**Executive Summary**
The document is a Master Direction issued by the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) regarding Rupee Interest Rate Derivatives, effective March 01, 2026. It outlines regulations for participants in IRD markets, including eligibility, permissible products, transaction guidelines, and reporting requirements. The document supersedes previous circulars, as listed in Annex-I.
**Key Points / Main Content**
* **Applicability:**
* These Directions apply to Rupee interest rate derivatives (IRD) transactions in the over-the-counter (OTC) market and on recognized stock exchanges in India.
* Directions are effective from March 01, 2026.
* **Definitions:**
* Defines key terms like 'Back-to-back arrangement', 'Benchmark Interest Rate', 'Company', 'Electronic Trading Platform', ‘European Interest Rate Call / Put Option', 'Financial Benchmark Administrator', 'Foreign Currency Settled Interest Rate Derivative', 'Foreign Portfolio Investor', 'Forward Rate Agreement', 'Interest rate call / put option', 'Interest rate cap', ‘Interest rate collar', 'Interest rate floor', 'Interest rate futures', ‘Interest rate swap', 'Interest rate swaption', 'Government Securities', 'Hedging', 'Interest Rate Derivative', 'Leveraged derivative', 'Market-maker', and 'Money Market Futures', 'Net-worth', 'Non-resident', 'Over-the-counter market', 'Recognised Stock Exchange', 'Related Party', 'Resident', ‘Reverse interest rate collar', 'Turnover', and 'User'.
* **Eligible Participants:**
* Residents and non-residents are eligible to participate in IRD markets, with specified conditions for non-residents.
* A non-resident may undertake IRD transactions through its central treasury or group entity.
* **Interest Rate Derivatives on Recognised Stock Exchanges:**
* Recognized stock exchanges are permitted to offer standardized IRD products after prior approval from the Reserve Bank.
* Non-residents may transact in exchange-traded IRDs for hedging purposes.
* FPIs are permitted to purchase or sell Interest Rate Futures (IRFs) subject to specified conditions regarding long and short positions.
* **Interest Rate Derivatives in the OTC Market:**
* Specifies entities eligible to act as market-makers in IRDs, including Scheduled Banks, Standalone Primary Dealers (SPDs), NBFCs, and other specified financial institutions.
* User Classification Framework: Users are classified by market-makers as either retail or non-retail based on predefined criteria.
* Defines the IRD products that can be offered to retail and non-retail users, and to non-residents.
* Details the purpose for which IRD products can be offered to different user classifications.
* **Transactions with Non-residents:**
* Market-makers may undertake IRD transactions, including FCS-IRD transactions, with non-residents directly or via back-to-back arrangements for hedging purposes, subject to conditions.
* IRD transactions by non-residents with market-makers for purposes other than hedging are subject to an overall limit (PVBP cap).
* Specifies conditions for routing payments related to interest rate derivative transactions of a non-resident.
* **Other Guidelines for Transactions in OTC markets**
*Any floating interest rate or price or index used in IRDs in OTC markets shall be a benchmark published by an FBA.
*Details process when a market-maker undertakes an IRD transaction through a broker.
*IRD transaction shall be settled bilaterally or through any clearing arrangement approved by the Reserve Bank for the purpose.
*A market participant may exit its position in IRDs by unwinding the position with the original counterparty or assigning the position to any other eligible market participant(s) through novation.
* **Reporting:**
* Market-makers must report all OTC IRD transactions to the Trade Repository (TR) of Clearing Corporation of India Ltd. (CCIL) as per specified timelines.
* Requires cross-border remittances arising out of transactions in IRD to be reported by banks to the Reserve Bank for every month.
* **Prudential Norms:**
* Market participants must follow applicable prudential norms, accounting standards, and capital requirements.
* **Obligation to provide information sought by the Reserve Bank:**
*Persons or agencies dealing in IRD transactions, including eligible participants, ETP operators and exchanges, shall furnish such information, statement or clarification within such time as specified by the Reserve Bank.
*Reserve Bank or any other agency authorised by it, may, in public interest, publish any anonymized data related to transactions in the IRD market.
* **Violation of Directions:**
*If a person violates any provision of these Directions, the Reserve Bank may, in addition to taking any penal or regulatory action in accordance with law, disallow that person from participating in the IRD markets for a period not exceeding one month at a time, after providing reasonable opportunity of hearing.
