Look for information in the bank's annual report if it publishes one. But this still leaves out other factors such as asset quality, liquidity and management expertise. The jargon confuses me. A non-performing loan is one on which the borrower has not made any payments for some time. A bad or doubtful debt is one which the bank or the authorities do not think will be repaid.
Provisions are funds that banks put aside from profits to offset losses from bad loans in future.
As a businessman, I need to pay for imports and finance exports. Pick a bank which comfortably meets the BIS ratio, the minimum standard for capital adequacy set by the Switzerland-based Bank for International Settlements. The number should be in the bank's annual report. Meeting the BIS ratio does not guarantee your bank is rock solid, but not meeting the ratio can hinder its ability to do international business, and its letters of credit may not be acceptable to institutions in other countries. That depends on your needs.