The balance sheet of the Reserve Bank of India increased to Rs 91.97 lakh crore in March 2026. This is 20.6 percent more than last year. The reason for this is the increase in gold and foreign investment along with domestic investment. RBI’s annual report for 2025-26 states that the balance sheet size increased by Rs 15,71,699.15 crore. It increased from Rs 76,25,421.93 crore on 31 March 2025 to Rs 91,97,121.08 crore on 31 March 2026.
On the asset side, this increase was due to increase of 44.9 percent, 63.8 percent and 7.9 percent in domestic investment, gold and foreign investment. According to the report, on the liabilities side, revaluation accounts, notes issued, deposits and other liabilities have increased by 63.4 percent, 11.8 percent, 11.6 percent and 21.1 percent. As of March 31, 2026, the share of domestic assets in total assets was 29.1 percent, while the share of foreign currency assets, gold and loans and advances given to financial institutions outside India was 70.9 percent. At the same time, on March 31, 2025, these figures were 25.7 percent and 74.3 percent.
RBI surplus increased by 6.7 percent in FY26
RBI said that for the year, income increased by 26.4 percent and expenditure increased by 102.4 percent. The total surplus at the end of the year was Rs 2,86,588.46 crore, whereas last year it was Rs 2,68,590.07 crore. This shows an increase of 6.7%. A provision of Rs 1,09,379.64 crore was made and transferred to the Contingency Fund (CF). The central bank further said that no provision was made for the Asset Development Fund (ADF).
Gold holdings and valuation increased rapidly
According to the report, as of March 31, 2026, the Reserve Bank had a total of 880.52 metric tons of gold, while as of March 31, 2025, it was 879.58 metric tons. In this way the quantity of gold increased by 0.94 metric tons in a year. The report said that out of 880.52 metric tonnes of gold, 312.32 metric tonnes of gold is kept as the property of the ‘Issue Department’, while this quantity was 311.38 metric tonnes as of March 31, 2025. RBI said that the remaining 568.20 metric tonnes of gold has been considered the property of the ‘Banking Department’.
The report further said that the value of gold held as assets of the banking department increased from Rs 4,31,624.80 crore as of March 31, 2025, to Rs 7,06,162.36 crore as of March 31, 2026. An increase of 63.6 percent was recorded in this. The report also said that this increase was due to the rise in gold prices and the weakening of the Indian Rupee (INR) against the US Dollar (USD).
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