2013 FCNR(B) Swap Scheme
Historical Precedent
The current episode directly echoes the RBI's response to the 2013 "taper tantrum," when concerns over the US Federal Reserve tapering its bond-buying programme triggered a sharp sell-off in emerging-market currencies, including the rupee.
- Then-RBI Governor Raghuram Rajan, on taking charge in September 2013, opened a swap window offering banks a fixed rate of 3.5% for three-year FCNR(B) deposits, to attract dollar inflows
- Between September and November 2013, banks raised roughly $34 billion in total — around $26-27 billion via FCNR(B) deposits and $7-8 billion via external commercial borrowings (ECBs)
- The rupee had fallen to a then-record low of 68.85 per US dollar on August 28, 2013, before the scheme helped stabilise it
● Tracked since July 27, 2026 · last seen September 21, 2026 · updates as the daily brief publishes
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