Media365
India’s foreign exchange reserves increased by $6.12 billion to $682.35 billion in the week ended July 24, 2026, according to data released by the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) on Friday.
The latest increase follows a $1.08 billion rise in the previous week, when the country’s forex reserves stood at $676.24 billion, reflecting continued strengthening of India’s external sector buffer.
The growth was largely led by a sharp increase in foreign currency assets (FCAs)—the biggest component of the country’s forex reserves—which rose by $4.87 billion to $555.93 billion during the reporting week.
Expressed in dollar terms, foreign currency assets include the effect of appreciation or depreciation of non-US currencies such as the euro, pound sterling and Japanese yen held in the country’s foreign exchange reserves.
India’s gold reserves also registered a healthy increase, rising $1.31 billion to $103.06 billion, according to the RBI data.
However, the country’s holdings of Special Drawing Rights (SDRs) with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) declined by $53 million to $18.62 billion. India’s reserve position with the IMF also edged lower by $11 million to $4.75 billion during the week.
India’s forex reserves had touched a record high of $728.49 billion in the week ended February 27, 2026. The reserves subsequently came under pressure amid heightened geopolitical tensions in the Middle East, prompting the RBI to intervene in the foreign exchange market through dollar sales to contain excessive volatility in the rupee.
To bolster foreign exchange inflows, the RBI and the central government introduced a series of measures last month, including relaxations under the Foreign Currency Non-Resident (Bank) [FCNR(B)] deposit scheme. According to reports, these initiatives have already attracted around $32 billion in inflows, providing additional support to India’s external reserves.
India’s foreign exchange reserves remain among the largest globally and continue to serve as a critical buffer against external shocks, helping support currency stability, meet import obligations and strengthen investor confidence amid an uncertain global economic environment.
