Rupee-Denominated Overseas Bonds to Boost Investment: Jaitley

New Delhi: The Reserve Bank of India on Tuesday allowed domestic corporates to raise funds from overseas market in rupee-denominated bonds, a move Finance Minister Arun Jaitley said will provide additional source of funding and boost investment in the economy.

In its fourth bimonthly monetary policy, the RBI said it has been decided to permit corporates to issue rupee-denominated bonds, often referred to as 'masala bonds', with a minimum maturity of five years at overseas locations within the ceiling of foreign investment permitted in corporate debt of $51 billion.

Commenting on the move, Mr Jaitley said, "Indian corporate would also now be able to raise ECB (external commercial borrowing) through rupee denominated off-shore bond with no end use restriction."

This would provide additional source of raising resources, which would be fully hedged as they are denominated in rupees, the Finance Minister said.

The RBI policy, he said, will boost confidence and investment.

There is an appetite of rupee denominated bonds in the overseas markets, Economic Affairs Secretary Shaktikanta Das said.

"The rupee denominated bonds, since the entire bond would be raised rupees and repayment would also in rupee, there is inherent hedging because the exchange rate fluctuation that risk doesn't exist," Mr Das said.

It's after extensive consultation that this has been announced by the RBI, Mr Das added.

The RBI said there will be no restriction on the end use of funds except a small negative list.

The framework for the rupee denominated bonds will be announced separately, it said.

As per the draft ECB norms, the currency risk with regard to rupee denominated ECB lies with the lender or investor and hence the modified framework provides for minimal control for these borrowings.