RBI has changed the release schedule for India's Balance of Payments (BoP) data. Effective with the April 2026 data published on June 15, 2026, all future monthly BoP statements will be released by the 15th day or earlier of the second subsequent month. This replaces any prior schedule. The change was announced in the same press release that carried the preliminary April 2026 figures.
Release Schedule Change
From now on, BoP data for a given month will be available on or before the 15th of the month after next. For example, May 2026 data must be released by July 15, 2026. This standardisation gives market analysts and policy teams a fixed calendar date to ingest and model external sector data. No transition period has been provided; the new timeline is immediately in force.
Snapshot of April 2026 BoP Data
The April 2026 preliminary data shows a current account surplus of $4.7 billion, compared with a deficit of $4.8 billion in April 2025. Key components: merchandise trade deficit widened to $27.9 billion (from $27.1 billion) on higher imports, while services surplus rose to $18.6 billion (from $15.9 billion). Net transfers more than doubled to $16.0 billion. On the capital account, net foreign portfolio investment outflows deepened to $8.7 billion, and banking capital turned negative at $3.7 billion. The overall balance recorded a deficit of $6.6 billion, partly financed by monetary movements of $6.6 billion.
Teams that track BoP data for compliance with external sector exposure limits or macroeconomic research should update data delivery calendars to align with the new 15th-of-second-subsequent-month deadline. Monitor subsequent releases for any further procedural changes.
Source: Developments in India's Balance of Payments for the Month of April 2026
Domain: rbi.org.in
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