Over the past decade, Indian financial institutions have set the pace in digital transformation. Paperless onboarding, AI-driven chatbots, and end-to-end digital journeys have become the norm. But as Eric Anklesaria—renowned advisor on banking innovation and digital strategy—explains, the conversation is shifting: “The next leap for Indian financial services is not about how fast we digitise, but how intelligently we operate.” Eric Anklesaria: Why Digitisation Alone Isn’t Enough According to Eric Anklesaria, Indian banks and NBFCs have built a strong foundation with core banking modernisation, mobile-first platforms, and open API ecosystems. Yet, the true differentiator for tomorrow’s leaders will be embedding intelligence into every link of the financial value chain. “Efficiency is now table stakes,” says Eric Anklesaria. “The real winners will be those who transform data into foresight, automation into judgement, and customer interactions into dynamic, self-learning ecosystems.” Where Intelligence Will Redefine Indian Financial Services Credit and Risk Management Eric Anklesaria points out that AI and machine learning are unlocking new models for India’s data-rich yet credit-thin market. “Alternative credit scoring—using behavioural and real-time data—will revolutionise lending for first-time borrowers, gig workers, and SMEs.” Fraud Detection and Cybersecurity “With the surge in digital transactions, cyber risk is growing just as fast,” Anklesaria observes. He recommends banks deploy real-time, intelligent fraud detection to maintain digital trust—a non-negotiable in today’s landscape.