Eric Anklesaria on the Next Leap for Indian Financial Services: From Efficiency to Intelligence

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.

Customer Personalisation
Eric Anklesaria highlights the move from generic personas to truly adaptive journeys: “Intelligence allows banks to deliver experiences that understand, anticipate, and evolve with each user—at scale.”

Operations and Compliance
Intelligent automation and natural language processing, Anklesaria notes, can transform regulatory reporting, KYC, and AML processes, driving both accuracy and cost efficiency.

Portfolio Optimisation
“AI-driven advisory and portfolio strategies are changing wealth management for retail and HNI investors,” says Eric Anklesaria. “It’s no longer about the largest portfolio—it’s about the smartest.”

The Real Enablers: India’s Infrastructure—and Mindset

Eric Anklesaria is quick to credit India’s public digital infrastructure and vast, real-time datasets as unique advantages. But he insists that technology alone isn’t enough. “Institutions must move from process digitisation to outcome-driven intelligence. This demands agile data platforms, an AI-native talent pool, and a culture that rewards experimentation and rapid scaling.”

What Comes Next: Eric Anklesaria’s Vision

The future, according to Eric Anklesaria, belongs to financial institutions that learn fastest—not necessarily those that digitised first. In an environment marked by economic volatility, rising customer expectations, and regulatory complexity, intelligence is the only sustainable differentiator.

“India is not just catching up anymore,” Eric Anklesaria concludes. “With the right investments in intelligent systems and mindsets, we can lead the world—not just through scale, but through smart, adaptive, and resilient financial services.”