How ideology muddled inflation control in India
2 years, 3 months ago

How ideology muddled inflation control in India

The Hindu  

The Governor of the Reserve Bank of India reportedly stated that the inflation rate would be brought to its target level of 4% within 24 months. Though the characteristics of India’s economy vary substantially when compared to those of the industrialised West, their governments follow the same approach to inflation control, termed ‘inflation targeting’ and implemented by their central banks. Faced with high inflation, Europe’s policymakers exhort that central banks should raise the interest rate further, even if it means triggering a recession. In the face of the evident failure of monetary policy in controlling inflation globally today, central bankers concerned with retaining their relevance make a renewed case for it by arguing that by pursuing a high-interest-rate policy, central banks can ‘anchor’ the expectation of inflation, and thereby inflation itself. This makes it difficult to claim that inflation targeting, which is supposed to work via the central bank’s ‘anchoring’ of expectations, works in India.

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History of this topic

Why RBI is central to the country’s economy
1 week, 2 days ago

Why RBI is central to the country’s economy

New Indian Express  

The art of setting interest rates Maintaining macroeconomic stability and financial stability is the holy grail of any central bank. The pursuit of sustainable growth and low and stable inflation have been fundamental to central banking activities since the early 19th century, though financial stability got equal prominence, thanks to black swan events like the Great Depression of 1930s and …

DC Edit | FM, new RBI chief signal cut
1 week, 4 days ago

DC Edit | FM, new RBI chief signal cut

Deccan Chronicle  

Finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman’s statement that inflation is a major challenge faced by countries around the world and that no country can solve it alone appears to have set an agenda for new RBI governor Sanjay Malhotra, who took charge a few hours before she made this statement. During the tenure of Shaktikanta Das, the RBI remained squarely focused on …

DC Edit | Will RBI tweak inflation focus?
1 week, 6 days ago

DC Edit | Will RBI tweak inflation focus?

Deccan Chronicle  

The appointment of Sanjay Malhotra as the new RBI governor continues the long-standing tradition of IAS officers heading the Central bank, a quasi-autonomous body that decides the country’s monetary policy. Mr Malhotra took over the charge of RBI from Shaktikanta Das — the second longest serving governor after Sir Benegal Rama Rau’s stint of seven years and 197 days — …

RBI must restore balance between inflation, growth
2 weeks, 4 days ago

RBI must restore balance between inflation, growth

New Indian Express  

Despite the disappointing slump in economic growth, the RBI on Friday left the benchmark policy repo rate unchanged at 6.5 percent amid inflationary pressures. Maintaining a firm stance on inflation control, Governor Shaktikanta Das stressed that the central bank needed “more credible evidence” on the disinflationary process, which he said was getting prolonged and arduous. As Das rightly noted, there …

RBI must restore balance between inflation, growth
2 weeks, 4 days ago

RBI must restore balance between inflation, growth

New Indian Express  

Despite the disappointing slump in economic growth, the RBI on Friday left the benchmark policy repo rate unchanged at 6.5 percent amid inflationary pressures. Maintaining a firm stance on inflation control, Governor Shaktikanta Das stressed that the central bank needed “more credible evidence” on the disinflationary process, which he said was getting prolonged and arduous. As Das rightly noted, there …

Ajit Ranade: Inflation control holds primacy as an objective for RBI
4 weeks ago

Ajit Ranade: Inflation control holds primacy as an objective for RBI

Live Mint  

Not too long ago, a governor of the Reserve Bank of India said that his main job was to protect the value of your money. In this policy framework, called flexible inflation targeting, RBI had a mandate and a numerical target of an inflation band given by the government. And should not the numerical target of inflation exclude food and …

India’s central bank should adhere to its inflation-targeting mandate
Trending News
1 month ago

India’s central bank should adhere to its inflation-targeting mandate

Live Mint  

Less than four years after the government concluded its review of India’s inflation-targeting regime in April 2021 and opted to keep both its target and nitty-gritty—its target range, indicator, etc—unchanged, its view of inflation targeting seems to be shifting. After commerce and industry minister Piyush Goyal and then finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman called for lower interest rates, on Tuesday chief …

