Minutes of the Monetary Policy Committee Meeting

August 19, 2026

Minutes of the Monetary Policy Committee Meeting, August 3 to 5, 2026 [Under Section 45ZL of the Reserve Bank of India Act, 1934]

The sixty second meeting of the Monetary Policy Committee (MPC), constituted under Section 45ZB of the Reserve Bank of India Act, 1934, was held during August 3 to 5, 2026.

2. The meeting was chaired by Shri Sanjay Malhotra, Governor and was attended by all the members – Dr. Nagesh Kumar, Director and Chief Executive, Institute for Studies in Industrial Development, New Delhi; Shri Saugata Bhattacharya, Economist, Mumbai; Professor Ram Singh, Director, Delhi School of Economics, Delhi; Dr. Poonam Gupta, Deputy Governor in charge of monetary policy and Shri Indranil Bhattacharyya, Executive Director (the officer of the Reserve Bank nominated by the Central Board under Section 45ZB(2)(c) of the Reserve Bank of India Act, 1934).

3. According to Section 45ZL of the Reserve Bank of India Act, 1934, the Reserve Bank shall publish, on the fourteenth day after every meeting of the Monetary Policy Committee, the minutes of the proceedings of the meeting which shall include the following, namely: (a) the resolution adopted at the meeting of the Monetary Policy Committee; (b) the vote of each member of the Monetary Policy Committee, ascribed to such member, on the resolution adopted in the said meeting; and (c) the statement of each member of the Monetary Policy Committee under sub- section (11) of section 45ZI on the resolution adopted in the said meeting.

4. In the light of evolving developments on the global and domestic front, the MPC reviewed in detail the staff’s macroeconomic projections that included inputs from survey results and stakeholder consultations. The MPC also reviewed alternative scenarios around various risks to the outlook. Drawing on the above and after extensive discussions on the stance of monetary policy, the MPC adopted the resolution that is set out below.

Resolution

5. The Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) held its 62nd meeting from August 3 to 5, 2026, under the chairmanship of Shri Sanjay Malhotra, Governor, Reserve Bank of India. The MPC members Dr. Nagesh Kumar, Shri Saugata Bhattacharya, Prof. Ram Singh, Dr. Poonam Gupta and Shri Indranil Bhattacharyya attended the meeting.

ᮧेस ᮧकाशनी PRESS RELEASE

भारतीय ᳯरज़वर् बᱹक

RESERVE BANK OF INDIA

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6. After a detailed assessment of the evolving macroeconomic and financial developments and the outlook, the MPC voted unanimously to keep the policy repo rate under the liquidity adjustment facility (LAF) unchanged at 5.25 per cent. Consequently, the standing deposit facility (SDF) rate remains at 5.00 per cent and the marginal standing facility (MSF) rate and the Bank Rate remain at 5.50 per cent. The MPC also decided to continue with the neutral stance.

Growth and Inflation Outlook

Global Outlook

7. The global economic outlook in 2026 so far has been characterised by sharp and frequent market swings, persisting inflation concerns and shifting policy expectations. Relief from the temporary ceasefire in West Asia has quickly dissipated amidst resumption of conflict in July. Persistent inflation has prompted several central banks to raise rates while others remain vigilant. The US dollar appreciated, supported by elevated yields, a hawkish Federal Reserve tone, and a relatively buoyant US economy riding on AI driven productivity gains. The global equity market remained volatile as investors repriced their exposure to AI-related stocks. Conflict in West Asia, volatile oil prices, sticky inflation expectations, and fragile public finances in systemic economies pose significant downside risks to the outlook.

Domestic Outlook

8. The Indian economy has remained resilient amidst persisting global headwinds. High frequency indicators available so far point towards steady domestic demand in Q1:2026-27. Private consumption remained robust. Investment continues to be resilient, as suggested by various indicators related to construction, capital goods and bank credit. External demand also sustained, as healthy expansion in services exports was complemented by a rebound in merchandise exports.

9. Looking ahead, the turbulent global economic environment is likely to have some bearing on domestic economic activity. Energy prices and supply chain pressures remain elevated and uncertain. The adverse impact is being contained with various supply side measures. Even though the situation is still evolving, deficient and uneven south-west monsoon amidst El Niño conditions poses some risks to agriculture sector’s outlook and rural demand. Nevertheless, government’s initiatives pertaining to crop diversification including short duration as well as climate- resilient crops, and water harvesting and conservation, among others, are expected to mitigate the impact. Furthermore, sustained momentum in services, continuing impact of GST rationalisation, and broadly stable employment conditions should continue to support urban demand. Strong capacity utilisation, robust credit flow and the government’s continued thrust on infrastructure are expected to sustain investment activity. While services exports are expected to sustain, merchandise exports will be supported by the recent trade agreements and thrust on diversification.

10. Taking all these factors into consideration, real GDP growth for 2026-27 is projected at 6.7 per cent, with Q1 at 7.0 per cent; Q2 at 6.4 per cent; Q3 at 6.5 per cent; and Q4 at 6.8 per cent. Real GDP growth for Q1:2027-28 is projected at 7.3 per cent (Chart 1). The risks are evenly balanced.

11. While CPI inflation increased to 4.4 per cent in June 2026 after remaining below the target for 16 consecutive months, it turned out to be lower by 30 basis points (bps) than what was earlier projected for Q1:2026-27. The increase in June was primarily due to higher food and fuel inflation. The increase in food inflation was broad-based with most constituents witnessing price pressures during May-June. Fuel inflation also rose, driven by revision in retail prices, following the sharp spike in international energy prices. It also led to higher inflation in select categories such as restaurant charges. Despite the pressure from higher input costs, core (CPI excluding food and fuel) inflation remained unchanged at 3.9 per cent during May-June. Excluding precious metals, core inflation remained even lower at 2.3-2.5 per cent during this period.

12. Going forward, El Niño’s impact on temporal and spatial rainfall distribution continues to remain a risk, although proactive supply management and adequate stocks of foodgrains could provide buffers. Global oil prices have remained volatile with sharp two-way movements triggered by geopolitical developments, blurring the near-term outlook. Although generalised inflation pressures continue to remain modest so far, the risks of higher food, fuel and other input prices translating into a broad-based increase in inflation persist.

13. Considering all these factors, CPI inflation for 2026-27 is projected to be 5.0 per cent with Q2 at 4.7 per cent; Q3 at 5.9 per cent; and Q4 at 5.5 per cent. Inflation for Q1:2027-28 is projected at 5.3 per cent with risks being evenly balanced (Chart 2). Core inflation is projected at 4.3 per cent for 2026-27. Core inflation, excluding precious metals, is expected to be lower in the near term, suggesting that demand pressures remain contained.