New Delhi: State Bank of India (SBI), the nation’s largest public sector bank, announced the launch of ‘CHAKRA’ – Centre of Excellence (CoE)for financing sunrise sectors that are critical to India’s economic transformation. Reinforcing the bank’s strategic commitment to Viksit Bharat 2047, the centre will serve as a knowledge-led platform to enable financing for next-generation, technology-driven and sustainability-focused sunrise sectors.
SBI’s focus lies in enabling these capital-intensive sectors by directing capital flows responsibly, strengthening risk assessment capabilities and developing innovative financing structures aligned with evolving business models and policy priorities.
The Centre was inaugurated by Shri M. Nagaraju, Secretary, Department of Financial Services, in the presence of SBI Chairman, Shri Challa Sreenivasulu Setty. The Bank’s Managing Directors, and representatives from other Public Sector Banks and global banks, leading conglomerates, financial institutions, industry bodies and other key ecosystem participants were also present at the launch event.
On the launch, Shri M Nagaraju, Secretary, Department of Financial Services, Govt. of India said, “The CHAKRA Centre of Excellence is a commendable initiative by State Bank of India. The vision of the Centre to become a coordinated ecosystem platform covering knowledge-sharing, project appraisal, capacity building, and evidence-based policy engagement will meaningfully accelerate India’s progress towards Viksit Bharat 2047.”
The Centre proposes to focus on eight sunrise sectors viz. Renewable Energy, Advanced Cell Chemistry & Battery Storage, Electric Mobility, Green Hydrogen, Semiconductors, Decarbonisation, Smart Infrastructure, and Data Centre Infrastructure, that are emerging as key drivers of India’s economic future. By 2030, these eight sunrise sectors are expected to entail capital investment of over INR100 lakh crore. The Centre will work towards enabling this massive investment.
Speaking on the occasion, Shri Challa Sreenivasulu Setty, Chairman, State Bank of India, said, “India’s growth over the coming decades will be anchored in innovation, sustainability and advanced manufacturing. With CHAKRA, SBI is strengthening its institutional capability to understand emerging sectors, design specialised financing solutions and partner with the ecosystem to enable projects that meaningfully contribute to the nation’s development journey. The Centre of Excellence reinforces SBI’s leadership in new-age technologies and climate finance, enhancing India’s integration into the global value chain, and accelerating progress toward Viksit Bharat 2047.”
CHAKRA will drive tangible outcomes through white papers, sector reports, knowledge series, industry roundtables and policy dialogues, supporting informed decision-making for clients, investors, and policymakers. The Centre will facilitate structured engagement with development finance institutions, multilateral agencies, banks, NBFCs, industry bodies, corporates, start-ups, academia and policy think-tanks. Through CHAKRA, State Bank of India aims to build strong capabilities, support innovation‑focused enterprises, and improve the flow of capital to sectors driving India’s sustainable and technology-led future. This initiative builds on the bank’s earlier Centre of Excellence for MSMEs at the State Bank Academy.
