Now Reading: India holds 880 tonnes of gold, less than US, Europe
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India holds 880 tonnes of gold, less than US, Europe
India had 880 tonnes of gold in its central bank reserves as of December 2025, according to World Gold Council data. While this puts India among the world's largest official gold holders,…
India had 880 tonnes of gold in its central bank reserves as of December 2025, according to World Gold Council data. While this puts India among the world's largest official gold holders, its share of total reserves is 17.7%, lower than in many developed economies. Japan holds 846 tonnes (8.7% of reserves) and Australia 80 tonnes, while Switzerland has 1,040 tonnes (13.6%).
The United States is the largest gold holder globally with 8,133 tonnes, making up 82.4% of its reserves. Germany has 3,350 tonnes (82.2%), France 2,437 tonnes (79.9%), and Italy 2,452 tonnes (79.3%). China holds 2,306 tonnes but gold accounts for only 8.6% of its total reserves due to large foreign exchange holdings.
The UK holds just 310 tonnes, yet gold's share of its reserves is 20.3%, higher than India's. The data shows countries like the US and European nations keep a large portion of reserves in gold, while India, China, and Japan diversify with foreign currency and other assets to maintain economic stability.
Indian Opinion Analysis
India's gold holding of 880 tonnes ranks eighth globally but its reserve share of 17.7% is well below the 50-80% range typical of advanced economies. The RBI has been actively adding gold since 2017, buying around 50-60 tonnes annually, partly to diversify away from dollar-denominated assets. The key question for policymakers is whether to increase the gold share closer to global norms, which would require either more purchases or a decline in forex reserves. Next signal: the RBI's monthly gold purchase data for Q1 2026, expected in April, will show if the buying pace continues.
Source: bazaar.businesstoday.in
This story was synthesised by AI from the source linked above.
