Central Bank of India has announced the record date for its third interim dividend payment for the financial year 2025-26. The PSU institutional lender informed stock exchanges on Monday, January 19, 2026, that the board of directors has fixed Friday, January 23, 2026 as the record date for determining shareholder entitlement to the dividend payment.

Dividend Details

The bank's board approved the third interim dividend on January 16, 2026, during a meeting held in Mumbai. The dividend announcement includes specific parameters for eligible shareholders.

Investors looking to receive the dividend payment must hold shares in the bank by the predetermined record date. Every eligible shareholder will receive ₹0.20 for each share owned in the company.

Share Price Performance

Central Bank of India shares were trading at ₹38.34 as of 3:07 p.m. IST on Monday, January 19, 2026, representing a decline of 0.62% from the previous market close of ₹38.58. The bank's market capitalisation stood at ₹34,694.02 crore during the trading session.

Stock Trading Range

The PSU bank's shares have experienced significant price movements over the past year. The stock reached its 52-week high of ₹55.50 on January 20, 2025, while the 52-week low was recorded at ₹32.75 on May 9, 2025. Despite the recent dividend announcement, shares showed mixed performance with long-term gains offset by recent yearly declines.

The dividend payment represents the bank's third interim distribution for the current financial year, demonstrating the institution's commitment to returning value to shareholders through regular dividend payments.

The Reserve Bank of India has recommended that BRICS countries establish connections between their central bank digital currencies (CBDCs) to facilitate cross-border trade and tourism payments, according to two sources familiar with the proposal. This initiative could potentially reduce dependence on the US dollar amid escalating geopolitical tensions.

BRICS Summit Proposal

The RBI has suggested to the government that this CBDC linkage proposal be included on the agenda for the 2026 BRICS summit, which India will host. If accepted, this would mark the first time such a digital currency connection proposal has been formally presented to BRICS members, which include Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa, among other newer additions.

Current CBDC Development Status

While none of the BRICS members have fully launched their digital currencies, all five main members are operating pilot projects. India's digital currency, the e-rupee, has demonstrated significant adoption since its launch.

The RBI has encouraged e-rupee adoption through several mechanisms including offline payment capabilities, programmability for government subsidy transfers, and partnerships with fintech firms for digital currency wallet services.

Implementation Challenges

Successful BRICS digital currency linkages would require addressing multiple complex elements. Key discussion topics include interoperable technology platforms, governance frameworks, and mechanisms to manage imbalanced trade volumes between member countries.

Sources indicate that member countries' reluctance to adopt technological platforms from other nations could delay implementation progress. Concrete advancement would necessitate consensus on both technological standards and regulatory frameworks.

To address potential trade imbalances, bilateral foreign exchange swap arrangements between central banks are being explored. Weekly or monthly transaction settlements through these swap mechanisms have been proposed as a potential solution.

Historical Context and Challenges

Previous attempts at alternative payment systems between BRICS members have encountered obstacles. Russia and India's efforts to increase trade in local currencies faced difficulties when Russia accumulated substantial Indian rupee balances with limited usage options, leading the RBI to permit investment of such balances in local bonds.

The BRICS organization, founded in 2009 by Brazil, Russia, India, and China, later expanded to include South Africa and has since added newer members including the United Arab Emirates, Iran, and Indonesia. Past initiatives to create major economic alternatives, such as a proposed common BRICS currency floated by Brazil, were subsequently abandoned.

Strategic Positioning

The RBI's proposal builds upon a 2025 BRICS summit declaration in Rio de Janeiro that emphasized interoperability between members' payment systems for enhanced cross-border transaction efficiency. The RBI has publicly expressed interest in connecting India's digital rupee with other nations' CBDCs to accelerate international transactions and expand the currency's global usage.

Despite these initiatives, the RBI maintains that efforts to promote the rupee's international use are not specifically aimed at promoting de-dollarization. The central bank continues positioning the e-rupee as a safer, more regulated alternative amid global concerns about stablecoin adoption and associated risks to monetary stability and banking intermediation.