RBI weekly supplement shows steady forex buffers and broad-based bank lending
RBI’s Weekly Statistical Supplement indicates India’s foreign exchange reserves at ₹65.88 lakh crore as on 24 July 2026, with a weekly rise. Banking data for mid-July shows deposits and credit broadly stable, supporting ongoing economic activity.
The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has released an extract from its *Bulletin – Weekly Statistical Supplement*, offering a snapshot of key monetary and banking indicators. While these numbers are provisional (and may reflect rounding), the latest update presents a constructive picture: India’s external buffers remain sizeable, and the domestic banking system continues to support credit demand.
Foreign exchange reserves: a steady buffer with week-on-week improvement
As on **24 July 2026**, India’s **total foreign exchange reserves** stood at **₹65,87,915 crore (US$ 682,354 million)**. The data shows a **weekly increase of ₹76,752 crore (US$ 6,118 million)**.
Within the reserve basket:
- **Foreign Currency Assets (FCA)** were reported at **₹53,67,324 crore (US$ 555,929 million)**, with a **weekly rise of ₹61,494 crore (US$ 4,873 million)**. (The RBI notes that FCA excludes certain items such as SDR holdings, specific bond investments and some swap-related amounts.)
- **Gold** reserves were **₹9,94,988 crore (US$ 103,058 million)**, showing a **weekly increase of ₹15,299 crore (US$ 1,308 million)**.
- **SDRs** were **₹1,79,746 crore (US$ 18,617 million)**.
- **Reserve Position in the IMF** stood at **₹45,857 crore (US$ 4,750 million)**.
Such weekly movements can reflect valuation changes, market operations and flows. From a broader perspective, a healthy reserve stock is typically viewed as a stabilising factor for the economy—helpful for managing external volatility and supporting confidence in India’s macroeconomic position.
Banking indicators: deposits and credit remain supportive
The supplement also provides an update on **Scheduled Commercial Banks – Business in India**, with figures **outstanding as on 15 July 2026**.
**Aggregate deposits** were **₹2,62,84,574 crore**, with a **fortnightly change of -₹2,59,710 crore**. In percentage terms, the table reports deposit **growth of -1.0% over the fortnight**, alongside **3.3% for the financial year so far**, and **12.7% year-on-year**.
A closer view of deposits shows divergent movements across categories:
- **Demand deposits**: **₹31,91,601 crore**, with a **fortnightly change of -₹3,47,705 crore**.
- **Time deposits**: **₹2,30,92,973 crore**, with a **fortnightly change of +₹87,995 crore**.
On the lending side, **bank credit** was **₹2,17,33,383 crore**, with a **fortnightly change of -₹1,97,015 crore**. The table indicates credit **growth of -0.9% over the fortnight**, **1.2% for the financial year so far**, and **17.7% year-on-year**—suggesting that, despite short-term fluctuations, credit conditions remain broadly expansionary over a longer horizon.
The data also reports **food credit** at **₹1,20,730 crore**, with a **fortnightly change of -₹11,319 crore**.
RBI balance sheet snapshot: state government advances
The extract includes a brief view of the RBI’s “Liabilities and Assets” under **Loans and Advances**. For **State Governments**, the table shows **₹24,026 crore (Jul. 25, 2025)** and **₹20,629 crore (Jul. 17, 2026)**, and **₹24,197 crore (Jul. 24, 2026)**, along with stated variations. While this is a narrow slice of the balance sheet, it helps market participants track liquidity and government-related flows at a high level.
**Why it matters:** Taken together, the weekly rise in forex reserves and the year-on-year strength in bank deposits and credit provide a steadying backdrop for India’s economic activity—supporting confidence, lending capacity and resilience amid changing global financial conditions.
