TITLE: India's Reserve Bank Issues Reporting Instructions for Authorised Dealer Banks on Foreign Exchange Derivatives
BODY:
On April 27, 2026, the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) issued circular RBI/2026-27/38 A.P. (DIR Series) Circular No. 08, establishing new reporting instructions for Authorised Dealer Category-I (AD Cat-I) banks regarding over-the-counter (OTC) foreign exchange derivative contracts involving the Indian Rupee (INR).
The circular expands existing reporting requirements under the Master Direction – Risk Management and Inter-Bank Dealings (July 5, 2016). AD Cat-I banks must now report all OTC foreign exchange derivative contracts involving INR undertaken globally by their related parties to the Trade Repository of the Clearing Corporation of India Ltd. (CCIL). The directive applies to both deliverable and non-deliverable foreign exchange derivative contracts. Key reporting exemptions include back-to-back arrangements, transactions with other AD Cat-I banks in India, and contracts with notional values not exceeding USD 1 million or equivalent.
The RBI has implemented a phased compliance approach. From July 1, 2027, AD Cat-I banks must report all foreign exchange derivative contracts involving INR undertaken by their parent entities and branches. By the same date, reported transactions must constitute at least 70 percent of the notional value of all foreign exchange derivative contracts involving INR undertaken by related parties other than the parent. This threshold increases to 80 percent by January 1, 2028, and reaches 100 percent by July 1, 2028. Banks must report all relevant transaction elements, including notional value, counterparty name, maturity date, and currency specifications, preferably on the transaction date but within two working days maximum.
The RBI issued these directions under Section 45W of the Reserve Bank of India Act, 1934, and sections 10(4), 11(1), and 11(2) of the Foreign Exchange Management Act, 1999.