MUMBAI: The RBI on Wednesday slashed key interest rate by 25 basis points, for the second time in a row, to support a shuttering economy hit by reciprocal tariffs imposed by the US.

Following the rate cut, the key policy rate eased to 6 per cent providing relief to home, auto and corporate loan borrowers.

In its last policy in February, RBI had trimmed repo rate by 25 basis points to 6.25 per cent. This rate came after previous rate reduction in May 2020. The last revision of rates happened in February 2023 when the policy rate was hiked by 25 basis points to 6.5 per cent.

The Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) unanimously decided to slash the policy rate by 25 basis points to 6.25 per cent, RBI Governor Sanjay Malhotra said.

RBI has lowered the GDP growth forecast to 6.5 per cent from earlier projection of 6.7 per cent due to global uncertainties.

Last week, US President Donald Trump had announced a hefty 26 per cent reciprocal tariffs on Indian imports, effective April 9.