RBI to conduct $10 billion forex swap to inject liquidity

The Reserve Bank on Friday announced a huge $10 billion dollar-rupee swap auction program to inject durable liquidity into the banking system.

The USD/INR Buy/Sell swap auction of $10 billion for a tenor of 3 years will be conducted on February 28, the central bank said in a statement.

The swap is in the nature of a simple buy/sell foreign exchange swap from the Reserve Bank.

A bank shall sell US dollars to the Reserve Bank and simultaneously agree to buy the same amount of US dollars at the end of the swap period.

"In order to meet the durable liquidity needs of the system, the Reserve Bank has decided to inject Rupee liquidity for a longer duration through long-term USD/INR Buy/Sell swap. Accordingly, the Reserve Bank will be conducting a USD/INR Buy/Sell swap auction of $10 billion for a tenor of 3 years," the central bank said.

In January also, the RBI had announced a liquidity injection worth over ₹1.5 lakh crore through different instruments, including a $5 billion forex swap.