Providing relief to the exchequer amid higher import expenses and supply disruptions linked to the West Asia conflict, the Reserve Bank of India (RBI)has declared a record dividend of Rs 2.87 lakh crore to the government for the financial year ended March 2026 (FY26). The dividend is 6.7 per cent higher than Rs 2.69 lakh crore for the FY25.
The surplus transfer by the RBI alone accounts for 91 per cent of the budgeted non-tax revenue under the ‘dividend/surplus of Reserve Bank of India, Nationalised Banks and Financial Institutions’ head for FY27. The RBI said its net income, before risk provision and transfer to statutory funds, aggregated Rs 3.96 lakh crore in FY26 as against Rs 3.13 lakh crore in FY25. It stated ‘The balance sheet of the Bank expanded by 20.61 per cent to Rs 91,97,121.08 crore as on March 31, 2026.’
The Central Board of Directors of the RBI, at its meeting, examined the domestic and international economic scenario, including potential risks, and subsequently approved the dividend. The revised Economic Capital Framework (ECF) provides flexibility to maintain the Contingent Risk Buffer (CRB) between the range of 4.5 per cent and 7.5 per cent of the size of the balance sheet.
