The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) on Friday announced a record dividend payout of Rs 2.87 lakh crore to the central government for the financial year 2025–26. The move is expected to at a time of geopolitical uncertainty and global economic challenges.
The surplus transfer is higher than last year’s payout and marks the biggest dividend transfer by the central bank so far.
For 2024–25, the had transferred Rs 2.69 lakh crore to the government. That was 27.4% higher than the amount paid in 2023–24.
Earlier, the RBI had paid Rs 2.1 lakh crore as dividend for 2023–24, while the payout stood at Rs 87,416 crore in 2022–23.
The decision to transfer the dividend was taken during the 623rd meeting of the RBI’s Central Board of Directors, chaired by Governor Sanjay Malhotra.
In a statement, the RBI said its net income before risk provisioning and transfer to statutory funds stood at Rs 3,95,972.10 crore in FY 2025–26. This was higher compared to Rs 3,13,455.77 crore recorded in FY 2024–25.
The central bank also reported a sharp rise in the size of its balance sheet. As of March 31, 2026, the RBI’s balance sheet expanded by 20.61 per cent to Rs 91,97,121.08 crore.
The record dividend comes as a financial boost for the government, offering extra fiscal space amid global uncertainties. A higher surplus transfer from the RBI can help support government spending and ease pressure on public finances.
The RBI’s annual surplus transfer to the government remains an important source of non-tax revenue and is closely watched every year for its impact on fiscal planning.