(Remarks delivered virtually by Shri M. Rajeshwar Rao, Deputy Governor, Reserve Bank of India – December 22, 2023 - at the 106th Annual Conference of Indian Economic Association in Delhi)

Chairman, State Bank of India Shri Dinesh Khara and my fellow colleagues from the banking fraternity, ladies, and gentlemen. 1.A very warm good morning to all of you. I am delighted to be here at the 10th edition of the SBI Banking & Economics Conclave, surrounded by industry leaders from banking and financial sectors, leading economists, policy makers, and other stakeholders. This marquee event provides a platform for discussing pertinent issues, sharing insights, and exploring potential solutions for the industry. In a lighter vein, after being a part of its host institution in its past nine editions, I now have the honour of being invited to speak at this prestigious event! I am extremely grateful to Chairman Shri Khara for extending this invitation. 

Distinguished guests, Good evening. First of all, let me thank the Indian Banking Association (IBA) and FICCI for inviting me over to deliver this address today. It’s a pleasure to be here amidst such a gathering of important stakeholders across the spectrum of our financial landscape. In a very short span of time, FIBAC has achieved a prominent status for being a premier brainstorming event on emerging themes of relevance to the financial world.

I am delighted to participate in this symposium on Indian Economy organised by the Institute of Indian Economic Studies (IIES), Tokyo. I understand this event is being organised by the IIES after a gap of 3 years due to the intervening period of the COVID-19 pandemic. Earlier this year in March 2023, Prof. Sakakibara and Mr. Sugaya had visited the Reserve Bank of India in Mumbai when we discussed about my participation in this symposium.  I would like to convey my sincere thanks and gratitude to Prof. Sakakibara and the IIES for inviting me to participate in this event today.

Ladies, gentlemen and distinguished guests, It is indeed a pleasure to be participating in this summit, a gathering that is engaged to distill the essence of responsible stewardship in the corporate world. Keeping up with the theme of this session, "The Challenge of Regulation", I will reflect a bit on the dynamic landscape of regulations and regulation making, its evolving nature and on the transformation underway in the financial sector. Later, I will also outline a few challenges and dilemmas encountered by the regulators in framing appropriate regulations to manage these transitions.

Do we need Regulations?

Many believe that minimal regulations, is the best way to foster growth of the enterprise. But history is replete with the examples of how minimal regulation coupled with lenient supervision and restrained enforcements have often led to financial crises. In fact, we would all agree that nothing could be more damaging to sustainable growth than a misfiring banking and financial sector. While in an ideal scenario, the ‘invisible hand’ would ensure that the system functions flawlessly for the greater good with minimal regulatory oversight, in reality it does not happen that way. As such, to control the irrational exuberance in the financial sector, there is need for a regulator who sets the boundaries and also enforces them for ensuring a sound and robust set of financial institutions and there by promotes financial stability.

Chairmen of Customer Service Committees of banks, Whole Time Directors in charge of Customer Service Verticals, Principal Nodal Officers and my colleagues from the Reserve Bank of India. A very good morning to you all. We have gathered here today to discuss a crucial aspect of our banking and financial services sector: customer service standards and grievance redress mechanism in RBI regulated entities.

I am delighted to be here with all of you to celebrate the Diamond Jubilee Year of the Delhi School of Economics (DSE). The Delhi School has made a distinct mark as an institution of excellence and very high reputation, both in India and abroad. The list of eminent economists and distinguished alumni associated with the DSE is long and impressive. The School has inspired generations of students to excel in diverse streams such as academia, research, government and corporate sectors. In the Reserve Bank of India, we have also benefitted immensely from the DSE, with a continuous stream of students joining the RBI. It is a matter of pride for me to be part of this momentous year in the history of the institute which has contributed immensely to the policy discourse in India.

