The Central Board of the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) on Friday approved a record surplus transfer of Rs 2.87 trillion to the Central government for 2025-26, marking a 6.99 per cent increase over the previous year, aided by a sharp rise in the central bank’s income and a significant expansion in its balance sheet.
Last year, the RBI had transferred Rs 2.68 trillion to the government. In FY24, the central bank had paid Rs 2.11 trillion as surplus.
The decision was taken at the 623rd meeting of the RBI’s Central Board of Directors held in Mumbai under the chairmanship of Governor Sanjay Malhotra.
The surplus transfer for FY26 stood at Rs 2,86,588.46 crore, reflecting robust earnings from foreign exchange operations and investments amid elevated global interest rates and currency market volatility.
The Board also decided to transfer Rs 1,09,379.64 crore towards the Contingent Risk Buffer (CRB) for FY26, compared with Rs 44,861.70 crore in the previous year, while maintaining the CRB at 6.5 per cent of the RBI’s balance sheet size.
Under the revised Economic Capital Framework (ECF), the RBI is required to maintain the CRB within a range of 4.5 per cent to 7.5 per cent of its balance sheet.
The RBI said its gross income rose 26.42 per cent year-on-year during FY26, while expenditure before risk provisions increased 27.60 per cent. Net income before risk provisions and transfer to statutory funds stood at Rs 3,95,972.10 crore, up from Rs 3,13,455.77 crore in FY25.
The central bank’s balance sheet expanded 20.61 per cent to Rs 91,97,121.08 crore as of March 31, 2026.
“The Board reviewed the global and domestic economic scenario, including risks to the outlook,” the RBI said in a statement after the meeting.
