MUMBAI. The Reserve Bank of India has approved the transfer of a record ₹2.86 lakh crore as surplus to the Central Government. This allocation for the financial year 2025-26 marks one of the highest dividend payouts by the central bank. The decision was taken during the 623rd meeting of the Central Board of Directors of the RBI. Governor Sanjay Malhotra chaired the high-level institutional proceedings in Mumbai yesterday. The Board reviewed the global and domestic economic scenario, including risks to the outlook. They also deliberated on the RBI’s annual accounts for the financial year 2025–26 before finalizing the RBI surplus transfer to government.
Gross Income Surges and Balance Sheet Expansion
In a statement, the RBI said its gross income increased by 26.42 per cent during Financial Year 2025-26. This percentage growth is compared directly to the performance of the previous year. Meanwhile, expenditure before risk provisions rose by 27.60 per cent during the same period. According to the central bank, net income before risk provisions and transfer to statutory funds stood at ₹3.95 lakh crore. This marks a notable increase from the ₹3.13 lakh crore recorded in FY25. The RBI’s balance sheet also expanded by 20.61 per cent to ₹91.97 lakh crore as of March 31 this year. These metrics supported the RBI surplus transfer to government.
Contingent Risk Buffer Allocations
The central bank also confirmed its final allocations regarding internal capital safety cushions. The central bank said it had decided to transfer ₹1.09 lakh crore towards the Contingent Risk Buffer for FY26. This financial move maintains the buffer at 6.5 per cent of the RBI balance sheet. The provisioning complies with the guidelines established under the revised Economic Capital Framework. This framework dictates the necessary reserves required while executing the RBI surplus transfer to government. The Board concluded the meeting after a full review of these annual accounts. This disciplined approach ensures balance sheet stability while managing the massive RBI surplus transfer to government.
RBI Financial Performance & Surplus Allocation (FY 2025-26)
| Financial Parameter / Metric | Value / Percentage Growth |
| Total Surplus Transfer | ₹2.86 Lakh Crore. |
| Primary Metric | RBI surplus transfer to government. |
| Meeting Details | 623rd Central Board Meeting, Chaired by Governor Sanjay Malhotra. |
| Gross Income Growth | Increased by 26.42% over the previous year. |
| Expenditure Growth | Increased by 27.60% (Before Risk Provisions). |
| Net Income (FY26) | ₹3.95 Lakh Crore (Up from ₹3.13 Lakh Crore in FY25). |
| Total Balance Sheet Value | ₹91.97 Lakh Crore (Expanded by 20.61% as of March 31). |
| Contingent Risk Buffer Transfer | ₹1.09 Lakh Crore (Maintained at 6.5% of Balance Sheet). |
About the Author
