Banks will have to pay price if any telco files for bankruptcy: SBI Chairman
New Delhi: SBI Chairman Rajnish Kumar on Saturday said banks will "have to pay the price" in case any telecom firm files for bankruptcy, a day after the Supreme Court made it clear that telecom companies will have to pay the Rs 1.47 lakh crore in past dues.
The chief of the country's largest lender State Bank of India (SBI) said it is in the "wait-and-watch mode" and the onus of ensuring telecom companies' compliance with the Supreme Court order lies with the Department of Telecommunications (DoT) under the government.
"If there is a negative impact on any enterprise, it impacts a larger ecosystem, whether it is banks, whether it is employees, whether they are vendors, consumers, so everybody gets impacted. So, that impact, when it comes, we will have to pay the price," Kumar said, when asked about the impact on banks if telcos move towards bankruptcy.
He was speaking to reporters on the sidelines of the unveiling of artworks namely 'Manasvi' and 'Tapasvi' at the Local Head Office (LHO) here. Around 400 computers, more than 2,000 microchips, over 400 keyboards and above 200 discarded credit cards were used to create the two artworks.
He added that the closure of any corporate impacts the country's economy and, therefore, the endeavour is to prevent the shutting down of any enterprise.
Asked if any telco account is currently classified as non-performing asset (NPA), he said there are two accounts, Aircel and RCom, that went into bankruptcy.
Besides, he said that SBI will not pass on the burden of the hike in premium of deposit insurance to its customers.
"We never recovered the premium from customers, we will not do it now either. As far as the impact of the rise from 10 paise to 12 paise is concerned, earlier if we were paying Rs 3,000 crore now we will pay Rs 3,600 crore premium," he said.
Following the failure of a number of cooperative banks, with Mumbai-based PMC Bank being the latest and the largest last year, the government hiked the deposit insurance coverage to Rs 5 lakh from Rs 1 lakh in the Union Budget 2020-21.
"The premium is something which, we consider, will increase from 10 paise to 12 paisa per Rs 100 for the time being. So, the impact on banks' balance sheets is not likely to be much," RBI Deputy Governor B P Kanungo said recently.
RBI Governor Shaktikanta Das on Saturday said the central bank will have internal discussions in case there are any issues arising out of the Supreme Court order regarding adjusted gross revenue (AGR) dues to be paid by telecom companies.
On Friday, the Supreme Court threatened contempt proceedings against top executives of Bharti Airtel, Vodafone Idea and other telecom firms for failing to comply with its directive to pay an estimated Rs 1.47 lakh crore in past dues.
However, Das did not offer any specific comments about the order, which might have ramifications on banks in terms of their exposure to the financially-stressed telecom companies.
The payments to be made by the companies include Rs 53,000 crore by Vodafone Idea, Rs 35,500 crore by Bharti Airtel and Rs 14,000 crore by the now-defunct Tata Teleservices.
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How Indian AI Is Booming with GEOX AI Leading the Next Wave of Geolocation Intelligence
TraceX Labs has announced the launch of GEOX AI, an advanced artificial intelligence platform capable of identifying the real-world location where a photograph or video was taken using only the visual content within the media.
Positioned as an enterprise-grade intelligence solution, GEOX AI leverages advanced computer vision and multi-agent AI to analyze pixel-level details such as architecture, road patterns, vegetation, signage, lighting, and environmental context. By interpreting these visual clues, the system can estimate—and in many cases precisely determine—the origin of an image or video.
AI-Powered Geolocation Intelligence
Marketed under the concept of “Locate Anywhere From Any Image,” GEOX AI is designed for intelligence operations where speed, accuracy, and reliability are critical. The platform currently supports:
- 400+ analyses available
- <10 seconds average response time
- Up to 99% accuracy on landmark-based identification
- Global coverage across diverse terrains and environments
Core Capabilities
GEOX AI integrates multiple intelligence features into a single platform:
- Precise Geolocation:
Identifies exact geographic coordinates using visual landmarks, architecture, vegetation, and cultural indicators. - Satellite Map View:
Results are plotted on live satellite imagery with 2D/3D viewing options and multiple map styles for deeper analysis. - AI Reasoning Analysis:
Provides a detailed explanation of how the system arrived at a conclusion, including confidence scoring. - Multi-Result Analysis:
Returns multiple possible locations ranked by confidence, enabling cross-verification. - Intelligence PDF Export:
Allows one-click generation of professional reports containing maps, coordinates, analysis, and structured findings. - Credit-Based Access:
Agencies are allocated credits, with each analysis consuming one credit. Additional credits can be requested directly.
Speed Meets Intelligence
GEOX AI is designed to balance rapid processing with analytical depth:
- Fast Mode: Delivers results within seconds for clear and high-context images
- Advanced Mode: Performs deeper multi-step analysis for complex or ambiguous visuals
- Built for real-time decision-making in high-pressure environments
How GEOX AI Works
The platform follows a simple and efficient workflow:
- Upload any image or video frame
- AI analyzes visual clues such as structures, terrain, and environment
- The system identifies location with coordinates, confidence score, and reasoning
- Results are displayed on an interactive satellite map
- Export a professional intelligence report in one click
A Breakthrough for Investigations
GEOX AI is expected to have wide-ranging applications across multiple domains:
- Tracking the origin of images from social media and open sources
- Supporting digital forensics and cyber investigations
- Assisting law enforcement and intelligence operations
- Helping journalists and OSINT analysts verify visual content
- Providing support in missing person cases and threat intelligence scenarios
Enterprise Access and Deployment
GEOX AI is available to verified law enforcement agencies, intelligence organizations, and authorized enterprises. Access is provided through a structured system where organizations can request credentials and define their operational use cases.
Interested users can request access via tracexlabs.com or contact contact@tracexlabs.com, with response times typically within 24–48 hours.
Privacy Debate Intensifies
The launch of GEOX AI has also sparked renewed discussion around digital privacy. By demonstrating how location data can be extracted purely from visible elements within images, the platform highlights the potential risks associated with sharing photos online without considering what those visuals may reveal.
Conclusion
With GEOX AI, TraceX Labs is entering the rapidly evolving geolocation intelligence space with a platform that combines speed, precision, and real-world usability. As artificial intelligence continues to advance, tools like GEOX AI are expected to play a critical role in shaping the future of investigations, security, and digital intelligence.
