Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman Addresses RBI Central Board at 621st Meeting in New Delhi

New Delhi, February 23, 2026: The 621st meeting of the Central Board of Directors of the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) was held in New Delhi under the chairmanship of Shri Sanjay Malhotra, Governor.

During the meeting, the Board reviewed the global and domestic economic landscape, taking into account challenges arising from geopolitical developments and financial market volatility.

Finance Minister Outlines Vision of Union Budget 2026-27

Following the Board meeting, Nirmala Sitharaman, Union Minister of Finance and Corporate Affairs, addressed and interacted with the Directors of the Central Board.

The Finance Minister articulated the strategic vision of the Union Budget 2026-27, inspired by the three “Kartavyas,” and highlighted expectations from the financial sector in advancing the goal of Viksit Bharat. The Directors appreciated the Budget and shared their perspectives during the interaction.

She was accompanied by Pankaj Chaudhary, Minister of State for Finance, along with senior government officials including Dr. Arunish Chawla (Secretary, DIPAM), Shri V. Vualnam (Secretary, Department of Expenditure), Shri Arvind Shrivastava (Secretary, Department of Revenue), and Dr. V. Anantha Nageswaran (Chief Economic Adviser).

Senior RBI and Government Officials in Attendance

The meeting was attended by RBI Deputy Governors Shri T. Rabi Sankar, Shri Swaminathan J., Dr. Poonam Gupta, and Shri Shirish Chandra Murmu. Other Directors present included Shri Nagaraju Maddirala (Secretary, Department of Financial Services), Ms. Anuradha Thakur (Secretary, Department of Economic Affairs), Shri Satish K. Marathe, Shri S. Gurumurthy, Smt. Revathy Iyer, Prof. Sachin Chaturvedi, Shri Venu Srinivasan, Shri Pankaj Ramanbhai Patel, and Dr. Ravindra H. Dholakia.

The Central Board meeting serves as a key platform for deliberating on monetary, financial stability, and regulatory matters, while facilitating coordination between the government and the central bank on broader economic priorities.

The interaction underscores the collaborative approach between the government and the RBI in navigating economic uncertainties and steering India toward sustained growth and financial resilience.