India's Robust Economy Maintains Stability, Sets New Fiscal Deficit Target
2 months ago

India's Robust Economy Maintains Stability, Sets New Fiscal Deficit Target

Hindustan Times  

India successfully kept inflation within manageable limits, achieving the lowest point in its fiscal deficit glide path in the next financial year. The country's robust macroeconomic fundamentals, coupled with strategic focus on strengthening ties with nations that share strategic coherence, played a crucial role in maintaining price stability despite global economic challenges. The focus on debt management and fiscal consolidation …

'We Still Have Distance To Cover', Says RBI Guv Shaktikanta Das Amid Moderate Inflation
3 months, 1 week ago

'We Still Have Distance To Cover', Says RBI Guv Shaktikanta Das Amid Moderate Inflation

News 18  

Inflation in India has moderated but still, there is a distance to cover, Reserve Bank Governor Shaktikanta Das said on Friday. “Inflation has moderated from its peak of 7.8% in April 2022 into the tolerance band of +/- 2% around the target of 4%, but we still have a distance to cover and cannot afford to look the other way,” …

Inflation control: India doing better than advanced economies like US and Germany, says SBI report
3 months, 1 week ago

Inflation control: India doing better than advanced economies like US and Germany, says SBI report

Live Mint  

India has shown a largely successful inflation-targeting regime compared to advanced economies like the United States and Germany, reported ANI, quoting a State Bank of India research report. “India had a largely successful inflation targeting regime, compared to advanced economies like the USA and Germany,” as per the report. The SBI report cited government initiatives, Reserve Bank of India measures, …

Avoid haste on shift to core CPI
3 months, 3 weeks ago

Avoid haste on shift to core CPI

Hindustan Times  

Should India’s inflation targeting framework target the headline Consumer Price Index or just its core, namely, the non-food non-fuel part? REUTERS/Francis Mascarenhas/File Photo Inflation targeting, at a theoretical level, is supposed to use interest rates to maintain a healthy balance between inflation and growth. Because inflation targeting is a forward-looking exercise — higher interest rates today are expected to contain …

‘Abandoning RBI’s inflation target regime could be risky, counterproductive’
4 months ago

‘Abandoning RBI’s inflation target regime could be risky, counterproductive’

The Hindu  

The Reserve Bank of India's inflation targeting regime has worked well and need not be abandoned in favour of a more discretionary regime that could be risky and counterproductive, a new research paper has said. The paper titled 'Inflation Targeting In India: A Further Assessment' said the weight of food-price inflation in the CPI inflation basket should be reduced to …

Can the Reserve Bank of India rein in food inflation?
4 months, 1 week ago

Can the Reserve Bank of India rein in food inflation?

Hindustan Times  

On August 8, the Reserve Bank of India announced that it had kept the benchmark interest rate unchanged at 6.5% after the end of its monetary policy meeting — it marked the ninth straight meeting of the central bank in which it held rates at the same level. The paper - co-written by deputy governor Michael Debabrata Patra - cautioned …

DC Edit | Cautious RBI targets inflation
8 months, 2 weeks ago

DC Edit | Cautious RBI targets inflation

Deccan Chronicle  

The Reserve Bank of India-led Monetary Policy Committee has once again kept the policy repo rate unchanged at 6.5 per cent. Retail inflation hovered around 5.1 per cent during January and February 2024, which is a marginal decline from 5.7 per cent in December 2023. Food inflation — which is the most important focus area for the world’s populous country …

Central bank work on lowering prices in delicate balance
10 months ago

Central bank work on lowering prices in delicate balance

New Indian Express  

The Reserve Bank of India appears to be in its final leg of bringing inflation to heel. Though headline inflation is showing steady signs of easing, the central bank’s six-member Monetary Policy Committee is steadfast on retaining repo rate at 6.5 percent as any “premature move may undermine the success achieved so far”. As we navigate the ‘last mile’ of …

