India’s Gold Reserves Surpass $100 Billion Amid Global Rally

India's Gold reserves have crossed the $100 billion mark for the first time, driven not by aggressive central bank purchases but by the metal's relentless global price surge. The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) added just 4 metric tons in the first nine months of 2025—a stark slowdown from 50 tons during the same period in 2024.

Gold now constitutes 14.7% of India's total foreign reserves, the highest share since the late 1990s. This rebalancing occurred despite a $2.18 billion drop in overall reserves, now standing at $697.78 billion. Market analysts attribute the shift entirely to gold's blistering rally rather than accumulation strategy.

The World Gold Council notes this marks a structural change for a nation that methodically increased gold's reserve share from 7% to 15% over a decade. Friday's 1% dip in gold futures to $4,250/oz barely dented the year's parabolic ascent—a trend that's rewriting central bank balance sheets globally.