MUMBAI: Information technology has become a core function of RBI, with secure, sovereign data centres and cybersecurity capabilities increasingly critical to the resilience of the financial system as AI transforms technology, governor Sanjay Malhotra said.
In an interview with Doordarshan following the inauguration of RBI’s new data centre and Cybersecurity Training Institute in Bhubaneswar by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Malhotra said the central bank needed to strengthen its technological infrastructure while keeping pace with emerging technologies.
“IT no longer is a support function. It is a very core function because it is from where all our applications for the general public, for our own use, and for consumers run,” he said.
The data centre will host applications supporting critical payment systems (NEFT & RTGS), govt banking operations and services for consumers of regulated financial entities. While the National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI) operates the Unified Payments Interface (UPI), settlement ultimately takes place through the data centres and applications built by RBI, Malhotra said.
The sovereign data centre, with four independent facilities and Tier IV accreditation, will improve efficiency, uptime and resilience.
RBI has also applied for a platinum green-building rating, using local materials to blend with the surroundings. Two-thirds of the Bhubaneswar site houses a cybersecurity training institute, reflecting AI-driven security risks.
Inaugurating the facility, PM Modi stressed secure digital infrastructure and technological self-reliance. Finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman said it would house critical systems, including RTGS/NEFT, while building expertise in cybersecurity and emerging technologies. RBI aims to strengthen indigenous technology in support of India’s 2047 development goal.