The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) raised its gold reserves to 879.59 tonnes in FY25, according to its annual report released on May 29.

As of September 2024, the country’s gold reserves stood at 854.73 tonnes. The increase is attributed to new gold purchases totaling 54.13 tonnes, a 30% rise in gold prices, and the depreciation of the rupee against the U.S. dollar.

The RBI’s gold holdings are split between domestic and overseas storage. Of the total, 511.99 tonnes are held within India, while 348.62 tonnes are stored abroad—primarily with the Bank of England and the Bank for International Settlements (BIS). An additional 18.98 tonnes are maintained as gold deposits.

In FY25, the RBI repatriated 38.64 tonnes of gold to India, continuing its strategy of relocating a portion of its foreign-held reserves to enhance domestic control.

This growth in gold reserves significantly influenced the RBI’s balance sheet, which expanded by 8.2% to ₹76.25 lakh crore as of March 31, 2025. The value of gold assets alone surged by 52.09% during the fiscal year, making a substantial contribution to this increase.