RBI Repurchase Rate in India
India's monetary policy over the last decade was characterized by gradual rate cuts prior to the pandemic, to support economic growth while managing inflation. The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) then cut rates significantly during the COVID-19 pandemic to stimulate the economy. However, the RBI then hiked rates in 2022 to tame price pressures and support the rupee. Rates were kept around 2022 levels in 2023 and 2024.
The rbi repurchase rate ended 2024 at 6.25%, compared to the end-2023 value of 6.50% and the figure a decade earlier of 7.50%. It averaged 5.85% over the last decade. For more interest rate information, visit our dedicated page.
India Interest Rate Chart
Note: This chart displays Policy Interest Rate (%) for India from 2018 to 2024.
Source: Macrobond.
India Interest Rate Data
2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
RBI Repurchase Rate (%, eop) | 4.00 | 4.00 | 6.50 | 6.50 | 6.25 |
10-Year Bond Yield (%, eop) | 6.18 | 6.84 | 7.31 | 7.06 | 6.62 |
Tariff uncertainty prompts RBI to hold again
RBI keeps easing cycle on pause: On 1 October, the monetary policy committee of the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) voted unanimously to maintain its policy rate at 5.50%, keeping on pause the easing cycle it began in February this year, as expected by most economists. That said, the RBI cut its inflation forecasts and its governor made dovish remarks, paving the way for a rate reduction in December.
Uncertainty about impact of tariffs plus tax and interest rate cuts drives hold: In justifying the hold, the RBI said that it needed more time to assess the economic impact of past tax cuts and interest rate reductions, as well as the economic effect of U.S. tariff hikes. This signals a wait-and-see approach, but the RBI is still likely to resume its easing cycle ahead: The central bank cut its inflation forecasts for FY 2025 to 2.6% from 3.1% as strong monsoon rains have boosted harvests. Meanwhile, the RBI raised its FY 2025 GDP growth forecast by 0.1 percentage points to 6.8% thanks to a better-than-expected April–June print.
RBI becomes more dovish: The monetary policy committee also decided to leave its monetary policy stance as ‘neutral’, though two members voted to shift it to ‘accommodative’. Along with dovish remarks from the RBI’s governor—who suggested that the current macro backdrop has “opened up policy space” to support GDP growth—this means a slight majority of our panelists now expect a 25 basis point cut at the next meeting on 3–5 December. That said, the recent depreciation of the rupee to a record low might push the RBI to wait until early calendar year 2026 before trimming rates. Another key factor to watch is trade talks with the U.S., which will affect the outlook for GDP growth, inflation and the exchange rate.
Panelist insight: Analysts at Goldman Sachs said: “The Governor’s dovish tone and the lower inflation projections point to a dovish pause, in line with our view, paving the way for a further 25bp rate cut in December.” EIU economists are more hawkish: “We forecast that the RBI will maintain the policy rate at 5.5% over the rest of (calendar year) 2025. We believe that there is only a low probability (10-20%) of a rate cut in December. Instead, the central bank will resort to further monetary easing in 2026 if a trade deal with the US does not materialize.”
How should you choose a forecaster if some are too optimistic while others are too pessimistic? FocusEconomics collects Indian interest rate projections for the next ten years from a panel of 19 analysts at the leading national, regional and global forecast institutions. These projections are then validated by our in-house team of economists and data analysts and averaged to provide one Consensus Forecast you can rely on for each indicator. By averaging all forecasts, upside and downside forecasting errors tend to cancel each other out, leading to the most reliable interest rate forecast available for Indian interest rate.
Download one of our sample reports to visualize what a Consensus Forecast is and see our Indian interest rate projections.
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