India's ₹ defence poses a big question for Mint Street

The Reserve Bank of India is enhancing its defenses to stabilize the rupee, implementing some of its most robust measures since the 2013 taper tantrum. This may provide a boost to the currency as trading resumes on Monday, but the central bank's willingness to take further action as external pressures mount remains uncertain. The RBI introduced a dollar window for state-owned oil refiners and a reserve requirement for foreign-exchange derivatives, similar to one utilized by China's central bank.

These measures follow the RBI's recent interest rate hike and signals that it is open to additional monetary tightening. Analysts anticipate the rupee will rally when trading resumes on Monday, with the RBI expected to defend the 97-per-dollar level. However, sustaining these gains may prove challenging, as high oil prices and the withdrawal of more than $30 billion from Indian equities this year pose ongoing risks.

RBI Governor Sanjay Malhotra acknowledged the rupee's undervaluation on some measures, stating that markets can be irrational in the short term. The latest steps target demand in the foreign-exchange derivatives market, introducing a foreign-exchange risk reserve requiring lenders to hold the rupee equivalent of 20% of the notional value of each derivative transaction exceeding $2 million.

While these measures aim to stabilize the rupee, they may also increase hedging costs for companies seeking to manage their currency exposure.