Month: July 2025

Context: Why This Matters The RBI is a creation of Parliament, and any surplus it returns must be used with intention and integrity. According to the Preamble of the Indian Constitution, the Republic must secure Justice – social, economic, and political – and the Dignity of the Individual. In that spirit, the dividend must be: – Used only for economic purposes. – Kept out of the general expenditure budget. – Focused on sustainability, corrections, and corrective actions. The central idea: Empower India’s economy from within, reduce external dependency, and honour India’s savings and institutions. Key Proposals at a Glance Capitalising Indian Financial Institutions: – Capitalise 100% Central Government-owned financial institutions through Equity Shares, Preference Shares, and Long-Term Bonds. – Recognise these as Sovereign Special Purpose Vehicles with clearly defined mandates. Reaffirming Sovereignty in Currency and Borrowing: – Clearly declare a list of institutions under Central Government ownership with RBI concurrence. – Mobilise internal savings and eliminate dependence on foreign currency sovereign loans. Five National Resolutions Resolution 1: No More Sovereign Borrowing in Foreign Currency India need not borrow externally. The Indian Rupee, powered by domestic savings and institutional integrity, can support all State functions and capital investments. Resolution 2: Prepayment of Multilateral Borrowings India should repay existing multilateral loans – ahead of schedule, by November 2026. Outcome: – Exit future borrowing from the World Bank, ADB, etc. – Let RBI make rupee provisions and allow specialised institutions to finance Indian projects in Indian currency. Resolution 3: A Strategic Investment Framework – Let Indian banks and financial institutions invest part of their financial assets in global securities. – Propose: – SLR to 22% – 6% to be invested in Multilateral Agency Bonds (in collaboration with RBI and the Ministry of Economic Affairs). Resolution 4: Capital Account Convertibility for National Entities – Expand Current Account transactions in all currencies. – Empower public banks and Indian financial entities to handle capital account convertibility under government guidance. Resolution 5: A Financial Services SEZ Cluster – Establish a Special Economic Financial Cluster under RBI & SEZ Acts. – Locations: Ladakh, Goa, Tiruchirappalli, Bhubaneswar, Bhopal, Mangalore, Chandigarh. – Impose strict capital convertibility regulations to protect Indian interests. India’s Debt Position (Estimated) As of March 2025: ₹181.74 lakh crore As of March 2026: ₹196.78 lakh crore Message: India must handle its finances internally. It can. It should. As of April 4, 2025: Foreign Exchange & Reserve Strategy – Forex Reserves: $676 billion – External Sovereign Debt: ~₹6.18 lakh crore Proposed: – Prepay all external borrowings. – Start purchasing World Bank or equivalent securities with our reserves. – Convert RBI’s holdings of US Treasuries into development securities. – Avoid complex FX hedging by focusing on early repayments and rupee-based asset management. Regulatory Actions: CRR and SLR – CRR Reduction: Reduce to 3%. – SLR Increase: Raise to 22% to absorb and reallocate surplus liquidity meaningfully. Strategic and Policy Coordination To succeed: – Ministry of Economic Affairs and RBI must stay in sync. – Public messaging from key offices (PMO, Cabinet Secretariat, DEA) must be clear and consistent. – Parliamentary approval and transparent debates may be required for legitimacy. Capital Account Convertibility – India’s Next Step This plan is a measured path toward Capital Account Convertibility, echoing the vision of: – Dr. Manmohan Singh – Dr. C. Rangarajan – Dr. Bimal Jalan – Dr. Y.V. Reddy – Dr. Subbarao – Dr. Raghuram Rajan This also gives partial implementation to the Tarapore Committee Reports I & II. Conclusion: Towards a Sovereign Economic Future India does not need to chase global credit ratings when it does not borrow externally. The world needs India as a banker to the world, not merely a borrower. This is the moment. Let the Rupee rise. Let India lead. References 1. Tarapore Committee Report I & II 2. Budget Papers – 3. RBI Bulletins and Publications by Former Governors 4. Contemporary Financial News and Anal ________________________________________________________________________________________________ The above suggestions were sent to the RBI and various other dignitaries on 2nd June 2025