This study examines efficiency of all scheduled commercial banks in India for whom data was available for the period 1986-2003. We employ the technique of stochastic frontier analysis to estimate bank-specific cost and profit efficiency. We find that while cost efficiency of the banking industry increased during the period, profit efficiency underwent a decline. This result is expected in an emerging economy undergoing a process of deregulation. In terms of bank groups, domestic banks appear to be more efficient than foreign banks.