RBI’s forced dollar unwind to keep rupee from sliding, bruise banks

Until Friday, banks could run net open positions of up to 25% of their net worth. In practice, large lenders often accumulated sizeable long dollar bets, sometimes in excess of of $1 billion, on expectations of rupee depreciation. The new cap forces a rapid reversal. By April 10, 2026, banks must cut these exposures to $100 million. This compels them to sell dollars and buy rupees to close the gap.