Indian benchmark indices opened higher on Friday ahead of the Reserve Bank of India’s monetary policy decision, while the rupee strengthened by 8 paise to 95.66 against the US dollar in early trade.

The Nifty 50 rose 0.27% to 23,478.95, while the BSE Sensex gained 0.36% or 150 points to 74,629.94 as of 9:15 am.

The RBI is widely expected to keep its key policy rate unchanged at 5.25%, according to a Reuters poll. However, investors will closely watch for any change in the central bank’s policy stance or measures to support the rupee, which has emerged as Asia’s worst-performing currency in 2026 amid a prolonged decline.

All 16 major sectoral indices traded in positive territory. The broader market also advanced, with the Nifty Midcap 100 and Nifty Smallcap 100 indices rising 0.4% and 0.3%, respectively.