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RBI MPC Holds Repo Rate Unchanged, Citing 6.9% GDP Forecast for 2026-27 Amid Supply-Driven Inflation

Target:UPSC GS-IIIMPSCSSC GABankingTeachingPrelims HighMains MediumStatic GK Link
09 Apr 2026
~2 min
Source: The Hindu
Key Data:GDP Forecast 6.9% for 2026-27Inflation Forecast 4.6%Previous Year Growth Estimate 7.6% for 2025-26
Bodies:RBI
Practice MCQs from today's news ▸
What This Article Covers

1.The RBI MPC decided to keep the policy repo rate unchanged, adopting a 'wait and watch' approach as announced by Governor Sanjay Malhotra.

2.The decision is driven by the conflicting impact of repo rate changes—raising it could hurt growth, while lowering it could fuel inflation—exacerbated by external supply shocks from the West Asia conflict.

3.Examiners will focus on the rationale behind policy inaction, the specific growth (6.9%) and inflation (4.6%) forecasts, and understanding the limitations of monetary policy in addressing supply-side inflation.

The Big Picture
Prelims · HighMains · Medium

The RBI's Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) has maintained the repo rate in a 'wait and watch' stance. This decision balances the dual challenge of supporting projected 6.9% GDP growth for 2026-27 while managing a supply-side driven inflation forecast of 4.6%. For aspirants, this highlights the critical trade-off between growth and inflation in monetary policy formulation.

Exam Lens

Quick Exam Facts From News

GDP Forecast 2026-276.9%
Inflation Forecast4.6%
RBI GovernorSanjay Malhotra
Previous Year Growth (2025-26 Est.)7.6%

1-Minute Revision

  • ›GDP Forecast 2026-27: 6.9%
  • ›Inflation Forecast: 4.6%
  • ›Target this Data: RBI's GDP growth forecast for 2026-27 is 6.9% and inflation forecast is 4.6%.
  • ›Target this Nodal Body: The Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) of the Reserve Bank of India.
  • ›Target this Policy Dilemma: The repo rate impacts growth and inflation in opposite ways.

Mastered this topic? Test your knowledge with a full MCQ quiz.

Practice exam-style questions, track your score, and strengthen your recall.

Q1Static LinkageEasy

Which committee of the Reserve Bank of India is responsible for deciding the policy repo rate?

Q2Statement-basedHard

Consider the following statements regarding the recent RBI MPC decision:

1. The MPC decided to keep the policy repo rate unchanged.

2. The primary reason for holding rates was to combat demand-pull inflation.

3. The RBI Governor forecasted India's GDP growth for 2026-27 to be 6.9%.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

Q3Data-centricMedium

According to the RBI Governor's prediction mentioned in the article, what is the projected GDP growth rate for India in the financial year 2026-27?

Q4Application/ImpactMedium

What is the primary rationale provided in the article for the RBI MPC's decision to hold the repo rate unchanged?

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