Here are two heartfelt recommendations to India.

Sir, I refer to Henny Sender’s very comprehensive “India’s shadow banks step in to lend where others fear to tread” May 26.

I just want to add the following:

First, India, as a developing country, can certainly not afford bank regulations that favors the allocation of bank credit to the safer past than to the riskier future… and so it urgently needs to get rid of the distortions that the Basel Committee’s credit risk weighted capital (equity) requirements for banks produce.

And second, with respect to its private sector banks, these could also benefit from a major re-capitalization plan, like the one Chile did in the early 80s. The central bank should issue bonds using the proceeds to acquire the banks’ non-performing loans (which will permit the reversal of all provisions) and the banks would commit to repurchase those loans from the Central bank, plus interests, before they can proceed with any dividend payments.

That could turn it around much faster for India.

Of course Europe would also benefit from implementing a similar plan.

@PerKurowski