Indian markets are "quite deep", and the country’s macroeconomic fundamentals are “very strong," Reserve Bank of India Governor Sanjay Malhotra said on Wednesday.
Speaking at the IMF and World Bank Group’s annual meetings in Washington DC, the central bank chief said good indicators suggest “capacity utilisation is increasing," adding that US' 50% tariffs would do little to harm the country's economic balance sheet.
India is mostly domestic driven economy, while we are impacted by tariffs, but it is not a matter of huge concern, he said.
The RBI Governor made the comments in conversation with Krishna Srinivasan, Director of the Asia and Pacific Department.
Acknowledging global uncertainties, Malhotra said, “We are living in times of unprecedented uncertainties on account of various reasons, including policy uncertainties.” He noted that such conditions have been challenging for emerging market growth and added, “It is a risk that all EM economies must take into account.”
India managed inflation very well despite headwinds: Guv
On the impact of inflation and global shocks, the RBI chief said that while inflation has been elevated, it has moderated significantly from the highs of 2022. “India bounced back from Covid, the implications of Russia-Ukraine war; we have managed inflation very well—it has come down to 1.5%—the lowest in 8 years,” he said. He also noted that the CPI basket in India largely comprises of food inflation, which “becomes challenging” to navigate.
However, Malhotra highlighted that India’s growth trajectory has been strong, with average projections above 8 percent over the past year. He said fiscal deficit is now at a manageable level, projected at 4.4 percent of GDP for the Centre, and total debt remains among the lowest globally. The RBI chief credited “good coordination between govt, fiscal authorities” for these outcomes.
On currency movements, he said the dollar depreciated by 10 percent, while the Indian rupee has not appreciated as much, unlike many other currencies. This, he said, is due to larger tariffs and capital outflows. On the rupee, Malhotra reiterated, “We believe in the markets to decide what the level should be... Our effort really is to ensure that there is an orderly movement of the rupee both sides, and any undue or any abnormal volatility is curbed.” He also said the RBI “does not target any price level on the rupee.”
CBDC over cryptocurrencies
Malhotra also said the RBI wants to promote its central bank digital currency (CBDC) over stablecoins or cryptocurrencies. Earlier this month, RBI launched a retail sandbox for CBDC, allowing fintech firms to build and test solutions as part of the ongoing pilot.
Malhotra also noted that global growth remains subdued, with countries increasingly looking inward. He added that multiple factors—including export opportunities and tariffs—will influence how the rupee and the local economy perform. He observed that households and businesses are currently delaying investments and expenditures, reflecting caution amid uncertainty.
On ET Online's question regarding the current sentiment around gold and if the high prices of the safe haven metal pose a potential macroeconomic risk, the central bank chief said that RBI has diverse reserves, and so, it was not a concern for the Indian economy.
“We have a diverse mix of reserves; it (the gold prices and their potential fall in the future) does not have very high implications for us, neither are there implications for households which highly value gold,” Malhotra said.
Speaking at the IMF and World Bank Group’s annual meetings in Washington DC, the central bank chief said good indicators suggest “capacity utilisation is increasing," adding that US' 50% tariffs would do little to harm the country's economic balance sheet.
India is mostly domestic driven economy, while we are impacted by tariffs, but it is not a matter of huge concern, he said.
The RBI Governor made the comments in conversation with Krishna Srinivasan, Director of the Asia and Pacific Department.
Acknowledging global uncertainties, Malhotra said, “We are living in times of unprecedented uncertainties on account of various reasons, including policy uncertainties.” He noted that such conditions have been challenging for emerging market growth and added, “It is a risk that all EM economies must take into account.”
India managed inflation very well despite headwinds: Guv
On the impact of inflation and global shocks, the RBI chief said that while inflation has been elevated, it has moderated significantly from the highs of 2022. “India bounced back from Covid, the implications of Russia-Ukraine war; we have managed inflation very well—it has come down to 1.5%—the lowest in 8 years,” he said. He also noted that the CPI basket in India largely comprises of food inflation, which “becomes challenging” to navigate.
However, Malhotra highlighted that India’s growth trajectory has been strong, with average projections above 8 percent over the past year. He said fiscal deficit is now at a manageable level, projected at 4.4 percent of GDP for the Centre, and total debt remains among the lowest globally. The RBI chief credited “good coordination between govt, fiscal authorities” for these outcomes.
On currency movements, he said the dollar depreciated by 10 percent, while the Indian rupee has not appreciated as much, unlike many other currencies. This, he said, is due to larger tariffs and capital outflows. On the rupee, Malhotra reiterated, “We believe in the markets to decide what the level should be... Our effort really is to ensure that there is an orderly movement of the rupee both sides, and any undue or any abnormal volatility is curbed.” He also said the RBI “does not target any price level on the rupee.”
CBDC over cryptocurrencies
Malhotra also said the RBI wants to promote its central bank digital currency (CBDC) over stablecoins or cryptocurrencies. Earlier this month, RBI launched a retail sandbox for CBDC, allowing fintech firms to build and test solutions as part of the ongoing pilot.
Malhotra also noted that global growth remains subdued, with countries increasingly looking inward. He added that multiple factors—including export opportunities and tariffs—will influence how the rupee and the local economy perform. He observed that households and businesses are currently delaying investments and expenditures, reflecting caution amid uncertainty.
On ET Online's question regarding the current sentiment around gold and if the high prices of the safe haven metal pose a potential macroeconomic risk, the central bank chief said that RBI has diverse reserves, and so, it was not a concern for the Indian economy.
“We have a diverse mix of reserves; it (the gold prices and their potential fall in the future) does not have very high implications for us, neither are there implications for households which highly value gold,” Malhotra said.
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