RBI launches 116th Industrial Outlook Survey to track manufacturing momentum

The Reserve Bank of India has launched the 116th round of its quarterly Industrial Outlook Survey, seeking direct assessment from manufacturing companies across the country to track operational sentiment and business conditions.

The reference period for the current survey covers the third quarter of the 2026-27 financial year, spanning October to December 2026. Beyond evaluating immediate performance, the exercise gathers industry expectations for the fourth quarter running from January to March 2027, alongside outlook assessments extending into the first two quarters of the 2027-28 fiscal year.

Tracking core manufacturing metrics

Participating enterprises are asked to provide qualitative feedback across primary operational indicators. These include overall demand conditions, access to finance, employment trends, and pricing structures.

The data gathered provides the central bank with early indicators of production health, order books, capacity utilisation, and supply chain stability. This real-time visibility into corporate performance supports calibrated macroeconomic planning as the domestic industrial sector continues its steady expansion.

Data collection and firm participation

The Reserve Bank has authorised Genesis Management & Market Research Pvt. Ltd. to conduct the field survey for the October-December 2026 reference period on its behalf.

In addition to the targeted sample approached directly by the agency, the RBI has opened the process to broader corporate participation. Other manufacturing firms wishing to contribute can download the survey questionnaire directly from the central bank website under the dedicated survey section and submit completed forms by email.

Supporting stable policy formulation

All corporate responses collected during the exercise remain strictly confidential. The RBI publishes the consolidated findings in summary form on its website, ensuring that individual firm identities and specific commercial data are never disclosed.

By systematically aggregating ground-level intelligence from manufacturers, the RBI maintains a comprehensive view of business confidence across key industrial hubs. The survey outcomes form an essential component of the statistical backdrop used by policymakers to evaluate growth stability, credit demand, and domestic economic resilience.