RBI: SBI, ICICI are 'too big to fail'

The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) on Thursday retained State Bank of India and ICICI Bank , the nation's top two lenders by assets, as "domestic systemically important banks", or the equivalent as "too big to fail" for a second consecutive year.

The two banks had been assigned the status last year, the first time the central bank moved to such a classification. 

Being named as systemically important imposes additional capital requirements for the two lenders. 

In compiling the list, the RBI considers factors including size, complexity, interconnectedness, international links among others.