MUMBAI: Indian central bank’s proposal requiring banks to report their offshore rupee transactions would further tighten the authority’s grip on the currency market, analysts say.
Late Monday, the Reserve Bank of India (RBI), released draft rules, which proposed that lenders disclose foreign-exchange (FX) transactions involving the rupee conducted by their related parties globally.
Such a move would enhance transparency and aid price discovery, the RBI said in a statement.
“The RBI’s thinking seems to be that while they are permitting more liberalisation of the FX market, they also need checks and balances,” said Ritesh Bhansali, deputy chief executive at Mecklai Financial Services Pvt Ltd.
“The regulator doesn’t want loose ends, especially as it opens up FX transactions in overseas markets.”
The RBI has actively intervened in non-deliverable forward markets, with traders often citing its presence before domestic markets open.
Such activity was frequent last year when the rupee slid to record lows under pressure from higher US tariffs and heavy equity outflows.
The central bank’s net short position in the forwards market stood at US$62.35bil in December, partly reflecting offshore intervention to support the local currency.
The step comes amid a surge in offshore trading of the rupee in recent years. — Bloomberg
