Indian Banks Raise Foreign Currency Deposit Rates to Attract NRIs
Written by Emily J. Thompson, Senior Investment Analyst
Updated: Jun 10 2026
0mins
Source: Newsfilter
- Rate Increases: Several Indian banks raised foreign currency deposit rates by up to 350 basis points on Wednesday, with HDFC Bank increasing its three- to five-year deposit rate to 6%, reflecting a strong demand for foreign currency inflows.
- Regulatory Easing: The Reserve Bank of India eased regulatory restrictions last week and will cover the full hedging costs for three- to five-year non-resident deposits, aiming to encourage overseas flows and stabilize the weakening rupee.
- Market Expectations: Other banks are expected to announce new deposit rates this week, with overall foreign currency deposit demand projected to reach $35 billion to $40 billion by September, indicating a pressing need for foreign exchange liquidity in the market.
- Historical Context: The RBI last launched a concessional forex swap facility for non-resident Indians in 2013 during a sharp depreciation of the rupee, with HDFC Bank mobilizing $3.4 billion, highlighting the historical significance and potential impact of current measures.
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Western Asset Intermediate Muni Fund Inc. (The Fund) is a closed-end management investment company. The Fund’s investment objective is to provide common shareholders a high level of current income exempts from regular federal income taxes consistent with prudent investing. Under normal market conditions, the Fund invests at least 80% of its total assets in municipal obligations. The Fund also maintains a dollar-weighted average effective maturity of between three and ten years. Under normal market conditions, the Fund will invest at least 80% of its total assets in debt securities that are, at the time of investment, rated investment grade by a nationally recognized statistical rating organization (NRSRO) or if unrated, of equivalent quality as determined by the investment manager. transportation, health care, power, education, housing, solid waste, leasing, short term investments, and others. The investment manager of the Fund is Legg Mason Partners Fund Advisor, LLC.
About the author
Emily J. Thompson
Emily J. Thompson, a Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) with 12 years in investment research, graduated with honors from the Wharton School. Specializing in industrial and technology stocks, she provides in-depth analysis for Intellectia’s earnings and market brief reports.
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- IPO Delay Reasons: Initially planned for 2016, NSE's IPO was delayed due to regulatory investigations, resulting in a fine of 11 billion rupees (approximately $116.43 million) from the Securities and Exchange Board of India in 2019, with the exchange currently negotiating an out-of-court settlement proposal of about $157 million with the regulator.
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- Pricing Advantage: The 5-year bond is priced at 90 basis points over U.S. Treasuries, yielding 5.0670%, with strong investor demand compressing the spread from an initial guidance of 120 basis points, reflecting increased market confidence.
- Forex Risk Management Support: The RBI's subsidized hedging facility for external commercial borrowings will help banks reduce currency risk management costs, with HDFC Bank's all-in landed cost of funds expected to be around 7%, enhancing its competitiveness in international markets.
- Clear Use of Proceeds: Proceeds from the bond issuance will support overseas branches and subsidiaries, fund growth in offshore businesses, and serve general corporate purposes, demonstrating HDFC Bank's strategic focus on international market expansion.
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- Bond Issuance Details: The bank's bond issuance plan includes a five-year bond with initial price guidance set at 120 basis points over the 5-year U.S. Treasury yield, with expectations that the final cutoff will be below 100 basis points, reflecting strong demand in the book-building process.
- Use of Proceeds: Proceeds from HDFC Bank's bond issuance will be allocated to meet funding requirements for its foreign branches and subsidiaries, as well as to support business development and expansion in international markets, ensuring sustained growth in its global operations.
- Market Expectations: Merchant bankers anticipate inflows of approximately $15 billion to $20 billion through this financing route over the next six months, indicating rising confidence in the Indian banking sector and increasing demand for external financing.
See More
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- Rate Increases: Several Indian banks raised foreign currency deposit rates by up to 350 basis points on Wednesday, with HDFC Bank increasing its three- to five-year deposit rate to 6%, reflecting a strong demand for foreign currency inflows.
- Regulatory Easing: The Reserve Bank of India eased regulatory restrictions last week and will cover the full hedging costs for three- to five-year non-resident deposits, aiming to encourage overseas flows and stabilize the weakening rupee.
- Market Expectations: Other banks are expected to announce new deposit rates this week, with overall foreign currency deposit demand projected to reach $35 billion to $40 billion by September, indicating a pressing need for foreign exchange liquidity in the market.
- Historical Context: The RBI last launched a concessional forex swap facility for non-resident Indians in 2013 during a sharp depreciation of the rupee, with HDFC Bank mobilizing $3.4 billion, highlighting the historical significance and potential impact of current measures.
See More
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- Market Reaction: The Nifty Bank index rose 1.2% in Mumbai, while the benchmark Nifty 50 index only increased by 0.2%, indicating that bank stocks outperformed the broader market significantly.
- Inflows Expectations: Citi Research anticipates that this policy could lead to overseas borrowings of $25 billion to $30 billion, while Jefferies expects overall inflows to reach $50 billion to $70 billion, showcasing strong market confidence in the Indian economy.
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- Market Reaction: The decline in share price reflects a cautious investor sentiment regarding the bank's future performance, potentially leading to short-term capital outflows that could affect its capital adequacy ratio.
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See More
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- Market Share Leadership: As of June 17, 2023, India's National Stock Exchange (NSE) commands approximately 95% market share in cash equity markets and 75% in equity derivatives, reinforcing its dominant position in the Indian financial landscape and solidifying its status as the world's largest derivatives exchange.
