RBI SAMVAD 2026: International Central Bank Seminar Held in New Delhi
Why in the news
The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) organised SAMVAD 2026, a two-day international seminar for central banks, in New Delhi. It opened on Monday, 19 October 2026, and its second day was held on 20 October.
Key facts
- Organiser: Reserve Bank of India; participants included central bank governors, senior policymakers, international organisations and subject experts.
- Welcome address: RBI Governor Sanjay Malhotra. Keynote: Union Finance and Corporate Affairs Minister Nirmala Sitharaman.
- Themes: monetary policy, artificial intelligence in finance, financial inclusion, financial stability and the evolution of payment systems.
- Purpose: to promote dialogue and cooperation among central banks and to share experiences and best practices.
- Financial inclusion: Chief Economic Adviser V. Anantha Nageswaran said inclusion is not a side goal but central to central banking. Gerald Nyaoma, Deputy Governor of the Central Bank of Kenya, set the context for the inclusion session.
- AI session: NITI Aayog member Abhay Karandikar highlighted India’s progress in AI.
Day 2: Financial stability session
| Speaker | Role | Point made |
|---|---|---|
| Anuradha Thakur | Secretary, Department of Economic Affairs | India meets global uncertainty from a base of macroeconomic stability |
| Poonam Gupta | RBI Deputy Governor | Financial stability is now a policy goal by itself; focus has moved to the whole system, including non-banks |
| Ajay Seth | Chairman, IRDAI | Panellist |
| Yangchen Tshogyel | Governor, Royal Monetary Authority of Bhutan | Panellist |
About the RBI
The RBI is India’s central bank and monetary authority. Its current Governor is Sanjay Malhotra.
Exam angle
- Name of the seminar (SAMVAD 2026) and host city (New Delhi).
- Who gave the welcome and keynote addresses.
- Heads of bodies: IRDAI Chairman Ajay Seth; CEA V. Anantha Nageswaran; DEA Secretary Anuradha Thakur.
- Bhutan’s central bank is the Royal Monetary Authority.