
Technological capabilities have become strategic differentiators for banks says RBI Deputy Governor
However, every tool comes with responsibility, Swaminathan, speaking at the 109th Foundation Day of the Karur Vysya Bank, noted. The speed and scale of digital adoption must be matched by equally strong investments in cybersecurity, data governance, and ethical safeguards. Recent global and domestic experiences have shown that technology gaps, if not addressed in time, can become points of systemic vulnerability.
He further stated that for banks looking to scale up responsibly, tools must be modern, agile, and continuously evolving. More importantly, they must be well-governed. Technology must never outrun the organisation's capacity to manage it. Directors and senior management must lead this conversation, ensuring that risk, compliance, and internal audit functions have the resources and visibility needed to keep pace.

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News18
12 minutes ago
- News18
Indian households see easing price pressures: RBI Survey
New Delhi [India], August 7 (ANI): Indian households have perceived and expected a decline in inflation levels, according to the Reserve Bank of India's July 2025 round of its bi-monthly Inflation Expectations Survey of Households (IESH).The survey, conducted between July 1-12 across 19 major cities, covering 5,197 valid responses, indicates a broad-based easing of inflationary concerns. The median perception of current inflation dropped by 50 basis points to 7.2 per cent in July from 7.7 per cent in May expectations for the next three months and one year ahead also fell by 60 and 50 basis points, respectively, to 8.3 per cent and 9.0 per the three-month horizon, 79.5 per cent of households expect prices to increase, down from 80.5 per cent in May. For the one-year horizon, the number stood at 88.1 per cent, compared to 89.2 per cent in the previous round of survey done in May the share of respondents expecting food prices to rise dropped in the new survey to 80 per cent from 82.8 per cent in May. City-wise variations were stark. For example, Bhopal recorded the highest one-year ahead inflation expectation at 11.2 per cent, while Ahmedabad households saw the lowest at 5.4 per cent. Delhi respondents pegged current inflation at 8.1 per cent and anticipated it to increase up to 9.0 per cent a year persons and older respondents continued to have the highest inflation perception and expectations, with the 60+ age group projecting inflation to rise to 9.6 per cent in one year. In contrast, daily workers reported the lowest median expectation at 8.1 per Central Bank however clarified that the survey provides directional insight into near term inflationary pressure, RBI does not necessarily endorse these views 'it provides directional information on near-term inflationary pressures as expected by respondents and may reflect their own consumption patterns. Hence, survey results reflect respondents' views, which are not necessarily shared by the Reserve Bank" noted RBI. (ANI)


Indian Express
an hour ago
- Indian Express
Rural, urban consumer confidence on the upswing, but inflation likely to rise in FY27: RBI survey
Consumer confidence in both rural and urban areas saw a positive shift in July, according to the Reserve Bank of India's (RBI) forward-looking surveys. This improvement has been largely driven by a decline in retail inflation and lower interest rates. However, the RBI survey on inflation expectations also flagged a potential rise in retail inflation in the next financial year (2026-27), projecting retail inflation to climb to 4.4 per cent, up from the expected 3.1 per cent for 2025-26. The survey highlighted a modest improvement in rural consumer sentiment for the current period, with the Current Situation Index (CSI) ticking up slightly. This gain reflects better conditions across key indicators such as employment, income, price levels, and overall economic sentiment. Meanwhile, the Future Expectations Index (FEI), which gauges consumer outlook for the year ahead, continued to strengthen, marking its sixth consecutive improvement. These indices — CSI and FEI — are based on household responses to five key parameters: the general economic situation, employment, income, price levels, and spending patterns. The survey also showed that a greater number of rural households now expect inflation and prices to ease in the coming year. This shift in sentiment was supported by a drop in their current perception of inflation, along with a significant decline in expectations for future inflation. A similar trend was observed among urban consumers, whose confidence also saw a slight uptick, driven by more favourable views across most indicators. The urban CSI registered a modest gain, while future expectations remained firmly positive, indicating strong confidence in the economic outlook. The FEI also continued to improve, with the survey noting that concerns about inflation and prices have steadily decreased over the last three rounds. Households now expect price pressures to soften further over the next year. However, while optimism about current earnings has grown, expectations for future income have remained largely unchanged. The RBI's survey on credit conditions shows that banks continue to offer easy lending terms, with most respondents expecting stronger loan demand in the second quarter of 2025-26. This anticipated growth is driven by increased borrowing across sectors such as agriculture, mining, manufacturing, and retail or personal loans. Banks also expect loan terms to ease further, particularly for businesses in the manufacturing and services sectors. Overall, sentiment on loan demand remains upbeat through the fourth quarter of 2025-26, with the current favourable lending conditions likely to persist into the second half of the year. The survey did note, however, that loan demand in the first quarter had seen a seasonal dip across major sectors — a trend consistent with past patterns. According to the RBI's latest data, bank credit growth was at 9.8 per cent as against 14 per cent a year ago. Despite the current easing of inflation, the RBI survey on inflation projects that price pressures are likely to return in 2026-27. Headline inflation, as measured by the Consumer Price Index (CPI), is expected to rise from 3.1 per cent in 2025-26 to 4.4 per cent in the following year. While inflation is expected to remain subdued in the near term, a gradual increase is forecast in the latter part of the year. Core inflation — which excludes food, fuel, and intoxicants — is also expected to stay elevated within a narrow range during the upcoming quarters. These projections are in line with the outlook of the Monetary Policy Committee, which foresees a steady rise in inflation through the end of the fiscal year and into the first quarter of 2026-27. The findings underscore the need for careful monitoring and timely policy responses to manage inflationary risks effectively.