- Profitability Analysis: NSE reported a profit of 103 billion Indian rupees (approximately $1.09 billion) for the fiscal year ending March 2026, reflecting a 15% decline from the previous year; however, its revenue has more than doubled from 2019 to 2026, reaching about 187 billion rupees, primarily driven by explosive growth in options trading in India.
- IPO Delay Reasons: Initially planned for 2016, NSE's IPO was delayed due to regulatory investigations, resulting in a fine of 11 billion rupees (approximately $116.43 million) from the Securities and Exchange Board of India in 2019, with the exchange currently negotiating an out-of-court settlement proposal of about $157 million with the regulator.
- Investor Background: Established in 1992 to replace India's fragmented regional exchanges, NSE was initially funded by Indian financial institutions including Life Insurance Corporation of India, IDBI, and State Bank of India, highlighting its significance within the Indian financial system.
See More
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- Bond Issuance Scale: HDFC Bank is set to issue $750 million in dollar bonds, marking the largest deal by an Indian lender since SBI's similar bond sale in May 2023, indicating robust market demand for Indian bank debt.
- Pricing Advantage: The 5-year bond is priced at 90 basis points over U.S. Treasuries, yielding 5.0670%, with strong investor demand compressing the spread from an initial guidance of 120 basis points, reflecting increased market confidence.
- Forex Risk Management Support: The RBI's subsidized hedging facility for external commercial borrowings will help banks reduce currency risk management costs, with HDFC Bank's all-in landed cost of funds expected to be around 7%, enhancing its competitiveness in international markets.
- Clear Use of Proceeds: Proceeds from the bond issuance will support overseas branches and subsidiaries, fund growth in offshore businesses, and serve general corporate purposes, demonstrating HDFC Bank's strategic focus on international market expansion.
See More
HDFC Bank Plans to Raise $500 Million via Dollar Bonds
- Funding Initiative: HDFC Bank, India's largest private lender, is looking to raise at least $500 million through dollar bonds this week, utilizing the central bank's subsidized hedging window for overseas borrowings, indicating a proactive approach to international markets.
- Bond Issuance Details: The bank's bond issuance plan includes a five-year bond with initial price guidance set at 120 basis points over the 5-year U.S. Treasury yield, with expectations that the final cutoff will be below 100 basis points, reflecting strong demand in the book-building process.
- Use of Proceeds: Proceeds from HDFC Bank's bond issuance will be allocated to meet funding requirements for its foreign branches and subsidiaries, as well as to support business development and expansion in international markets, ensuring sustained growth in its global operations.
- Market Expectations: Merchant bankers anticipate inflows of approximately $15 billion to $20 billion through this financing route over the next six months, indicating rising confidence in the Indian banking sector and increasing demand for external financing.
See More
Indian Banks Raise Foreign Currency Deposit Rates to Attract NRIs
- Rate Increases: Several Indian banks raised foreign currency deposit rates by up to 350 basis points on Wednesday, with HDFC Bank increasing its three- to five-year deposit rate to 6%, reflecting a strong demand for foreign currency inflows.
- Regulatory Easing: The Reserve Bank of India eased regulatory restrictions last week and will cover the full hedging costs for three- to five-year non-resident deposits, aiming to encourage overseas flows and stabilize the weakening rupee.
- Market Expectations: Other banks are expected to announce new deposit rates this week, with overall foreign currency deposit demand projected to reach $35 billion to $40 billion by September, indicating a pressing need for foreign exchange liquidity in the market.
- Historical Context: The RBI last launched a concessional forex swap facility for non-resident Indians in 2013 during a sharp depreciation of the rupee, with HDFC Bank mobilizing $3.4 billion, highlighting the historical significance and potential impact of current measures.
See More
Indian Banks' Shares Rise 1% Following New Forex Swap Guidelines
- Forex Swap Policy: The Reserve Bank of India's issuance of concessional forex swap guidelines enables banks to tap overseas borrowings, leading to a more than 1% rise in Indian bank stocks on Tuesday, reflecting positive market sentiment towards the new policy.
- Market Reaction: The Nifty Bank index rose 1.2% in Mumbai, while the benchmark Nifty 50 index only increased by 0.2%, indicating that bank stocks outperformed the broader market significantly.
- Inflows Expectations: Citi Research anticipates that this policy could lead to overseas borrowings of $25 billion to $30 billion, while Jefferies expects overall inflows to reach $50 billion to $70 billion, showcasing strong market confidence in the Indian economy.
- Intensified Deposit Competition: Banks are facing heightened competition for deposits as households shift towards equities and other asset classes, and this policy is expected to improve banks' liability profiles by increasing the share of stable medium-term foreign currency deposits.
See More
State Bank of India Misses Q4 Profit Estimates Amid War Concerns
- Profit Warning: State Bank of India reported fourth-quarter profits that fell short of market expectations, resulting in a nearly 3% drop in share price on Monday, indicating concerns about its profitability that could undermine investor confidence.
- Loan Growth Risks: The bank cautioned that prolonged conflict in Iran may hinder loan growth, which could not only lead to declining future revenues but also impact its market share and competitive position.
- Market Reaction: The decline in share price reflects a cautious investor sentiment regarding the bank's future performance, potentially leading to short-term capital outflows that could affect its capital adequacy ratio.
- Need for Strategic Adjustment: In light of external uncertainties, State Bank of India may need to reassess its lending strategies and risk management practices to ensure stable business growth in a turbulent market environment.
See More
