Finance Guide

How to Calculate EMI in India — Complete Guide 2026

📅 March 2026⏱ 8 min read

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What is EMI?

EMI stands for Equated Monthly Installment — the fixed amount you pay to a bank every month to repay a loan. Each EMI has two components: principal repayment and interest. In the early months, most of the EMI goes toward interest; as the loan matures, more goes toward principal.

💡 Example: Rs.30 lakh home loan at 8.5% for 20 years → EMI = Rs.26,035/month. Total repayment = Rs.62.5 lakh (interest = Rs.32.5 lakh!)

EMI Formula (Reducing Balance)

EMI = P × r × (1 + r)^n ÷ [(1 + r)^n − 1]

P = Principal loan amount
r = Monthly interest rate = Annual rate ÷ 12 ÷ 100
n = Loan tenure in months

Step-by-Step Calculation

Let us calculate EMI for a Rs.50 lakh home loan at 8.75% for 20 years:

  • P = Rs.50,00,000
  • r = 8.75 ÷ 12 ÷ 100 = 0.007292
  • n = 20 × 12 = 240 months
  • EMI = 50,00,000 × 0.007292 × (1.007292)^240 ÷ [(1.007292)^240 − 1]
  • EMI = Rs. 43,913

Home Loan EMI Rates — March 2026

BankRate RangeEMI on Rs.30L/20yr
SBI8.50–9.15%Rs.26,035
HDFC Bank8.70–9.40%Rs.26,385
ICICI Bank8.75–9.85%Rs.26,474
Axis Bank8.75–13.30%Rs.26,474
Kotak Mahindra8.75–9.60%Rs.26,474

5 Ways to Reduce EMI

  1. Larger down payment — Reduces principal directly.
  2. Longer tenure — 25 yrs vs 20 yrs can reduce EMI by 12-15% (though total interest increases).
  3. Improve CIBIL score — 750+ score gets you 0.25-0.50% lower rate.
  4. Balance transfer — Refinance if current rate is 0.5% above market.
  5. Part-prepayment — Even Rs.50,000 once a year cuts tenure by 2-3 years.

📌 Tax tip: Home loan principal is deductible under 80C (up to Rs.1.5L). Interest under 24b (up to Rs.2L for self-occupied). Under new regime from FY2026-27, 80C is not available — stick with old regime if EMI tax savings matter.

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