On May 31, 2024, TOI reported the news about RBI bringing back 100 tonnes (1 lakh kilograms) of gold from UK bank vaults to its Indian domestic vaults. Post 1991 economic crisis, this is the first large-scale gold transfer that’s being done by India
As per RBI annual report, RBI’s gold reserves as of 31.03.2024 was 822.1 tonnes out of which,
a) Held in India were: 408.31 tonnes (308.03 tonnes as backing for Notes Issued and balance 100.28 tones held as asset of Banking Department)
b) Held Abroad were: 413.79 tonnes were held abroad as asset of Banking Department
Subsequently, in month of June 2024, RBI Governor in an Interview to TOI said " In recent years, Reserve Bank is buying gold as a part of its reserves and the hence quantum was going up. We have domestic (storage) capacity and it was decided to move part of the reserve outside India to be stored within the country. That's it. Nothing more should be read into it".