External factors to blame for rupee decline: Govt

New Delhi, August 14 

Attributing the fall in rupee value against the US dollar to “external factors”, Economic Affairs Secretary Subhash Chandra Garg said on Tuesday there is nothing to worry about as long as the depreciation is in line with other currencies.

The rupee crashed to a record low of 70.09 during the day on global concerns over Turkey’s economic woes which have impacted various emerging markets amid the US dollar gaining strength against other currencies.

“Rupee is depreciating due to external factors...nothing at this stage to worry,” Garg said adding external factors may ease going forward.

He said even if the rupee falls to 80 per dollar, “It will not be a concern provided all other currencies depreciate in the same range”. The Indian currency, he said, is still better as compared to certain other currencies.

In the current financial year, which began on April 1, the rupee has depreciated around 6.7% against the US dollar.

Garg also said while the RBI had sufficient foreign exchange reserves, its intervention in the currency market may not be of much help as of now, as the weakness in the rupee was a result of global factors.

RBI’s stated position is that it does not seek to target a particular level for the rupee’s exchange rate against the dollar, and uses its reserves to ease volatility in the currency market.

Meanwhile, SBI Chairman Rajnish Kumar said all currencies have weakened against the dollar, but the Indian currency has not weakened very much in comparison to other currencies.

“I feel that it (rupee) should stabilise between 69 and 70 because if you look at the numbers for investment which is coming into the country — investment in bonds, investment in equities — this level has become attractive for foreign investment,” Kumar said. — PTI 

‘Depreciation in line with other currencies’ 

• The rupee crashed to a record low of 70.09 during the day on global concerns over Turkey’s economic woes which have impacted various emerging markets amid the US dollar gaining strength against other currencies
• Economic Affairs Secretary Subhash Chandra Garg said even if the rupee falls to 80 per dollar, it will not be a concern provided all other currencies depreciate in the same range
• In the current financial year, which began on April 1, the rupee has depreciated around 6.7% against the US dollar