Mumbai, May 7 :    Mumbai, May 7:  ICICI Bank has approached the Securities and Exchange Board of India (Sebi) for clarifications on whether it can raise funds by floating safety bonds - something it used to do as a financial institution. The clarifications sought by the bank, sources said, are primarily on the methods that need to be followed in raising long-term debt through tax-free bonds on a regular basis. 'Earlier, these bond issues were raised by ICICI, a development financial institution. However, after the merger, we are awaiting some clarifications from the market regulator on the process that needs to be followed, now that we have become a bank,' a senior official said. While a few rounds of discussions are believed to have been held with Sebi officials, sources said ICICI Bank would be the first such bank to have the flexibility of raising resources through public bond issues apart from retail deposits, if it is permitted to do so. ICICI Bank had indicated that it would like to continue with such bond issues, considering its huge lending requirements. Though there are doubts on whether the bank will be allowed to raise resources through public bond issues - given that banks are not permitted to raise resources in such a way - sources were confident that such a flexibility would be accorded. Following the reverse merger between ICICI Bank and ICICI earlier this month, the bank has now identified retail banking as a major growth area. It has over 5 million customer accounts that translate into retail deposits of Rs 1,500 crore every month. To consolidate its position in the segment, the bank plans to leverage its comprehensive suite of products and services, brand identity and technology in the days ahead. ICICI Bank recently said it was among the leading providers of housing loans in the country, which grew at over 200 per cent in the last financial year. In other categories too, the growth was more than 100 per cent. Its advances in the retail segment are close to Rs 8,000 crore. Sources here point out that in addition to strengthening its position within the country, ICICI Bank is now looking at expanding even in the international markets. Towards this, it has established a representative office in New York and a second such office is planned to be set up in London shortly. The bank is also understood to have approached the Reserve Bank of India seeking its permission to establish a full fledged branch in New York among few other countries. Informed circles close to the bank here reveal that ICICI Bank is likely to establish its first international branch within the next two years.