India, Sept. 30 -- The Reserve Bank of India's repo rate decision on Wednesday is going to be a close call, amid benign inflation and still robust economic growth in the face of 50% US tariffs on India.

While a majority of economists-24 of 39 surveyed by Bloomberg News-predict the RBI repo rate to stay at 5.5%, 15 expect a quarter-point reduction. Even many of those forecasting a hold say there's justification to ease.

The six-member monetary policy committee, led by RBI Governor Sanjay Malhotra, will need to juggle a number of competing objectives this week.

So far this year, the RBI has reduced the repo rate by 100 basis points in three tranches but opted for a status quo at the last MPC meeting in August.

"We believe it is a close ...