2. Today, I have chosen to speak on “Art of Monetary Policy Making: The Indian Context”. As you would be aware, India formally adopted the flexible inflation targeting (FIT) framework in 2016, in broad alignment with global trends. The underlying principle of this framework is that a clearly articulated, legislatively mandated numerical inflation target is the best foundation for overall macroeconomic stability. Low and stable inflation helps households and businesses in planning for long-term savings and investments which ultimately drive innovation, productivity and sustainable growth. On the contrary, high and volatile inflation corrodes the economy by denting productivity and the long-term growth potential. Inflation also imposes disproportionate burden on the poor.

3. I have structured my talk in the following sequence: (i) evolution of monetary policy in India, culminating in the adoption of flexible inflation targeting (FIT) framework; (ii) key elements of this framework, including the forecasting process; (iii) conduct of monetary policy under the FIT regime; and (iv) monetary policy challenges at the current juncture.

Evolution of Monetary Policy Since Independence

4. During the 1950s and 1960s, as the country embarked upon planned economic development, monetary policy assumed a developmental role of meeting the credit needs of the economy as identified under the five-year plans. Bank nationalisation in 1969 ushered in the era of social banking and led to the credit planning phase (1969-85). This period witnessed widespread use of non-market instruments such as directed credit, administered interest rates and moral suasion.

5. Monetary policy during the 1970s and 1980s was constrained by fiscal dominance, automatic monetisation of budget deficits and excessive growth of monetary aggregates. The large scale deficit financing and the resultant high monetary and credit expansion led to inflationary pressures which were further exacerbated by a series of shocks, namely, the Indo-Pak war of 1971, the drought of 1973, the collapse of the Bretton Woods system in 1973, and global oil price shocks of 1973 and 1979. These events precipitated the adoption of “monetary targeting with feedback” as a formal monetary policy framework in 1985.

I am deeply honoured for the invitation to deliver this lecture in the memory of Shri Lalit Doshi, an eminent civil servant, whose sudden demise at an early age nearly three decades back was a great loss to many, including the state of Maharashtra. Shri Doshi is fondly remembered as unassuming, sober, hardworking and extremely competent by his colleagues and contemporaries. In his distinguished public service career spanning more than 27 years, he held several key positions both in the state and central governments. As Secretary Industries, Government of Maharashtra during 1992-94, till his sad demise in January 1994, he played a pivotal role in

Today’s seminar on Global Economy: Challenges, Opportunities, and the Way Forward, held as part of the International Financial Architecture (IFA) and Framework Working Groups (FWG) workstreams under India’s G20 Presidency, including the three panel discussions have yielded rich and insightful thoughts on (i) financing development and global public goods; (ii) tackling global debt vulnerabilities; and (iii) the key risks to the global economy. All these issues are priorities under India’s G20 Presidency. I take this opportunity to thank all the participants for enhancing the quality of discussions during the day.

1. Good Afternoon, Ladies and Gentlemen, 2. Thank you for inviting me to participate in this dialogue and the Panel Discussion on ‘Climate Implications for Central Banking’. Climate change and its impact on us is no longer a distant threat. Rising global temperatures, extreme weather events, changing weather patterns and the degradation of ecosystems are threatening our lives and livelihoods. We therefore have to face up to the challenge of climate change sooner, not later. Now, it is up to us to deal with this in a calibrated and well-planned manner or deal with it once we are pushed into a corner with little elbow room. Therefore, the timing of this dialogue is quite appropriate and provides an opportunity to discuss and deliberate on this issue.

In recent times, especially since the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic, central banks – who are at the core of monetary and financial systems – have been called to do “heavy lifting” well beyond their traditional mandate. Central banks have navigated through unchartered waters during the three black swan events – the pandemic, the war in Ukraine and the unprecedented scale and pace of global monetary policy normalisation – all in the span of three years. More recentl

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I am delighted to have been invited by Federal Bank to deliver the K P Hormis Commemorative Lecture today. Late Shri K P Hormis, the founder of the Federal Bank, was a great institution builder who recognised early the critical role of entrepreneurs in an economy, the importance of banks in providing finance, particularly to small scale entrepreneurs, and the need for prudence in banking business to preserve financial stability. 2. Despite the multiple and overlapping

