The Reserve Bank of India governor reiterated that India's exchange rate policy remains unchanged. RBI does not target any specific level or band; instead, we allow the exchange rate to be determined by market forces, he said. The exchange rate may sometimes witness movements, often caused by speculative pressures, especially in the wake of heightened uncertainty, that are not in sync with fundamentals and are disruptive of economic activity. While the central banks' objective is not to resist market-driven adjustments, it will curb excessive volatility and prevent disorderly market movements, he added. Foreign exchange reserves provide a strong buffer against external shocks and we have a broad range of regulatory and market-based instruments to respond effectively as may be required. In this regard, RBI remain vigilant and are fully prepared to do whatever it takes to preserve orderly market conditions, the RBI governor noted.
The central bank governor noted that India's foreign exchange reserves stood at a healthy US$ 682.3 billion, adequate in terms of the standard metrics of reserve adequacy including import cover (about 11 months) and external debt (89.1 per cent). Various policy initiatives including the recent agreements with major trading partners, opening the insurance sector to 100 per cent FDI, ethanol blending program, push for energy transition, easing of FDI restrictions for land-bordering countries, liberalisation of the ECB framework, and several others are expected to strengthen our balance of payments, he said.
Powered by Capital Market - Live News