RBI approves record ₹2.86 lakh crore surplus transfer to Central Government for Financial Year 2025

The Reserve Bank of India has approved the transfer of a record ₹2.86 lakh crore as surplus to the Central Government for the financial year 2025-26, marking 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, chaired by Governor Sanjay Malhotra in Mumbai yesterday.
In a statement, the RBI said its gross income increased by 26.42 per cent during Financial Year 2025-26 compared to the previous year, while expenditure before risk provisions rose by 27.60 per cent. According to the central bank, net income before risk provisions and transfer to statutory funds stood at ₹3.95 lakh crore in FY26, up from ₹3.13 lakh crore 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.
The central bank said it had decided to transfer ₹1.09 lakh crore towards the Contingent Risk Buffer for FY26 while maintaining the buffer at 6.5 per cent of the RBI balance sheet under the revised Economic Capital Framework.
The Board reviewed the global and domestic economic scenario, including risks to the outlook, and deliberated on the RBI’s annual accounts for the financial year 2025–26.