Developments in Indias Balance of Payments during 1st Quarter April-June 2017-18 – Key Features

Developments in Indias Balance of Payments during 1st Quarter April-June 2017-18. Key Features of India’s BoP in Q1 of 2017-18

September 15, 2017

Developments in India’s Balance of Payments during the First Quarter (April-June) of 2017-18

Preliminary data on India’s balance of payments (BoP) for the first quarter (Q1) i.e., April-June 2017-18 are presented in Statements I (BPM6 format) and II (old format).

Key Features of India’s BoP in Q1 of 2017-18

• India’s current account deficit (CAD) at US$ 14.3 billion (2.4 per cent of GDP) in Q1 of 2017-18 increased sharply from US$ 0.4 billion (0.1 per cent of GDP) in Q1 of 2016 -17 and US$ 3.4 billion (0.6 per cent of GDP) in Q4 of 2016-17.

• The widening of the CAD on a year-on-year (y-o-y) basis was primarily on account of a higher trade deficit (US$ 41.2 billion) brought about by a larger increase in merchandise imports relative to exports.

• Net services receipts increased by 15.7 per cent on a y-o-y basis mainly on the back of a rise in net earnings from travel, construction and other business services.

• Private transfer receipts, mainly representing remittances by Indians employed overseas, at US$ 16.1 billion increased by 5.3 per cent over the corresponding quarter of previous year.

• In the financial account, net foreign direct investment at US$ 7.2 billion in Q1 of 2017-18 almost doubled from its level in Q1 of 2016-17.

• Net portfolio investment recorded substantial inflow of US$ 12.5 billion in Q1 of 2017-18, primarily in the debt segment, as compared with US$ 2.1 billion in Q1 of last year.

• Net receipts on account of non-resident deposits amounted to US$ 1.2 billion in Q1 of 2017-18; this was lower than US$ 1.4 billion a year ago.

• In Q1 of 2017-18, there was an accretion of US$ 11.4 billion to the foreign exchange reserves (on BoP basis) as compared with US$ 7.0 billion in Q1 of 2016-17 (Table 1) and US$ 7.3 billion in the preceding quarter.

Table 1: Major Items of India’s Balance of Payments

(US$ Billion)