The stock of external debt at end-March 2024 as well as revised data for earlier quarters are set out in Statements I (IMF format[1]) and II (old format). The major developments relating to India’s external debt as at end-March 2024 are presented below. Highlights At end-March 2024, India’s external debt was placed at US$ 663.8 billion, an increase of US$ 39.7 billion over its level at end-March 2023 (Table 1).
The external debt to GDP ratio declined to 18.7 per cent at end-March 2024 from 19.0 per cent at end-March 2023.
Valuation effect due to the appreciation of the US dollar vis-à-vis the Indian rupee and other major currencies such as yen, the euro and SDR[2] amounted to US$ 8.7 billion. Excluding the valuation effect, external debt would have increased by US$ 48.4 billion instead of US$ 39.7 billion at end-March 2024 over end-March 2023.
At end-March 2024, long-term debt (with original maturity of above one year) was placed at US$ 541.2 billion, recording an increase of US$ 45.6 billion over its level at end-March 2023.
The share of short-term debt (with original maturity of up to one year) in total external debt declined to 18.5 per cent at end-March 2024 from 20.6 per cent at end-March 2023. Similarly, the ratio of short-term debt (original maturity) to foreign exchange reserves declined to 19.0 per cent at end-March 2024 (22.2 per cent at end-March 2023).
Short-term debt on residual maturity basis (i.e., debt obligations that include long-term debt by original maturity falling due over the next twelve months and short-term debt by original maturity) constituted 42.9 per cent of total external debt at end-March 2024 (44.0 per cent at end-March 2023) and stood at 44.1 per cent of foreign exchange reserves (47.4 per cent at end-March 2023) (Table 2).
US dollar-denominated debt remained the largest component of India’s external debt, with a share of 53.8 per cent at end-March 2024, followed by debt denominated in the Indian rupee (31.5 per cent), yen (5.8 per cent), SDR (5.4 per cent), and euro (2.8 per cent).

Preliminary data on India’s balance of payments (BoP) for the fourth quarter (Q4), i.e., January-March 2023-24, are presented in Statements I and II. Key Features of India’s BoP in Q4:2023-24 India’s current account balance recorded a surplus of US$ 5.7 billion (0.6 per cent of GDP) in Q4:2023-24 as against a deficit of US$ 8.7 billion (1.0 per cent of GDP) in Q3:2023-24 and US$ 1.3 billion (0.2 per cent of GDP) a year ago [i.e., Q4:2022-23] . The merchandise trade deficit at US$ 50.9 billion in Q4:2023-24 was lower than US$ 52.6 billion a year ago. Preliminary data on India’s balance of payments (BoP) for the fourth quarter (Q4), i.e., January-March 2023-24, are presented in Statements I and II. Key Features of India’s BoP in Q4:2023-24 India’s current account balance recorded a surplus of US$ 5.7 billion (0.6 per cent of GDP) in Q4:2023-24 as against a deficit of US$ 8.7 billion (1.0 per cent of GDP) in Q3:2023-24 and US$ 1.3 billion (0.2 per cent of GDP) a year ago [i.e., Q4:2022-23] . The merchandise trade deficit at US$ 50.9 billion in Q4:2023-24 was lower than US$ 52.6 billion a year ago.

Today, the Reserve Bank of India released balance of payments (BoP) data for the fourth quarter (Q4), i.e., January-March 2023-24 on its website (www.rbi.org.in). On the basis of these data, the sources of variation in foreign exchange reserves during 2023-24 are detailed below in Table 1. Table 1: Sources of Variation in Foreign Exchange Reserves* (US$ billion) Items 2022-23 2023-24 I. Current Account Balance -67.1 -23.3 II. Capital Account (net) (a to f) 57.9 87.0 a. Foreign Investment (i+ii) 22.8 53.9 (i) Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) 28.0 9.8 (ii)Portfolio Investment -5.2 44.1 

The Reserve Bank of India has today released the data on External Commercial Borrowings (ECB), Foreign Currency Convertible Bonds (FCCB) and Rupee Denominated Bonds (RDB) both, through Automatic Route and Approval Route, for the month of April 2024.

The Reserve Bank of India has today released the data on Overseas Direct Investment, both under Automatic Route and the Approval Route, for the month of May 2024.