Hans India
an hour ago
- Hans India
Rupee rises 5 paise to 87.67 against US dollar in early trade
Mumbai: The rupee traded in a narrow range and appreciated 5 paise to 87.67 against the US dollar in early trade on Thursday, after US President Donald Trump slapped an additional 25 per cent duty -- doubling it to 50 per cent -- on Indian goods over New Delhi's continued imports of Russian oil. Forex traders said Trump's aggressive move, which kicks in 21 days, threatens to raise total duties on select Indian exports to as high as 50 per cent -- making them among the most heavily taxed US imports globally. At the interbank foreign exchange, the domestic unit opened at 87.69 against the US dollar then touched an initial high of 87.67, higher by 5 paise over its previous close. On Wednesday, the rupee rebounded from a record low level and closed 16 paise higher at 87.72 against the US dollar. Trump's tariffs on Indian exports are likely to hit sectors such as textiles, marine and leather exports hard and was slammed by India as "unfair, unjustified and unreasonable". With this action singling out New Delhi for the Russian oil imports, India will attract the highest US tariff of 50 per cent along with Brazil. The United States has imposed this additional tariff or penalty for Russian imports only on India while other buyers such as China and Turkey have so far escaped such harsh measures. The 30 per cent tariff on China and 15 per cent on Turkey is lower than India's 50 per cent. "The escalation adds to concerns over the economic impact. If no breakthrough happens within the 21-day window, FY26 GDP growth may have to be revised below 6 per cent, factoring in a 40–50 basis point hit -- twice the earlier estimate from tariff effects," CR Forex Advisors MD Amit Pabari said. Pabari further noted that amid these rising tensions and economic concerns, the rupee remains vulnerable and could see further downside as uncertainty continues to mount. Meanwhile, the Reserve Bank of India opted to hold the repo rate steady at 5.50 per cent and retained a neutral stance during its latest policy review. "The decision suggests policymakers are adopting a wait-and-watch approach as they weigh the uncertain trade backdrop against an already slowing global economy," Pabari said, adding that the room for manoeuvre is tightening. India's foreign exchange reserves fell by USD 9.3 billion to USD 688.9 billion as of August 1, reflecting Central Bank's active rupee defence operations amid rising external stress, he said. Meanwhile, Brent crude prices rose 0.99 per cent to USD 67.55 per barrel in futures trade. The dollar index, which gauges the greenback's strength against a basket of six currencies, rose 0.04 per cent to 98.21. In the domestic equity market, Sensex dropped 335.71 points to 80,208.28 in early trade, while the Nifty declined 114.15 points to 24,460.05. Foreign institutional investors (FIIs) offloaded equities worth Rs 4,999.10 crore on a net basis on Wednesday, according to exchange data.