**Summary:**
This circular, DOR.MRG.REC.1500.00.018/2024-25, issued by the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) on April 23, 2024, amends the existing guidelines for Small Finance Banks (SFBs) regarding their participation in rupee interest rate derivative products. Previously, SFBs were limited to using only Interest Rate Futures (IRFs) for proprietary hedging. The revised policy now permits SFBs to deal in permissible rupee interest rate derivative products, as defined in the Rupee Interest Rate Derivatives (Reserve Bank) Directions, 2019 dated June 26, 2019 (as amended), for hedging interest rate risk. This expansion aims to provide SFBs with greater flexibility and more effective avenues for managing interest rate risk in their balance sheet and commercial operations. The policy is effective immediately and applies to all Small Finance Banks. Further information can be obtained from the Department of Regulation, Central Office, Reserve Bank of India, 12th-13th Floor, Central Office Bhavan, Shahid Bhagat Singh Marg, Mumbai – 400001. Contact can be made via Tel No: 22661602, 22601000 or Fax No: 022-2270 5670, 2260 5671, 2270 5691, 2260 5692. The contact person is Usha Janakiraman, Chief General Manager. The policy refers to paragraph 4 of the Bimonthly Monetary Policy Statement for 2024-25 dated April 05, 2024 and Paragraph 1.10 of the Operating Guidelines for Small Finance Banks dated October 6, 2016.
Key Entities Referenced
Reserve Bank of India: The central bank of India, the primary regulatory body issuing the circular.
Small Finance Banks: A type of bank in India, the target entities to which the circular applies.
Rupee Interest Rate Derivative products: Financial instruments that Small Finance Banks are now permitted to use for hedging.
Interest Rate Futures: A financial instrument previously permitted for hedging by Small Finance Banks.
Rupee Interest Rate Derivatives Reserve Bank Directions, 2019: A set of regulations issued by the Reserve Bank of India governing rupee interest rate derivatives.
Mumbai, Maharashtra: City in India, location of the Central Office of the Reserve Bank of India.
Usha Janakiraman: Chief General Manager at the Reserve Bank of India, signatory of the circular.
Operating Guidelines for Small Finance Banks: Document outlining guidelines for Small Finance Banks, dated October 6, 2016.
भारतीय �रज़व� ब�क
_________________________RESERVE BANK OF INDIA ______________________
www.rbi.org.in
RBI/2024-25/23
DOR.MRG.REC.15/00.00.018/2024-25 April 23, 2024
Dealing in Rupee Interest Rate Derivative products - Small Finance Banks
Please refer to paragraph 4 of Statement on Developmental and Regulatory Policies
issued as a part of the Bi-monthly Monetary Policy Statement for 2024-25 dated April
05, 2024 read with Paragraph 1.10 of the ‘Operating Guidelines for Small Finance
Banks’ dated October 6, 2016.
2. Extant guidelines permit Small Finance Banks (SFBs) to use only Interest Rate
Futures (IRFs) for the purpose of proprietary hedging. In order to expand the avenues
available to the SFBs for hedging interest rate risk in their balance sheet and
commercial operations more effectively as well as with a view to provide them with
greater flexibility, it has now been decided to allow them to deal in permissible rupee
interest rate derivative products for hedging interest rate risk in terms of the Rupee
Interest Rate Derivatives (Reserve Bank) Directions, 2019 dated June 26, 2019, as
amended from time to time.
Applicability
3. This circular is applicable to all Small Finance Banks.
4. These instructions shall come into force with immediate effect.
Yours faithfully,
(Usha Janakiraman)
Chief General Manager
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�व�नयमन �वभाग, क�द्र�य कायार्लय, 12वी ं और 13वी ं मंिज़ल, क�द्र�य कायार्लय भवन, शह�द भगत �सहं माग,र् मंबु ई 400001
टेल�फोन /Tel No: 22661602, 22601000 फैक्स/Fax No: 022-2270 5670, 2260 5671, 5691 2270, 2260 5692
Department of Regulation, Central Office, 12th & 13th Floor, Central Office Bhavan, Shahid Bhagat Singh Marg, Mumbai - 400001
Tel No: 22661602, 22601000 Fax No: 022-2270 5670, 2260 5671, 5691, 5692