RBI Holds Repo Rate at 5.50% and Announces New Financial Initiatives

In the same briefing, the RBI confirmed that the policy repo rate remains at 5.50% after the latest 25‑basis‑point hike. This move follows a series of meetings in 2026 where the central bank kept rates unchanged – February, April, June and August – before the recent adjustment.

Alongside the rate decision, the RBI disclosed several operational reforms. It will introduce interoperability for account aggregator (AA) platforms, allowing customers to share financial data across any regulated institution, be it a bank, lender or wealth manager, through a single app.

The regulator also promised to extend consolidated account statements (CAS) to include demat holdings and bank deposits, with a target implementation date of December 31. Further steps will bring SEBI‑registered depositories into the CAS ecosystem.