RBI’s battles with inflation
10 months, 2 weeks ago

RBI’s battles with inflation

Hindustan Times  

That the Monetary Policy Committee would not change policy rates or its stance in its February meeting was widely expected. One, Reserve Bank of India seems to believe, perhaps rightly, that the monetary tightening unleashed by it in the last two years — the policy rate has been increased by 250 basis points — has not hurt growth. Despite core …

Inflation moderating, moving towards 4 per cent target: RBI Governor Shaktikanta Das
11 months, 1 week ago

Inflation moderating, moving towards 4 per cent target: RBI Governor Shaktikanta Das

India TV News  

Reserve Bank of India Chief Shaktikanta Das said that inflation in India is moderating and steadily approaching the central bank's target of 4 per cent, while growth prospects for the country remain robust. Speaking at the World Economic Forum annual meeting in Davos, Das mentioned that inflation is within the range of 2 per cent to 6 per cent, with …

Growth getting stronger foothold, inflation coming under control, says RBI Governor Shaktikanta Das
1 year, 1 month ago

Growth getting stronger foothold, inflation coming under control, says RBI Governor Shaktikanta Das

The Hindu  

Reserve Bank Governor Shaktikanta Das on November 9 said economic growth in India is getting stronger foothold while inflation is also coming under control driven by the inherent dynamism and a prudent policy mix. Driven by its inherent dynamism and supported by a prudent policy mix, growth is getting stronger foothold while inflation is also coming under control," the governor …

RBI Monetary Policy: Central bank likely to hold rates, maintain hawkish stance
1 year, 2 months ago

RBI Monetary Policy: Central bank likely to hold rates, maintain hawkish stance

India Today  

The Reserve Bank of India's Monetary Policy Committee is expected to maintain key interest rates in its upcoming decision but maintain focus on inflation amid rising global crude oil prices and sustained economic growth. In a survey of 71 economists conducted by news agency Reuters in late September, all but one anticipated that the RBI would keep its key repo …

DC Edit | Govt's multi-pronged policy might work against inflation
1 year, 4 months ago

DC Edit | Govt's multi-pronged policy might work against inflation

Deccan Chronicle  

India is not immune to the inflationary winds blowing across the world. Swiftly, government insiders unveiled discussions about a substantial plan, totalling Rs 1 lakh crore, to quell the upswing in July’s inflation. This move would mark a second consecutive year of such manoeuvres, harking back to the Rs 2.1 lakh crores initiative unveiled last year to mitigate costs for …

Path to inclusive growth must be paved by price stability: RBI officials
1 year, 6 months ago

Path to inclusive growth must be paved by price stability: RBI officials

The Hindu  

Taming inflation and anchoring inflation expectations is key to helping revive consumer spending and private capital expenditure and thereby supporting growth, RBI officials wrote in an article in the monthly bulletin released on Friday. This, in turn, is moderating corporate sales and holding back private investment in capacity creation.,” the officials including Deputy Governor Michael Debabrata Patra wrote in ‘State …

RBI holds rates but signals tight monetary policy ahead
1 year, 6 months ago

RBI holds rates but signals tight monetary policy ahead

Hindustan Times  

India's central bank kept its key lending rate steady for a second straight policy meeting on Thursday, as widely expected, but signalled that monetary conditions will remain tight for some time as it looks to further curb inflationary pressures. The RBI maintained its policy stance of "withdrawal of accommodation" to ensure inflation progressively aligns with the committee's target while remaining …

Inflation Momentum Softer Than Anticipated: RBI's State Of The Economy Report
1 year, 7 months ago

Inflation Momentum Softer Than Anticipated: RBI's State Of The Economy Report

ABP News  

The Reserve Bank of India’s State of the Economy report on Monday said that consumer price index-based inflation, which dropped below 5 per cent in April, for the first time since November 2021, demonstrated the central bank’s monetary policy decision. “The CPI inflation print for April 2023 indicates that momentum is turning out to be softer than anticipated on account …

