India's forex reserves rise to USD 665.4 billion, major jump in nearly five months: RBI

This significant jump is the highest in nearly five months, after witnessing a period of downturn.

According to RBI data, forex reserves have increased cumulatively by USD 20.1 billion over the past three weeks and by about USD 6.6 billion in the latest reporting week. Experts believe the declines in the last few weeks were caused by foreign investors' shaken confidence in Indian equity markets.

The data shows that the gold reserve, as of March 28, stood at USD 77.793 billion, while the foreign currency assets were at USD 565.014 billion.

On the other hand, the Rupee, during the same period, appreciated by 0.6 per cent against the US dollar.

The appreciation of the Rs is seen as the renewed confidence of foreign investment in the Indian stock markets.

Any decline in reserves is most likely due to RBI intervention, aimed at preventing a sharp depreciation of the Rupee.

Official estimates of the RBI suggest that India's foreign exchange reserves are sufficient to cover approximately 10-11 months of projected imports.

In 2023, India added around USD 58 billion to its foreign exchange reserves, contrasting with a cumulative decline of USD 71 billion in 2022. In 2024, the reserves rose by a little over USD 20 billion.

Foreign exchange reserves, or FX reserves, are assets held by a nation's central bank or monetary authority. They are primarily in reserve currencies such as the US Dollar, with smaller portions in the Euro, Japanese Yen, and Pound Sterling.

The RBI often intervenes by managing liquidity, including selling dollars, to prevent steep Rupee depreciation.

The RBI strategically buys dollars when the Rupee is strong and sells when it weakens.