“Rupee Goes Global: RBI’s Plot Twist Leaves Dollar Speechless!” 💸🎬
What happened?
The Reserve Bank of India basically slid a note under BRICS’ door saying, “Hey, you can now pay us in rupees directly—no need to drag the dollar into this awkward dinner.”
No more long RBI approvals for Vostro accounts. Foreign banks can just open them, keep rupees, and even spend them on Indian government bonds. It’s like giving your neighbor the keys to your fridge and telling them, “Help yourself to the biryani.”
Market Impact (Translated from Finance-ese to Human)
1. Rupee Demand Goes Up 📈
More countries will need rupees for trade. INR might strut into the forex market like it just bought a new kurta for Diwali.
2. Bond Markets Get New Fans 📜
Foreigners can now buy Indian government securities with their rupee stash. Think of it as NRI uncles suddenly deciding they love your local cricket team.
3. Trade Gets Cheaper & Faster 🚚
If India and Russia trade in rupees, they skip all the currency conversion drama. It’s basically online dating for currencies—no middleman, no weird catfish dollar in between.
4. Geopolitics Gets Spicy 🌶️
This comes right after the U.S. slapped tariffs on India. RBI’s move is like India saying, “Fine, I’ll cook my own food and invite my BRICS friends over.”
5. Reality Check 🛑
The dollar is still the big boss at the party. The rupee’s just learning how to dance in the middle of the floor without spilling chai on itself.
Liquidity & convertibility limits: While beneficial, SRVAs don’t guarantee widespread rupee adoption. Cross-border currency infrastructure and deep liquidity remain bottlenecks.
Limited scale for now: As of late 2024, SRVAs held roughly ₹134.55 billion (~$1.6B). That’s a drop in the ocean compared to broader trade or FX markets.
FX volatility persists: INR’s volatility and convertibility issues still deter some long-term participants.
picture credit - @Ohi Hassan Choudhury