Retail inflation in India comes down by 1% in a month
1 year, 7 months ago

Retail inflation in India comes down by 1% in a month

Op India  

Retail inflation in India eased further in April to 4.7 per cent as against 5.7 per cent the previous month. India’s headline consumer price index-based inflation has gradually declined from its peak of 7.8 per cent in April 2022 to below 6 per cent now, which is below RBI’s upper tolerance band. India’s retail inflation was above RBI’s 6 per …

Inflation eases below tolerance band of 6%
1 year, 8 months ago

Inflation eases below tolerance band of 6%

Hindustan Times  

Retail inflation as measured by the Consumer Price Index eased to 5.66%, the lowest in 15 months, on the back of a cooling in food and fuel prices, although the continued spiral in prices of cereals and milk should worry policy makers. Representational image Headline inflation has once again come within the Reserve Bank of India’s tolerance band of 2-6% …

These 5 corps are not allowing inflation in India to ease, says ex-RBI official
1 year, 8 months ago

These 5 corps are not allowing inflation in India to ease, says ex-RBI official

Live Mint  

Inflation in India: India’s biggest conglomerates, which wield immense pricing power in the retail, resources and telecommunication sectors, are contributing to elevated inflation and should be broken up, a former central banker said. The “Big 5” consisting of Reliance Group, Tata Group, Aditya Birla Group, Adani Group and Bharti Telecom have grown at the expense of smaller local firms, said …

Pakistan central bank criticises Shehbaz Sharif government's policy of prioritising growth over price, financial stability
1 year, 11 months ago

Pakistan central bank criticises Shehbaz Sharif government's policy of prioritising growth over price, financial stability

The Hindu  

Pakistan’s central bank has criticised the cash-strapped Shehbaz Sharif government for prioritising growth at the expense of price and financial stability. The State Bank of Pakistan in its annual report issued recently said international experience has repeatedly shown the countries that prioritise growth at the expense of price and financial stability are not able to sustain growth and face repeated …

RBI Monetary Policy: Inflation To Fall Below 6% By March 2023, Says Shaktikanta Das
2 years ago

RBI Monetary Policy: Inflation To Fall Below 6% By March 2023, Says Shaktikanta Das

ABP News  

The Reserve Bank on Wednesday projected inflation to come down below the upper threshold level of 6 per cent by March quarter of the current fiscal. RBI Governor Shaktikanta Das said the central bank will keep 'Arjuna's eye' on the evolving inflation dynamics and will remain 'nimble and flexible' to deal with the price situation. "Taking into account these factors …

No need to change inflation target of 2-6%; October print to be lower than 7%: RBI Governor
2 years, 1 month ago

No need to change inflation target of 2-6%; October print to be lower than 7%: RBI Governor

The Hindu  

RBI Governor Shaktikanta Das on November 12 said there was no need to change the inflation target despite the Central bank's failure to keep it below the 6% upper tolerance level for nine consecutive months while exuding confidence that the October print will be less than 7 %. Speaking at the HT Leadership Summit on Saturday, Mr. Das said there …

RBI may need a revised strategy to anchor inflation expectations
2 years, 2 months ago

RBI may need a revised strategy to anchor inflation expectations

Live Mint  

The world is struggling with higher-than-desirable inflation. Household inflation expectations, thus, form a critical piece of information for central banks, especially in periods of high inflation. We compared inflation expectations of urban households over time with the actual consumer inflation in urban areas, starting with 2016, when RBI moved to the current inflation-targeting framework. Whether and how variations in household …

Boxed in: The Hindu Editorial on need for inflation control as top policy priority
2 years, 2 months ago

Boxed in: The Hindu Editorial on need for inflation control as top policy priority

The Hindu  

The Reserve Bank of India’s rate decision on Friday was ultimately inevitable. RBI Governor Shaktikanta Das cited the ‘aggressive monetary policy actions and even more aggressive communication from advanced economy central banks’ as a third shock -- following the pandemic and Russia’s invasion of Ukraine — which he said had thrust the ‘global economy into the eye of a new …

India raises interest rate to 5.90% to tame inflation
2 years, 2 months ago

India raises interest rate to 5.90% to tame inflation

The Independent  

For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy India’s central bank on Friday …

