Preliminary data on India’s balance of payments (BoP) for the third quarter (Q3), i.e., October-December 2020-21, are presented in Statements I (BPM6 format) and II (old format).

Key Features of India’s BoP in Q3:2020-21

• India’s current account balance recorded a deficit of US$ 1.7 billion (0.2 per cent of GDP) in Q3:2020-21 after a surplus of US$ 15.1 billion (2.4 per cent of GDP) in Q2:2020-21 and US$ 19.0 billion (3.7 per cent of GDP) in Q1:2020-21; a deficit of US$ 2.6 billion (0.4 per cent of GDP) was recorded a year ago [i.e. Q3:2019-20].

• Underlying the current account deficit in Q3:2020-21 was a rise in the merchandise trade deficit to US$ 34.5 billion from US$ 14.8 billion in the preceding quarter, and an increase in net investment income payments.

• Net services receipts increased, both sequentially and on a year-on-year basis, primarily on the back of higher net export earnings from computer services.

• Private transfer receipts, mainly representing remittances by Indians employed overseas, declined marginally on a y-o-y basis but improved sequentially by 1.5 per cent to US$ 20.7 billion in Q3:2020-21.

• Net outgo on the primary income account, primarily reflecting payments of investment income, increased to US$ 10.1 billion from US$ 7.4 billion a year ago.

• In the financial account, net foreign direct investment (FDI) recorded robust inflow of US$ 17.0 billion as compared with US$ 9.7 billion in Q3:2019-20.

• Net foreign portfolio investment (FPI) was US$ 21.2 billion as compared with US$ 7.8 billion in Q3:2019-20, primarily reflecting net purchases by foreign portfolio investors in the equity market.

• With repayments exceeding fresh disbursals, external commercial borrowings to India recorded net outflow of US$ 1.7 billion in Q3:2020-21 as against an inflow of US$ 3.2 billion a year ago.

• Net accretions to non-resident deposits increased to US$ 3.0 billion from US$ 0.8 billion in Q3:2019-20.

• There was an accretion of US$ 32.5 billion to the foreign exchange reserves (on a BoP basis) as compared with that of US$ 21.6 billion in Q3:2019-20 (Table 1).

BoP during April-December 2020

• India recorded a current account surplus of 1.7 per cent of GDP in April-December 2020 as against a deficit of 1.2 per cent in April-December 2019 on the back of a sharp contraction in the trade deficit.

• Net invisible receipts were lower in April-December 2020 due to a moderation in net private transfer receipts and an increase in investment income payments.

• Net FDI inflows at US$ 40.8 billion in April-December 2020 were higher than US$ 31.1 billion in April-December 2019.

• Net FPI inflows stood at US$ 28.9 billion in April-December 2020, higher than US$ 15.1 billion a year ago.

• In April-December 2020, there was an accretion of US$ 83.9 billion to the foreign exchange reserves (on a BoP basis).

(Yogesh Dayal)     
Chief General Manager

Press Release: 2020-2021/1330