging
technologies are set to make lending faster, smarter, and more efficient. They
improve credit assessment, risk management, fraud detection and customer
services.
At SEEDS, we are already leveraging AI-enabled
solutions in lead generation, customer support and collections to improve
efficiency and responsiveness.
However, technology should complement, not replace,
human judgment. We believe the future of lending lies in combining technology
with trust and a strong human touch.
8.India is witnessing a rapid transformation in the
financial ecosystem. How do you see the role of NBFCs evolving in bridging the
country's credit gap?
As India’s economy grows, NBFCs will have an
increasingly important role in bridging the country’s credit gap. A significant
section of the population, still lacks adequate access to formal finance.
NBFCs have stronger local reach, and a deeper
understanding of customer needs. This allows them to serve segments that are
often overlooked by traditional lenders.
At SEEDS, we believe the future lies in combining
technology with strong local engagement. NBFC that do this well will drive
financial empowerment and support India’s economic growth.
9.What have been some of the key milestones in Seeds
Fincap's journey so far?
SEEDS has
achieved several important milestones in a short period of time.
Our cumulative disbursements have grown from ₹71 crore
in FY22 to over ₹1,600 crore in FY26, and our Assets Under Management has
crossed ₹700 crore. We have expanded our branch network from 24 to over 160
branches, significantly expanding our footprint in Tier 2, Tier 3, and rural
markets.
Today, we serve around 69,000 active clients through a
team of nearly 1,900 employees.
We have also invested in technology and built moderate
in-house capabilities across key functions, including Business Analytics and
IT. For us, these milestones reflect not just growth, but our commitment to
delivering responsible finance.
10.What sectors or customer segments are driving
growth for the company today?
MSMEs continue to be the primary growth drivers for SEEDS. We remain focused
on supporting small enterprises that create livelihoods and contribute to local
economic development. In addition, we are seeing growing opportunities in dairy
financing, climate finance (particularly rooftop solar installation) and WASH
infrastructure financing. We are also
exploring new opportunities in EV financing and cluster-based financing for
non-agricultural livelihood sectors. At SEEDS, our focus is on providing
responsible finance that supports both economic growth and social impact.
11.Seeds Fincap has been rapidly expanding its
footprint across rural and semi-urban India. Which new states or regions are
you targeting next, and how do you see this expansion helping small businesses
that banks usually overlook?
At SEEDS, we see significant growth opportunities in
East and South India.
However, our expansion is never driven by geography
alone. We take a calibrated approach based on area surveys, on-ground
assessments, state-level performance indicators, and market data to better
understand local credit needs and business potential.
Our current focus is also on strengthening existing
operations. We aim to develop all our branches into full-service hub branches,
offering our complete range of loan products and serving customers more
effectively.
Along with MSME financing, we are expanding into
climate finance, WASH infrastructure and gender-focused lending.
SEEDS aims to provide timely finance that sustains
lives and livelihoods.
12.Looking ahead over the next few years, what is your
ultimate vision for Seeds Fincap’s role in bridging India's rural credit gap?
Our vision is to make responsible finance accessible
to underserved communities across India. We want to support livelihoods, small
businesses and local economic growth.
We will continue expanding our reach, strengthening
customer relationships and using technology responsibly.
We aspire to be more than a lender. We want to be a
trusted financial partner that bridges the
credit gap, sustains lives and livelihoods, and contributes meaningfully
to inclusive and sustainable growth.