How to regain control when you’re caught in a credit card debt trap
₹30,500 crore in FY15 to nearly ₹2.9 lakh crore by FY25, according to industry estimates and RBI data.The rapid expansion in cards and outstanding dues raises an uncomfortable question: are more Indians slipping into a credit card debt trap?Outstanding balances per card have also climbed steeply—from ₹1,600 in FY15 to nearly ₹25,700 in FY25—signalling significantly higher credit utilization.For those who have already fallen into the trap, is there a practical way out? Experts say—yes, there is.The real issue, experts argue, is not the rise in credit card usage, but the purpose for which cards are being used.“While rising credit card usage reflects both expanding financial access and growing consumer confidence, the intent behind spending matters more than the volume,” said Yashoraj Tyagi, chief executive officer, CASHe, an online lending platform.“When usage grows faster and financial literacy doesn’t catch up, credit stops being just a convenience tool, it becomes a survival tool,” said Bhuvanaa Shreeram, co-founder of House of Alpha Investment Advisers, a Sebi registered investment advisory firm.Rising delinquencies suggest that for a segment of borrowers, cards are not just financing convenience purchases—they are also plugging cash-flow gaps. And that, she believes, is the real problem.According to the Reserve Bank of India’s (RBI) Financial Stability Report, household debt in India rose to about 41.3% of GDP by end-March 2025, up from around 38% in recent years.
Much of this increase was driven by consumption-oriented loans, including unsecured retail loans such as credit cards and personal loans.“It is concerning if individuals using credit for essentials has become a habit,” said Tyagi. Credit, he added, should be
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