All 28 Banking & Economy updates published in January 2026, grouped into 8 subtopics. Each one carries the exam-relevant facts and its GK Bytes; open an update for the complete note with static GK.
India's foreign exchange reserves surged past US$700 billion in mid-January and reached about US$709 billion (week ended 23 January), a record high covering more than 11 months of imports.
The RBI conducted a USD/INR Buy/Sell Swap auction of US$10 billion with a three-year tenor to reinforce durable rupee liquidity amid seasonal cash outflows.
The World Bank's January Global Economic Prospects pegged South Asia growth at 6.2% in 2026, while the UN's WESP 2026 projected India moderating to about 6.6% in 2026.
The IMF's January WEO Update projected India's growth at 6.3% for 2026 and 6.5% for 2027, retaining India as the fastest-growing major economy.
The RBI conducted Open Market Operations to purchase government securities worth Rs 2 lakh crore in four tranches of Rs 50,000 crore each (including on 5, 12 and 22 January) to ensure durable banking-system liquidity.
SEBI notified a sweeping overhaul of the 30-year-old mutual-fund framework (effective 1 April 2026), introducing a performance-linked base expense ratio, reduced brokerage caps, a 'Life Cycle Funds' category and a slimmer rulebook.
Indian equities hit fresh records in early January - the Sensex closed near 85,762 and the Nifty50 crossed 26,300, with Nifty touching an intraday record of about 26,373 on 5 January.
Foreign Direct Investment inflows into India reached about US$81 billion in 2025, roughly 13% higher year-on-year, reflecting sustained investor confidence.
The RBI directed all regulated entities (banks, NBFCs, fintechs, payment aggregators) to prioritise customer data protection in alignment with the Digital Personal Data Protection Act, 2023, with periodic board reviews.
India's current account deficit narrowed to about 0.8% of GDP in the first half of 2025-26, aided by strong services exports and remittances.
Total exports (goods + services) for December 2025 were US$74.01 billion and total imports US$80.94 billion; the April-December merchandise trade deficit stood at US$248.32 billion.
The Economic Survey (tabled 29 January, core to the Budget session) projected real GDP growth of 7.4% and GVA growth of 7.3% for FY26, keeping India the fastest-growing major economy, with FY27 growth projected at 6.8-7.2%.
Gross GST collection for December 2025 was Rs 1.75 lakh crore, up 6.1% year-on-year, following the two-tier 'GST 2.0' rate revamp effective 22 September 2025.
Retail (CPI) inflation for December 2025 rose to 1.33% year-on-year (from 0.7% in November) as food deflation narrowed; core inflation climbed to a 28-month high of 4.8%. This was the last release on the 2012=100 base.
Average retail (CPI) inflation fell to about 1.7% for April-December 2025-26 (from 4.6% in 2024-25), reflecting easing food prices and a favourable base.
Wholesale Price Index inflation for December 2025 was 0.83% (provisional) year-on-year, with the WPI food index rising to 0.00% from -2.60% in November.
The NSO released the First Advance Estimates projecting India's real GDP growth at 7.4% for FY26 (up from 6.5% in FY25), led by financial and public services.
Gross Value Added is estimated to grow 7.3% in FY26, led by services (near 10%), with manufacturing and construction around 7% and agriculture at 3.1%.
The government's sale of its 60.72% stake in IDBI Bank advanced, with financial bids expected in January and the deal potentially exceeding Rs 1 lakh crore.
The RBI mandated that all loan disbursals flow directly to the borrower's bank account, required a Key Fact Statement with APR disclosure, and prescribed a cooling-off period of at least three days.
Adani Defence Systems and Technologies signed an MoU with Brazil's Embraer to develop a regional transport-aircraft ecosystem in India.
Adani Enterprises completed the acquisition of a 72.8% stake in Flight Simulation Technique Centre Pvt Ltd, strengthening its aviation-training footprint.
Marking ten years of Startup India, the government highlighted that recognised startups had created over 21 lakh direct jobs, underscoring the ecosystem's role in employment and innovation.
India was reaffirmed as the world's third-largest startup ecosystem, with over 2.09 lakh DPIIT-recognised startups by December 2025 - a landmark marked on National Startup Day.
The Production Linked Incentive scheme attracted around Rs 2 lakh crore in investment and over Rs 17 lakh crore in production, as cited in the President's address.
The HSBC India Manufacturing PMI stood at 56.8 in January 2026, firmly above 50, with the composite reading around 58.4, indicating strong private-sector activity.
The Index of Industrial Production for November 2025 grew 6.7% (manufacturing 8.0%, mining 5.4%), and IIP for December 2025 later showed 7.8% growth, signalling robust factory momentum.
DPIIT floated proposals to extend 'design' to virtual designs (GUIs, icons, typefaces) and to accede to the Riyadh Design Law Treaty and the Hague Agreement.