RBI Statutory Liquidity Ratio (SLR) — current rate & full history
Quick answerThe RBI Statutory Liquidity Ratio (SLR) is currently 18.00% of net demand and time liabilities (as of June 2026), held there since 11 April 2020 after a 25 bps-per-quarter glide path that began in January 2019. SLR is the minimum share of deposits banks must keep in safe, liquid assets — mainly government securities — supporting solvency and G-sec demand.
The chart above is a visual summary; the table below carries the same RBI SLR figures so they are readable without JavaScript — for accessibility and AI answer engines.
Every change — SLR history data table
| Effective | SLR | Note |
| Pre-2019 | 19.50% | Baseline before the announced 25 bps/quarter glide path |
| 5 Jan 2019 | 19.25% | Glide path begins (-25 bps) |
| 13 Apr 2019 | 19.00% | -25 bps |
| 6 Jul 2019 | 18.75% | -25 bps |
| 12 Oct 2019 | 18.50% | -25 bps |
| 4 Jan 2020 | 18.25% | -25 bps |
| 11 Apr 2020 | 18.00% | Final tranche - current level, held since |
What it means for bankers
The SLR sets a floor on how much of each bank’s deposits must sit in safe, liquid assets — cash, gold and RBI-approved securities, in practice mostly government securities (G-secs). Because these assets earn a return (unlike CRR balances), the SLR doubles as a structural source of demand for government borrowing. A lower SLR frees banks to deploy more into commercial lending and other investments; a higher SLR ties up balance sheet in sovereign paper. The phased reduction to 18.00% gave banks more headroom while keeping a strong liquidity and solvency buffer. SLR works on the quantity of lendable funds, complementing the price signal of the repo rate.
SLR FAQ
What is the current RBI SLR (Statutory Liquidity Ratio)?
The RBI Statutory Liquidity Ratio is 18.00% of net demand and time liabilities as of June 2026. It has been held at 18.00% since 11 April 2020, the final step of a 25 basis-point-per-quarter glide path that began in January 2019.
What is the Statutory Liquidity Ratio and why does it matter?
The SLR is the minimum share of a bank's net demand and time liabilities that it must hold in safe, liquid assets such as cash, gold and approved government securities. It safeguards bank solvency, channels funds toward government borrowing, and acts as a quantitative liquidity tool alongside the CRR.
How is SLR different from CRR?
SLR is held by the bank itself in approved liquid assets such as government securities, which earn a return, while the Cash Reserve Ratio (CRR) must be parked as cash with the RBI and earns no interest. Both are computed on net demand and time liabilities.
When did the RBI last change the SLR?
The last change took SLR to 18.00% effective 11 April 2020; it has been unchanged since.
Methodology & sources: see how BankPulse dashboards are sourced, verified & updated · machine-readable SLR JSON feed.
Source: RBI press releases & Monetary Policy statements,
rbi.org.in. We never reproduce RBI text verbatim. Reviewed by
Vikram Jain. Last updated 19 Jun 2026, 02:49 IST.