India AML Compliance Landscape – 2025 Update

Last Updated on Aug 04, 2025, 2k Views

Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), 2002
Core legislation for AML/CFT enforcement.
Enforced by the Enforcement Directorate (ED).
Covers reporting entities like banks, financial institutions, intermediaries, real estate, and crypto service providers.
Financial Intelligence Unit – India (FIU-IND)
Collects, analyzes, and disseminates financial intelligence.
Receives Suspicious Transaction Reports (STRs), Cash Transaction Reports (CTRs), etc.
Reserve Bank of India (RBI) Master Directions (updated 2023–2025)
Enhanced focus on risk-based KYC, beneficial ownership transparency, and ongoing due diligence.
Mandates robust transaction monitoring and sanctions screening.
SEBI and IRDAI Guidelines
Sector-specific AML/CFT obligations for securities and insurance firms.

VDA (Virtual Digital Assets) under PML
As of March 2023, crypto exchanges and VDA service providers are “reporting entities”.
In 2025, compliance obligations have been intensified, including stricter KYC, reporting, and suspicious activity monitoring.
Expanded Beneficial Ownership Norms
Enhanced due diligence for entities with complex structures
Focus on identifying ultimate beneficial owners (UBOs) – especially in cross-border contexts.
Alignment with FATF Recommendations
India continues aligning regulations with FATF 40 Recommendations.
Enhanced scrutiny on non-profit organizations (NPOs) and cross-border transactions.
Real Estate and High-Value Dealers
Compliance frameworks expanded to cover high-risk non-financial sectors, including jewelry, real estate, and luxury goods dealers.
Enhanced STR Requirements
Reporting threshold rationalized for better surveillance.
Stronger emphasis on pattern-based red flags, network analysis, and behavioral risk indicators.

AI-based Transaction Monitoring: Growing adoption among banks and fintechs.
e-KYC Integration: Aadhaar-based and PAN-based digital KYC preferred.
Blockchain Surveillance Tools: Used for VDA compliance and risk tracking.
Sanctions & PEP Screening Automation: More entities deploying global watchlist monitoring tools.

Adopt a risk-based AML program, tailored to the institution’s size and risk profile.
Continuous employee training and scenario-based alert investigation.
Automate STR/CTR generation and case management workflows.
Regular internal audits and gap assessments against PMLA, RBI, and FIU standards.
Engage with RegTech solutions for eKYC, onboarding, sanctions screening, and real-time monitoring.