Why the RBI is unlikely to slow down in curbing inflation
2 years, 2 months ago

Why the RBI is unlikely to slow down in curbing inflation

Live Mint  

Global growth is slowing rapidly, inflation is stubbornly high and central banks in developed nations are hiking interest rates by magnitudes not seen in decades. At other times, new data sources are introduced to make statistics more accurate, particularly to capture India’s informal sector better. Why the wait for new trade policy just got longer Busted: The myth of India …

Front-loaded rate increases needed to curb inflation, RBI officials
2 years, 3 months ago

Front-loaded rate increases needed to curb inflation, RBI officials

The Hindu  

The Reserve Bank of India said on Friday it will have to front-load its monetary policy to fight stubborn inflation and shield medium-term growth in the world's fifth-largest economy. Inflation in India has remained above the apex bank's tolerance level since January, prompting it to raise interest rates by a total of 140 basis points in the current cycle. "Front-loading …

Staying the course: The Hindu Editorial on monitoring inflation
2 years, 3 months ago

Staying the course: The Hindu Editorial on monitoring inflation

The Hindu  

Over this week, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman spoke at length on India’s inflation battle, signalling it is no longer as ‘red-lettered’ a priority as there are more big picture pursuits such as creating jobs, sustaining growth and ensuring equitable wealth distribution. The Finance Ministry expects inflationary pressures to be ‘capped’ due to steps taken by the central bank and the …

RBI needs to be more synchronised to handle inflation: FM Sitharaman
2 years, 3 months ago

RBI needs to be more synchronised to handle inflation: FM Sitharaman

India TV News  

Highlights I'm not prescribing anything to the Reserve Bank, Sitharaman said I'm not giving any forward direction to the RBI, the finance minister said India's solution to handling the economy, together with the monetary policy has to work, she said Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Thursday said the Reserve Bank will have to be more synchronised with the fiscal policy …

A political shield for inflation warriors
2 years, 3 months ago

A political shield for inflation warriors

Hindustan Times  

The global economic outlook appears bleak today, with growth likely to slow down in the two largest economies, the United States and China. Global food and fuel shortages, accompanied by heightened expectations of inflation, could keep prices high even as demand weakens, a phenomenon economists describe as stagflation. The finance ministry worked with RBI to ensure that the central bank …

Tackling Inflation Is RBI's Top Priority, Trying Not To Hurt Growth, Says Shaktikanta Das
2 years, 3 months ago

Tackling Inflation Is RBI's Top Priority, Trying Not To Hurt Growth, Says Shaktikanta Das

News 18  

Reserve Bank of India Governor Shaktikanta Das on Friday said tackling inflation is the central bank’s top priority and the RBI will try to minimise its impact on growth. India’s GDP rose 13.5 per cent in the June 2022 quarter. However, the Q1FY23 growth fell short of the RBI’s projection of 16.2 per cent. The RBI’s Monetary Policy Committee hiked …

The U.S. Fed’s long shadow on central banks around the world
2 years, 3 months ago

The U.S. Fed’s long shadow on central banks around the world

The Hindu  

High inflation has become a headache for the U.S. economy. Signals of greater economic pain The growing risk is that as it plays catch-up with high inflation with aggressive monetary tightening, the Fed will only add to the pain in the global economy. The Fed’s critics, such as former U.S. Treasury Secretary Larry Summers, have long held that if the …

RBI chief says inflation has peaked, ‘will approach 4% target in steady manner’
2 years, 4 months ago

RBI chief says inflation has peaked, ‘will approach 4% target in steady manner’

Live Mint  

Reserve Bank of India Governor Shaktikanta Das seeks to slow India’s inflation to 4% within two years after hitting its peak in the last few months. “Inflation has peaked and price gains are getting anchored,” Das said in an interview with television channel ET Now on Tuesday, adding that the central bank is watching every incoming data and there’s “no …

RBI Bulletin: India's Inflation Still Elevated, May Need Monetary Policy Response
2 years, 4 months ago

