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| RBI gold reserves rise to 880.52 tonnes; Govt has no data on private gold holdings | | | Early Times Report
Jammu, July 28: The Central Government has informed the Rajya Sabha that it does not have any official data on the quantity of gold held by Indian households or religious institutions, stating that no study has been conducted by the Reserve Bank of India (RBI), the Department of Economic Affairs (DEA) or the Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation (MoSPI) to assess such holdings.
The disclosure was made by Minister of State for Finance Pankaj Chaudhary in a written reply to an unstarred question raised by Rajya Sabha MP Ramji Lal Suman, who had sought details regarding the country's gold reserves as well as any assessment of gold held by temples, religious places and households across India.
Responding to the query, the Minister said the Reserve Bank of India held 880.52 metric tonnes of gold reserves as on June 26, 2026, reflecting a steady increase in the country's official gold holdings over the past three years.
According to the data placed before the House, the RBI's gold reserves stood at 794.63 metric tonnes on March 31, 2023. The reserves increased by 27.47 metric tonnes to 822.10 metric tonnes by March 31, 2024, followed by a significant addition of 57.48 metric tonnes, taking the total to 879.58 metric tonnes on March 31, 2025.
The increase during the latest assessment period was comparatively modest, with the RBI adding 0.94 metric tonnes, taking the total gold reserves to 880.52 metric tonnes as on June 26, 2026, according to official RBI data.
However, on the broader issue of privately held gold, the Government made it clear that it has no official estimate of the quantity of gold possessed by Indian households or religious institutions.
The Finance Ministry stated that no study has been conducted by the Reserve Bank of India, the Department of Economic Affairs or the Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation to ascertain the quantity of gold held by religious places or Indian households.
The response assumes significance as India is widely regarded as one of the world's largest consumers and holders of gold, with households traditionally investing in the precious metal for savings, jewellery and cultural purposes. Religious institutions across the country are also believed to possess substantial quantities of gold donated by devotees over several decades.
Despite the widespread perception regarding the vast volume of privately held gold in the country, the Government clarified that no official survey or assessment has been undertaken by the concerned ministries or agencies to scientifically determine the extent of such holdings.
The reply indicates that while the RBI maintains detailed records of the country's official gold reserves, there is no government database or official estimate of the gold owned by households or religious institutions in India. |
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