The Reserve Bank of India cut repo rates four times in 2025. This should be a matter of rejoicing for home loan borrowers. When repo rates fall, banks usually lower lending rates too. But in reality, the benefit has not reached everyone equally, and many borrowers have seen little or no relief
So, has your bank fully passed on the benefit of these rate cuts to you? Let’s understand what is happening, how it affects your loan, and what steps you can take to reduce the interest you pay.
RBI repo rate cut in 2025
Throughout 2025, the RBI reduced the repo rate, i.e the rate at which it lends to banks four times, cutting it by a total of 125 basis points (1.25%). The repo rate today stands at 5.25%.
Here’s the timeline of repo rate cuts
| Date of Adjustment | Repo Rate Change | New Repo Rate |
| February 2025 | -25 bps | 6.25% |
| April 2025 | -25 bps | 6.00% |
| June 2025 | -50 bps | 5.50% |
| December 2025 | -25 bps | 5.25% |
Lower repo rates make it cheaper for banks to borrow funds from RBI. In turn, banks can lend to customers or loan-takers at lower rates.
What does it mean for you as a home loan borrower?
These rate cuts directly benefit both new and existing borrowers.
- If you have a floating-rate home loan, your EMI should fall when RBI cuts the repo rate as banks/lenders should cut your interest rate too.
- If you’re planning to take a new loan, this is one of the most attractive times in recent years to lock in a lower rate before borrowing costs potentially rise again.
However, while the RBI reduced rates sharply, not every lender passed on the benefit.
Has your bank passed on the rate cut benefit?
Banks and lenders have responded differently to the RBI’s rate cuts. Some have passed on the benefits to customers, while others are yet to do so. The extent of benefit you receive depends on the type of lender you have taken your loan from.
Here is a clear breakdown of how each lender category has passed on the rate cut benefits to customers, on average:
| Lender Type | Avg ROI (Jan 2025) | Avg ROI (Jan 2026) | Change (bps) |
| Public Sector Banks | 8.60% | 7.44% | -116 |
| Private Banks | 8.86% | 7.80% | -112 |
| Housing Finance Companies (HFCs) | 10.04% | 9.28% | -76 |
| Non‑Banking Finance Companies (NBFCs) | 9.04% | 8.74% | -30 |
| Small Finance Banks | 9.87% | 9.87% | 0 |
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Please note : The interest rate offered by the bank also depends on your credit score and customer profile.
What this means for you?
PSBs offered strong relief, with rates falling by about 1.16%. This should reduce your EMI or loan tenure. Private banks offered similar relief at around 1.12%.
HFCs provided moderate benefit (0.76%).
However, NBFCs and Small Finance Banks offered little to no relief, and their borrowers may still be paying close to the original rates.
What is loan refinancing?
Loan refinancing means taking a new loan to replace your existing one, usually another lender, on better terms like a lower interest rate or shorter tenure. The new loan pays off your old loan in full, and you then continue repaying only the new loan under the revised conditions.
Loan refinancing your loan to a cheaper lender lets you:
- Reduce your EMI
- Keep EMIs steady but shorten tenure, cutting total interest cost and closing your loan earlier.
Either way, you can save your money.
However, it is important to remember that refinancing also comes with certain costs, such as processing fees and login or application fees.
- Processing fee: Usually around 0.25% to 1% of the loan amount
- Login/Application fee: Typically between ₹3,500 and ₹10,000
These charges should be considered before deciding whether refinancing is truly beneficial for you.
Should you refinance your loan if your bank has not passed the repo rate cut benefit to you?
If your bank hasn’t passed on the rate cuts, or if your loan rate remains above market averages, a home loan balance transfer/ loan refinancing could be a smart option to consider.
Let’s understand this with example
Imagine you have a floating-rate home loan of ₹50 lakh for 20 years from a NBFC.
- Current interest rate: 9.5% interest (minimal rate cuts passed on)
- Current EMI: ₹46,607
- Total interest around ₹62 lakh over time.
Refinancing opportunity
PSB : 7.9% p.a.
Private Bank : 8.3% p.a.
Here are some cost that refinance may entail
| Fee Type | Low End | High End |
| Login/Application Fee | ₹3,500 | ₹10,000 |
| Processing Fee | ₹12,500 (0.25%) + 18% GST | ₹50,000 (1%)+ 18% GST |
| Legal/Valuation/CERSAI | ₹3,000 | ₹15,000 |
| Total Cost | ₹21,000 | ₹88,000 |
If you choose to reduce your EMI amount:
| Metric | Current NBFC (9.5%) | Refinancing with PSB (7.9%) | Refinancing with Private (8.3%) |
| EMI | ₹46,607 | ₹41,511 | ₹42,760 |
| Monthly Saving | – | ₹5,095 | ₹3,846 |
| Total Interest | ₹61.86L | ₹49.63L | ₹52.62L |
| Interest saved | – | ₹12.23L | ₹9.23L |
| Net savings (after refinancing costs) | – | ₹11.35L – ₹12.02L | ₹8.35L – ₹9.02L |
If you choose to reduce your tenure while keeping your EMI amount same:
| Metric | Current NBFC (9.5%) | PSB (7.9%) | Private (8.3%) |
| Tenure (Years) | 20.0 | 15.6 | 16.4 |
| Total Interest | ₹61.86L | ₹37.01L | ₹41.61L |
| Gross Saving | – | ₹24.84L | ₹20.24L |
| Net savings (after refinancing costs) | – | ₹24.63L – ₹23.96L | ₹20.03L – ₹19.36L |
EMI vs tenure: What is best for you?
Financial planners often recommend shortening your loan tenure over lowering EMI when rates drop. A typical 1% rate cut might trim just ₹4,000-5,000 off your monthly EMI, but keeping EMI steady could shave 3-4 years off a 20-year loan. This could save lakhs or more in total interest.
That said, if cash flow is tight or income varies, pick the lower EMI for immediate relief and flexibility.
To sum up
- Shorten tenure if you can afford current EMI (max long-term savings).
- Lower EMI if the monthly budget needs breathing room (eases present stress).
How can a Qualified Financial Advisor (QFA) help you?
A Qualified Financial Advisor (QFA) can help you evaluate whether transferring or restructuring your loan truly makes sense. Instead of making a quick decision based only on rate differences, a QFA considers your entire financial picture.
They can help you:
- Calculate real savings after processing fees and charges,
- Decide whether to focus on reducing EMI or tenure, and
- Integrate the loan with your overall plan, including investment, insurance, and tax strategies.
Just as importantly, they’ll warn you if it’s too late in your loan term to benefit meaningfully from a transfer, preventing you from making a move that looks good on paper but saves little in practice.
Conclusion
The RBI’s 2025 rate cuts have made borrowing significantly more affordable, at least for those whose lenders have passed on the benefits. With inflation stable and growth expected to accelerate, interest rates are likely to stay low in the near term, but not forever.
If you’re planning to buy a home or refinance your existing loan, now is a compelling time to act. Compare rates, check transfer offers, and talk to a financial expert to find what truly saves you the most.
A smart decision today could save you lakhs in future interest, and bring you one step closer to a debt‑free, financially confident future.