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Chairman Governing Board, NIBSCOM as well as other Governing Board Members, NIBSCOM; Director, NIBSCOM and Faculty Members of NIBSCOM; Eminent bankers, ladies and gentlemen. Good afternoon. 1. Thank you for inviting me to the Golden Jubilee celebration of this premier institution. Over the last 50 years the National Institute for Banking Studies and Corporate Management (NIBSCOM) has provided exemplary service to the banking industry by training several generations of

I am happy to have been invited to this Annual FIBAC 2022 Conference. This is an important forum for industry stalwarts, banking practitioners, thought leaders and policymakers to brainstorm on emerging issues. This conference is being held at a time when the global economy is going through a process of churning. Triple shocks of COVID-19, war in Ukraine and the current financial market turmoil have created a toxic mix of factors and circumstances which every country

Hon’ble Prime Minister, Hon’ble Finance Minister, Hon’ble Ministers from the Central Government, Hon’ble Chief Ministers and Ministers from the State Governments, Hon’ble MPs and MLAs, Officers from Central and State Governments, Deputy Governors of RBI, MD&CEOs of Banks, Dignitaries and participants from across the country, Ladies and Gentlemen. 2. It is my proud privilege to welcome the Hon’ble Prime Minister to this event. His presence here is a great source of

I am delighted to be here among such a distinguished gathering at the Bank of Baroda Banking Conference. I wish to compliment the Bank of Baroda for organising this event and for having chosen ‘Banking Beyond Tomorrow’ as the theme of the Conference. Given that the banking landscape is witnessing far-reaching changes in the backdrop of rapid innovation, disruption and evolution of new business models, I believe this theme merits active discussion. 2. In my address tod

It is my pleasure to be here amongst such a distinguished gathering to deliver the inaugural address at the Financial Express Modern BFSI Summit. The theme of my address “Disruptions & Opportunities in the Financial Sector’ will resonate in the current context of technological innovations and fast evolving business models in the financial sector. 2. The impact of Covid-19 pandemic, the recent geo-political crisis and the all-pervasive technological innovations swe

Shri Juzar Khorakiwala, President, Shri Anant Singhania, Vice-President, Shri Ajit Mangrulkar, Director General, Shri Sanjay Mehta and Ms. Sheetal Kalro, Deputy Director Generals, esteemed members of the IMC Chamber of Commerce and Industry, and friends, I thank you for inviting me to deliver the keynote address in the Thought Leadership Series. From the time of its establishment in 1907, the IMC Chamber of Commerce and Industry has always been a thought leader itself

I would begin by thanking the Bombay Chamber of Commerce and Industry for the invitation to address this eminent gathering, even if virtually – the compulsive reality of the current times. My heartiest congratulations to the Bombay Chamber of Commerce and Industry for completing 184 years of successful functioning. Besides being the oldest serving Chamber in the country, you have left a significant mark on the destiny of this city as also of the nation. I am happy to

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1. The COVID-19 pandemic still continues to keep the world on the edge. The pandemic has so far infected more than 2.3 crore people and has claimed more than 8 lakh lives worldwide. The world is struggling to find a vaccine and/or a cure to the deadly virus. In India also the spread of pandemic continues unabated, though the fatality rate is much lower. 2. As the pandemic ravages on, the economic impact is hard to measure. While there are green shoots and some busines

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‘He is most free from danger, who even when safe, is on his guard.’ - Publilius Syrus (1st Century B.C.)

It is an accepted norm of organising human societies that with the right to liberty comes good governance, the latter being designed around laws (formal governance) or norms (informal governance) restricting excessive exertions of the right to liberty: where individual actions are deemed to create adverse spillovers (‘negative externalities’) on the rest of the society, laws or norms – backed by an enforcement machinery – draw a line as to what is acceptable human behaviour. Governance could be for the society as a whole or an individual firm or entity or a group of entities (e.g., the public sector). An important term we all come across in our functioning, especially in the public sector, is Vigilance, which is the essence of what all of you are attempting to achieve at the Central Vigilance Commission, established in 1964 by the Government of India, to address corruption in the government sector.