RBI Registers 27% Higher Surplus in FY25 as Income Outpaces Spending, Gold Reserves Up 7%

The Reserve Bank of India's (RBI) balance sheet grew by Rs 5.77 lakh crore at 8.2% to Rs 76.25 lakh crore in the fiscal year 2024–25, as its Annual Report, released on Thursday, revealed. Last year, it registered an 11% growth and stood at Rs 70.47 lakh crore.

While RBI's income for the year rose by 22.77%, expenditure grew at a slower pace of 7.76%. This led to an overall surplus of Rs 2.69 lakh crore for the year, marking a 27.37% increase from Rs 2.11 lakh crore recorded in the previous year. Despite maintaining a 7.5% contingent risk buffer—the upper limit of the recommended range—RBI will transfer a record surplus to the government.

"Increase on assets side was due to rise in gold, domestic investments and foreign investments by 52.09%, 14.32% and 1.70%, respectively," the report noted.

On the liabilities side, expansion was due to an increase in notes issued by 6.03%, revaluation accounts by 17.32% and other liabilities by 23.31%, it added.

Domestic assets constituted 25.73% of total assets compared to 23.31% in the FY24. Meanwhile, foreign currency assets, gold (including gold deposit and gold held in India) and loans and advances to financial institutions outside India constituted 74.27% against 76.69% in the last year.

As on 31 March 2025, total gold held by the Reserve Bank was 879.58 metric tonnes, compared with 822.10 metric tonnes on 31 March 2024—reflecting an increase of 57.48 metric tonnes over the year.

Of the 879.58 metric tonnes as on 31 March 2025, 311.38 metric tonnes is held as an asset of the Issue Department, compared with 308.03 metric tonnes in the previous year. The remaining 568.20 metric tonnes is treated as an asset of the Banking Department, up from 514.07 metric tonnes a year earlier, the annual report stated.

The balance sheet of the central bank basically reflects activities carried out in pursuance of its various functions, including the issuance of currency, as well as monetary policy and reserve management objectives.