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Indian economy faces crosswinds with mounting global shocks

Economists warn that the finance ministry’s projected gross domestic product (GDP) growth of 6.3% to 6.8% for FY26 could come under pressure as global headwinds, rising geopolitical tensions, volatile capital flows, trade disruptions and weak private investment intensify. On the domestic front, India must address challenges in private sector investment and weak urban demand. Trump’s tariffs hit export-heavy Asian economies like China and Vietnam harder than India, which leans more on domestic consumption. Also read: CBDT probes crypto-related tax evasion Still, headwinds at home led chief economic advisor V. Anantha...
Currencies

India’s Foreign Exchange Reserves: 11 Months of Import Cover

India's foreign exchange reserves stand at USD 658.8 billion, enough to cover 11 months of imports, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman informed the Rajya Sabha.New Delhi, Apr 1 (PTI) India is the fourth largest country to hold foreign exchange reserves of USD 658.8 billion, enough to meet the country's imports for 11 months, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman told the Rajya Sabha on Tuesday.Replying to supplementaries during the question hour, she assured members of their concerns on the foreign exchange reserves and the current account deficit."I want to assure you that total...
Currencies

Govt wants rupee stability; RBI may again aggressively defend the currency

There is no change in the forex policy of the central bank despite several quarters believing that under the new governor Sanjay Malhotra, RBI would not aggressively defend the rupee, said the official, citing discussions between the government and the RBI on the currency slide. The Indian rupee has weakened about 3.5% against the dollar in the past six months to 86.88 on 7 March, as per data from Bloomberg. By comparison, the Chinese Yuan and the Japanese Yen weakened 1.7% and 0.7%, respectively, during the period. “The government does...
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Big gain for NRIs: Finance Bill 2025 widens IFSC tax exemptions to include FPIs, boosting foreign investments

A quiet yet transformative shift is underway in India’s financial ecosystem. The International Financial Services Centre (IFSC), once a niche jurisdiction catering exclusively to cross-border financial services, is now at the heart of policy reforms designed to attract global investors. The latest development comes with the Finance Bill 2025, which introduces key tax exemptions poised to reshape investment dynamics within the IFSC framework. The IFSC, defined under Section 2(q) of the Special Economic Zone Act, 2005, is a jurisdiction that facilitates financial services to both non-residents and residents, provided the...