India, Aug. 5 -- The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) on August 5 kept the benchmark repo rate unchanged at 5.25% for the fourth consecutive policy meeting, citing volatile energy prices, supply disruptions linked to the ongoing West Asia crisis and broader geopolitical uncertainties. While the decision provides greater certainty on borrowing costs for homebuyers and developers, real estate experts cautioned that rising input and construction costs are likely to be passed on to buyers, pushing up apartment prices despite stable home loan rates.

Experts said the affordable housing segment remains highly sensitive to interest rates, and with average residential prices across the top cities continuing to rise by around 7% annually, rate stabilit...