Key Details
The 28th edition of the Handbook of Statistics on the Indian Economy consolidates official macroeconomic and financial data across 245 statistical tables, with updates reflecting recent changes in India's statistical framework.
Area | Key Development |
|---|---|
Publication | RBI released the 2025–26 edition of the Handbook of Statistics on the Indian Economy. |
Coverage | 245 tables covering national income, prices, banking, government finances, external sector, infrastructure, employment and social indicators. |
Data frequency | Annual, quarterly, monthly and higher-frequency statistical series. |
New additions | Four new statistical tables added in this edition. |
Statistical transition | Published after adoption of 2022–23 as the new base year for national accounts and the Index of Industrial Production. |
Access | Most datasets are also available through the Database on Indian Economy (DBIE) and the RBIDATA mobile application. |
A Single Reference Point for India's Economic Data
The RBI's 2025–26 Handbook of Statistics on the Indian Economy brings together long-run and current official datasets that are otherwise dispersed across multiple publications. Covering national income, prices, banking, public finance, trade and financial markets, it serves as a consolidated reference for researchers, policymakers and analysts tracking India's economic performance.
New Base Years Require Greater Care in Data Comparisons
This edition assumes added significance because it follows India's transition to 2022–23 as the new base year for national accounts and the Index of Industrial Production. As different statistical series are updated at different times, users must pay close attention to base years, methodology and coverage before comparing data across periods or combining figures from different tables.
The Handbook Supports Analysis Rather Than Interpretation
The publication provides official statistical series but does not offer assessments of economic conditions or policy. Its primary value lies in enabling users to analyse long-term trends, compare sectors, examine macroeconomic developments and identify the official datasets that underpin economic research and policymaking.
Policy Relevance
Strengthens India's statistical infrastructure by consolidating official economic and financial datasets in one reference publication.
Supports evidence-based policymaking through consistent long-run macroeconomic and financial data.
Highlights the importance of statistical comparability during the transition to new national-accounts and industrial-production base years.
Improves transparency and accessibility by making official datasets available through the Handbook, DBIE and RBIDATA.
Provides the statistical foundation for economic research, fiscal analysis and monetary policy assessment.
Relevant Question for Policy Stakeholders: How can India's official statistical system improve comparability across datasets as different indicators transition to updated methodologies and base years?
Follow the Full Report here: Handbook of Statistics on Indian Economy 2025 - 2026