RBI/2019-20/210

A.P.(DIR Series) Circular No. 29

April 7, 2020

To,

Authorised Dealers Category – I

Madam / Sir,

Risk Management and Inter-bank Dealings – Hedging of foreign exchange risk

Attention of Authorised Dealers Category – I (AD Category – I) banks is invited to the Foreign Exchange Management (Foreign Exchange Derivative Contracts) Regulations, 2000 dated May 3, 2000 (Notification No.FEMA.25/RB-2000 dated May 3, 2000), as amended from time to time and Master Directions on Risk Management and Inter-Bank Dealings dated July 5, 2016, as amended from time to time.

2. As announced in the Statement on Developmental and Regulatory Policies dated December 5, 2019, the existing facilities for non-residents and residents to hedge their foreign exchange risk on account of transactions permitted under Foreign Exchange Management Act (FEMA), 1999 have been revised. The revised directions are provided at Annex–I to this circular. All previous operational guidelines, terms and conditions in this regard shall stand withdrawn from the date that these directions come into effect.

3. Necessary amendments (Notification No.FEMA.398/RB-2020 dated February 18, 2020) to Foreign Exchange Management (Foreign Exchange Derivatives Contracts) Regulations, 2000 (Notification No.FEMA.25/RB-2000 dated May 3, 2000) (Regulations) have been notified in the Official Gazette vide Gazette Id no. CG-MH-E-06032020-216549 dated March 3, 2020, a copy of which is annexed to this circular. These regulations have been issued under clause (h) of sub-Section (2) of Section 47 of FEMA, 1999 (42 of 1999).

4. The directions shall come into effect from June 1, 2020 and replace the existing directions in Part A - Section I and II and Part D of the Master Direction on Risk Management and Interbank Dealings dated July 5, 2016, as amended from time to time.

5. The following reports prescribed in Part E of the Master Directions on Risk Management and Inter-Bank Dealings dated July 5, 2016, as amended from time to time, shall stand withdrawn from the date that these directions come into effect.

Cross Currency Derivative Transactions (Half yearly) – Annex IV

Report on Booking of Forward Contracts on Past Performance Basis (Monthly) – Annex X

Details of Forward cover undertaken by FPI clients (Monthly) – Annex XIII

Details of Forward Contracts/Options booked and cancelled by SMEs and Resident Individuals, Firms and Companies within the first week of the following month (Quarterly) – Annex XIV

Derivative Transactions undertaken by Non-Resident Importer/Exporter(Quarterly) – Annex XIX

6. The directions contained in this circular have been issued under Sections 10(4) and 11(1) of the Foreign Exchange Management Act, 1999 (42 of 1999) and are without prejudice to permissions/ approvals, if any, required under any other law.

Yours faithfully,

(Dimple Bhandia)
General Manager-in-Charge