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Monetary policy transmission in primary and secondary markets: Evidence from Indian government securities

Author

Listed:
  • Swayamshree Barik

    (Indian Institute of Technology Roorkee)

  • Manish K. Singh

    (Indian Institute of Technology Roorkee)

  • Harsh Vardhan

    (xKDR Forum)

Abstract

Central banks aim to achieve price stability by adjusting interest rates to meet their inflation target. However, when a central bank also manages the government debt, tightening policy rates raises borrowing costs, thereby increasing the probability of debt distress. To understand the nature of this trade-off, we examine how policy rate changes by the Reserve Bank of India affect the Government of India's actual borrowing costs. Using monthly data from 2004 to 2025 and an ARDL error-correction framework, we estimate the differential impact of policy rate on both primary and secondary markets and find a clear divergence. In secondary markets, pass-through is gradual and declines with maturity, whereas in the primary markets, transmission is immediate and near-complete, and it remains durably anchored to the policy rate in the long run. We interpret this as a distinctive feature of India's institutional arrangement, where captive investors and the RBI's discretionary authority over auctions keep sovereign borrowing costs closely tied to monetary policy.

Suggested Citation

  • Swayamshree Barik & Manish K. Singh & Harsh Vardhan, 2026. "Monetary policy transmission in primary and secondary markets: Evidence from Indian government securities," Working Papers 48, xKDR.
    • Handle: RePEc:anf:wpaper:48
    as

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    References listed on IDEAS

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    More about this item

    JEL classification:

    • E43 - Macroeconomics and Monetary Economics - - Money and Interest Rates - - - Interest Rates: Determination, Term Structure, and Effects
    • E52 - Macroeconomics and Monetary Economics - - Monetary Policy, Central Banking, and the Supply of Money and Credit - - - Monetary Policy
    • E58 - Macroeconomics and Monetary Economics - - Monetary Policy, Central Banking, and the Supply of Money and Credit - - - Central Banks and Their Policies
    • G12 - Financial Economics - - General Financial Markets - - - Asset Pricing; Trading Volume; Bond Interest Rates
    • H63 - Public Economics - - National Budget, Deficit, and Debt - - - Debt; Debt Management; Sovereign Debt

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