SBI dividend to Centre: ₹8,813 crore for FY26

Dividend cheque handed to Finance Minister

State Bank of India (SBI) on Monday presented a dividend cheque of ₹8,813 crore to the Central government for the financial year 2025-26. The cheque was handed over to Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman by SBI Chairman C S Setty in New Delhi. The Finance Minister’s Office and the Ministry of Finance shared the development on social media platform X. The post stated that the Finance Minister received the dividend cheque for FY 2025-26 from the SBI Chairman. The payout adds to the government’s non-tax revenue receipts for the year. The development is tied to SBI’s dividend declaration for the year ended March 31, 2026.

What the government communication said

The Ministry of Finance said on X that “Smt Nirmala Sitharaman receives a dividend cheque of ₹8,813 crore for FY 2025-26 from Shri C S Setty, Chairman, SBI.” The same message was also echoed by the Finance Minister’s Office in its social media update. The official posts focused on the handover and the amount of dividend for the fiscal year. The updates did not provide additional detail on the timing of government receipt beyond stating it occurred on Monday. The cheque presentation is typically a formal step that follows the declaration and approval of dividends. In SBI’s case, the event followed the bank’s audited financial results and board decision on dividend.

Dividend declared by SBI’s Central Board

SBI’s Central Board, at its meeting, declared a dividend of ₹17.35 per equity share for the year ended March 31, 2026. This per-share dividend is the basis for the overall dividend distribution to shareholders, including the Government of India. The government, as the majority shareholder, receives a large portion of the dividend outgo. The article text also references that eligible shareholders benefit from the declared dividend. Separately, one report cited a record date of May 16, 2026, and a dividend payment date of June 4, 2026.

FY26 profit crosses ₹80,000 crore

The dividend payout comes after SBI reported strong profitability for FY26. SBI reported a net profit of ₹80,032 crore for FY26, registering year-on-year growth of 12.88%. The previous year’s net profit was cited as ₹70,900 crore or ₹70,901 crore in different reports included in the provided material. The bank’s results were described as a milestone, with annual net profit crossing ₹80,000 crore for the first time. SBI is India’s largest lender and one of the most closely tracked public sector financial institutions. The FY26 performance set the context for the dividend announcement and subsequent cheque handover.

March quarter: profit up 6% year-on-year

For the January-March quarter of FY26, SBI reported a standalone net profit of ₹19,684 crore. This represented a 6% year-on-year rise compared with ₹18,643 crore in the corresponding quarter of the previous year. The Q4 number was highlighted in the government-linked updates as well as in coverage of SBI’s financial results announced in May. The quarterly performance helped underpin the year-end profitability and dividend capacity. Alongside profit, the bank’s net interest income for the quarter was also reported. Net interest income rose 4% year-on-year to ₹44,380 crore in the January-March 2026 quarter.

Operating profit also increased in FY26

SBI reported operating profit of ₹1,23,015 crore for FY26. This marked an 11.25% year-on-year rise, according to the information provided. The operating profit figure was presented as reflecting business growth and operating performance during the year. Strong operating profit, combined with higher net profit, supported the bank’s ability to return cash to shareholders through dividends. The coverage also linked the dividend payout to improvement in asset quality during FY26, though it did not provide specific asset-quality ratios or numbers.

Government’s majority stake and dividend share

As of March 6, the Government of India was stated to hold a 55.52% stake in SBI. With this ownership level, the government receives the majority share of dividends declared by the bank. The ₹8,813 crore cheque presented to the Finance Minister was reported as the government’s dividend amount for FY 2025-26. The dividend transfer is one channel through which profitable public sector enterprises contribute to the Centre’s receipts. The cheque handover is also a public marker of SBI’s role as a major contributor among state-owned financial institutions.

Key numbers at a glance

Market context and why it matters

SBI’s cheque presentation comes at a time when dividends from public sector enterprises are closely watched as part of non-tax revenues. The FY26 results show that SBI maintained profit growth both for the full year and for the March quarter. Some coverage noted a bearish market reaction despite the dividend declaration and record annual profit, although no stock price movement figures were provided in the supplied text. Separately, reports also pointed to SBI’s continuing role in India’s banking and digital payments ecosystem, positioning it as a central institution beyond traditional lending.

Conclusion

SBI’s ₹8,813 crore dividend cheque handover to Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman formalises the bank’s FY26 dividend payout to the government. The payment follows SBI’s FY26 net profit of ₹80,032 crore, Q4 net profit of ₹19,684 crore, and an equity dividend declaration of ₹17.35 per share. With the government holding a 55.52% stake, SBI remains a significant contributor to the Centre’s dividend receipts. Further clarity on dividend distribution dates is already available through reported milestones such as the record date of May 16, 2026 and a scheduled payment date of June 4, 2026, as cited in the provided material.