RBI issued two advisories on October 27, 2026: one amending 3 entries and another removing 3 entries from the UNSC 1267/1989 ISIL (Da'esh) & Al-Qaida sanctions list under Section 51A of UAPA, 1967. Financial institutions must update screening protocols accordingly.
RBI Updates on ISIL and Al-Qaida Sanctions List
On October 27, 2026, the Reserve Bank of India issued two advisories under Section 51A of the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act, 1967, concerning the United Nations Security Council’s 1267/1989 ISIL (Da'esh) & Al-Qaida sanctions regime. One advisory amended three entries in the designated persons list, while another removed three previously listed individuals from sanctions.
The revised list requires immediate updates to automated screening systems used by banks and financial institutions. Entities must verify existing account holdings against the delisted names and, where warranted, initiate due process for unfreezing of assets. For the amended entries, enhanced due diligence (EDD) measures must be applied, including source-of-funds verification and transaction monitoring.
"All supervised entities shall ensure that the updated list is integrated into their transaction monitoring systems by November 15, 2026,"the RBI circular stated. Legal advisors must assist clients in maintaining audit trails of compliance actions, especially in light of potential future disputes over frozen assets.
Citations
- Unlawful Activities Prevention Act, 1967, Section 51A
