India's banking system liquidity surplus has narrowed to ₹75,483 crore amid advance tax outflows of Rs 2 lakh crore and forex market interventions. Money market rates rose as a result, leading the Reserve Bank of India to conduct a repo operation. Economists estimate the RBI sold over $15 billion to support the rupee.
India's banking system experienced a reduction in liquidity surplus to ₹75,483 crore, primarily due to advance tax payments totaling Rs 2 lakh crore and interventions in the foreign exchange market. These factors contributed to an increase in money market rates, which prompted the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) to undertake a repo operation to inject liquidity into the system. Economists have estimated that the RBI sold more than $15 billion in reserves to bolster the rupee amid these pressures. The combination of tax outflows and forex interventions has led to a temporary squeeze in banking liquidity, highlighting the RBI's active role in managing monetary conditions.