Will the RBI's Key Policy Rate Decision Bring a Change Today?
Synopsis
Key Takeaways
New Delhi, Feb 6 (NationPress) The RBI Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) is poised to reveal its decision regarding the crucial policy rate on Friday. Analysts anticipate that the Central Bank will opt for a pause in February following the rate cut in December 2025, making the tone and forward guidance particularly significant.
The three-day RBI MPC, which commenced on Wednesday, is expected to indicate a flexible, forward-thinking response framework in light of steady growth and diminished external risks following the US trade agreement, as stated by Radhika Rao, Executive Director and Senior Economist at DBS Bank.
“Although inflation has moved away from its lows and rupee pressures remain, additional rate cuts may be sidestepped due to challenges in deposit mobilization and the risk of portfolio outflows,” Rao remarked.
The RBI is likely to depend on direct liquidity measures, bond stability, and currency management strategies, with bond purchases expected to continue through this quarter and into April–June 2026.
It is anticipated that the RBI will keep the policy decision unchanged, as government bond yields have shown a persistent increase in recent times, despite the easing of policy rates.
Economists suggest that the selection of eligible securities could impact the efficiency of OMO operations, even if the total amount of liquidity injected remains constant.
“We believe that the selection of eligible securities may indeed play a role in the effectiveness of OMO operations, even when the overall liquidity injection remains the same,” noted a report from SBI Research.
“Thus, the RBI is expected to maintain the current stance in the upcoming policy,” it added.
Since the last policy review, a significant change has been the EU-India and US-India trade agreement, which has reduced tariffs on India from 50% to 18%.
According to SBI Research, “This positions India among the countries with the lowest tariffs in Asia, enhancing our export competitiveness.”