The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has launched the 75th round of its Order Books, Inventories and Capacity Utilisation Survey (OBICUS) for the July to September 2026 quarter. The survey collects detailed data on new orders, backlog, inventories, production, and capacity utilisation from manufacturing companies, providing key inputs for monetary policy decisions, according to rbi.org.in.
Conducted quarterly since 2008, OBICUS targets selected manufacturing firms each round, but other companies can also participate by downloading the questionnaire from the RBI website. The survey gathers quantitative data on new orders received, pending orders, finished goods, work-in-progress, and raw material inventories, as well as production volumes relative to installed capacity. The RBI estimates capacity utilisation levels based on these responses.
The OBICUS survey plays a crucial role in assessing the manufacturing sector's performance and capacity constraints, informing RBI’s monetary policy formulation. By tracking order books and inventory levels, the survey helps gauge demand conditions and production bottlenecks. This data complements other economic indicators to provide a comprehensive view of industrial activity in India.
The RBI regularly publishes the survey findings on its website, offering transparency and data access to stakeholders. The latest round’s results will be available following data collection from the July–September 2026 period. Companies interested in participating can access the questionnaire under the ‘Forms’ section on the RBI’s official site.