Poonam Gupta, a prominent economist with global expertise, has been appointed as the new Deputy Governor of the Reserve Bank of India (RBI). Her appointment marks a historic milestone, as she becomes the first woman in over a decade to assume this high-ranking position at India’s central bank. She succeeds Michael Patra, who retired in January 2024.

Gupta brings with her nearly two decades of international experience, having worked with the World Bank, International Monetary Fund (IMF), and most recently as the Director General of NCAER, one of India’s most respected economic policy think tanks. Her addition to the RBI’s Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) comes at a pivotal time, as the central bank shifts toward a more accommodative stance to support India’s economic growth.

Under the leadership of Governor Sanjay Malhotra, the MPC has already reduced interest rates for the first time in five years. Gupta’s views align with reform-driven monetary strategies. She has called for a more flexible exchange rate, updated inflation metrics, and a revised approach to managing foreign exchange reserves. In her recent articles, she emphasized modernizing India's economic frameworks to better absorb global shocks.

Her appointment is expected to significantly influence the RBI’s long-term policy vision, especially ahead of the scheduled 2026 review of the inflation-targeting framework. Gupta’s leadership signals a strategic blend of global insight and domestic policy understanding at a time when India faces both opportunity and uncertainty in its economic landscape.