RBI Bulletin: India's Inflation Still Elevated, May Need Monetary Policy Response

ABP News  

India’s inflation may still require a monetary policy response going forward as it remains above the target range even though it has eased in recent months, the Reserve Bank of India said in the monthly bulletin released on Thursday. The RBI said, “Inflation has edged down, but its persistence at elevated levels warrants appropriate policy responses to anchor expectations going …

RBI must revise its inflation target range -- upwards
2 years, 5 months ago

RBI must revise its inflation target range -- upwards

Live Mint  

Last year, the finance ministry and Reserve Bank of India agreed to maintain our inflation target at 4%, with a 2% variation on either side as the tolerance limit, from 1 April 2021 to 31 March 2026. Unless RBI recalibrates the model with new data or rethinks the methodology, it is possible that the current inflation target rate “imparts a …

RBI to remain flexible while aiming to tame inflation: Governor Shaktikanta Das
2 years, 5 months ago

RBI to remain flexible while aiming to tame inflation: Governor Shaktikanta Das

The Hindu  

Reserve Bank of India will continue calibrating policy to preserve and foster macroeconomic stability while bringing down inflation and will remain flexible in its approach, Governor Shaktikanta Das said on Saturday. The global economy is going through an uncertain time and concerns around growth and inflation persist, but the central bank believes that there could be some respite from rising …

Inflation expected to remain higher than RBI tolerance level till Dec, says Shaktikanta Das
2 years, 5 months ago

Inflation expected to remain higher than RBI tolerance level till Dec, says Shaktikanta Das

Firstpost  

The RBI governor said inflation is currently the biggest challenge confronting most economies in the world and the current surge is primarily because of global factors New Delhi: India’s headline inflation is expected to remain higher than the Reserve Bank of India upper tolerance level of six per cent till December 2022, RBI Governor Shaktikanta Das has said. “Until December, …

Inflation Biggest Challenge but RBI Taking Steps to Deal With It, Says Shaktikanta Das
2 years, 5 months ago

Inflation Biggest Challenge but RBI Taking Steps to Deal With It, Says Shaktikanta Das

News 18  

Inflation has become the biggest challenge for several countries and the Reserve Bank of India is taking steps to effectively deal with it, the central bank’s governor Shaktikanta Das has said. In an interview, the RBI chief said that the bank had been taking measures to rebalance liquidity through VRRRs, roll back the expansion of our balance sheet and the …

Govt mindful of inflation situation, says RBI Governor Das
2 years, 6 months ago

Govt mindful of inflation situation, says RBI Governor Das

The Hindu  

Reserve Bank of India Governor Shaktikanta Das on Wednesday said the government is "mindful" of the current inflation situation, and it is up to the Centre to take further supply-side measures to contain the price rise situation. "I am sure the government is mindful of the current inflation situation and it is for the government to decide on further supply-side …

Retail inflation: The step ahead
2 years, 7 months ago

Retail inflation: The step ahead

Hindustan Times  

Mint Street and North Block must maintain close coordination in making sure that our policy response does not throw the baby out with the bathwater But will a monetary tightening be able to control inflation? That the April inflation number would be higher than the 6.95% reading in March 2022 was a given, especially after the unscheduled rate hike by …

‘Inflation is the biggest challenge now’
2 years, 7 months ago

‘Inflation is the biggest challenge now’

The Hindu  

Inflation is now the biggest challenge for India’s policy makers rather than the U.S. Federal Reserve’s taper programme and measures like interest rate increases to stem rising prices could dent the fledgling consumption demand recovery from the pandemic not just in India but globally, a senior official said on Wednesday. “The nearly 7% inflation print for March came four days …

Inflation control needs another model
2 years, 7 months ago

Inflation control needs another model

The Hindu  

Inflation is back as a talking point in the public arena, some would say belatedly, for wholesale price inflation has been in the double digits for over 12 months. It may appear contradictory to ask whether the RBI’s stated policy of ‘inflation targeting’, implemented through changes in the interest rate, can control inflation, but we show here why that would …

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