**Impact Analysis**
**All Participants in Rupee Interest Rate Derivatives Markets**
* **Impact:** Compliance with the new regulations, including eligibility criteria, permissible products, transaction guidelines, and reporting requirements.
* **Action Required:** Review the Master Direction and adjust internal policies, systems, and processes to ensure compliance by March 01, 2026.
**Recognized Stock Exchanges**
* **Impact:** Adherence to guidelines for offering standardized IRD products, obtaining prior approvals, and ensuring participant awareness of associated risks.
* **Action Required:** Review and update IRD product offerings and risk management frameworks. Establish processes for furnishing returns, documents, and other information relating to IRD transactions to the Reserve Bank or any other agency.
**Market-Makers**
* **Impact:** Adherence to eligibility criteria, user classification framework, product offerings, and reporting requirements for OTC IRD transactions.
* **Action Required:** Review eligibility criteria, update user classification processes, align product offerings with regulations, and implement reporting systems to comply with the Master Direction.
**Foreign Portfolio Investors (FPIs)**
* **Impact:** Adherence to restrictions on the purchase or sale of interest rate futures (IRFs).
* **Action Required:** Monitor and manage IRF positions to stay within the stated limits.
**Clearing Corporation of India Ltd. (CCIL)**
* **Impact:** Monitor and publish utilization of the PVBP (Price Value of a Basis Point) limit on a daily basis.
* **Action Required:** Define and publish the methodology for calculating the PVBP limit.
**Brokers**
* **Impact:** Adherence to the requirement of being accredited by the Fixed Income Money Market and Derivatives Association of India (FIMMDA) for facilitating IRD transactions.
**Users of IRD Products (Retail & Non-Retail)**
* **Impact:** Understanding the range of products they are eligible to use
* **Action Required:** Self-Assessment for appropriate classification and adherence to permitted product parameters.
**Authorised Dealer Category-I (AD Cat-I) License Holders**
* **Impact:** Special permissions provided subject to meeting criteria
* **Action Required:** Understanding product range available to offer to non-residents.
Key Entities Referenced
Master Direction – Reserve Bank of India (Rupee Interest Rate Derivatives) Directions, 2025: The primary subject of the document, providing guidelines for Rupee Interest Rate Derivatives.
Reserve Bank of India Act, 1934: The act under which the Reserve Bank derives its power to issue these Directions, specifically referencing section 45W.
Reserve Bank of India: The issuing authority and regulator for these directions.
Foreign Exchange Management Act (FEMA), 1999: Referenced act relevant to cross-border transactions and eligibility of participants.
Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI): The regulatory body that prescribes market timings for exchange-traded IRD transactions, in consultation with the Reserve Bank.
RESERVE BANK OF INDIA
www.rbi.org.in
RBI/FMRD/2025-26/380
FMRD.DIRD.No.06/14.03.046/2025-26 December 08, 2025
To
All participants in Rupee interest rate derivatives markets
Dear Sir/Madam,
Master Direction – Reserve Bank of India (Rupee Interest Rate Derivatives)
Directions, 2025
Please refer to press release dated June 16, 2025, inviting stakeholder
comments/feedback on the Draft Master Direction - Reserve Bank of India (Rupee
Interest Rate Derivatives) Directions, 2025.
2. Based on the feedback received, the Directions have since been finalised and
issued herewith.
3. These Directions have been issued by the Reserve Bank in exercise of the powers
conferred under section 45W of the Reserve Bank of India Act, 1934, and of all the
powers enabling it in this behalf.
4. These Directions shall be applicable from March 01, 2026.
Yours faithfully
(Dimple Bhandia)
Chief General Manager
िव�ीय बाज़ार िविनयमन िवभाग, केंद्रीय कायार्लय, 9वी मंिजल, के�ीय कायार्लय भवन, शहीद भगत िसंह मागर्, फोटर्, मुंबई – 400 001
फोन: (91-22) 2260 1000, फै�: (91-22) 22702290, ई-मेल: cgmfmrd@rbi.org.in
Financial Markets Regulation Department, Central Office, 9th Floor, Central Office Building, Shahid Bhagat Singh Road, Fort,
Mumbai – 400 001
Tel: (91-22) 2260 1000, Fax: (91-22) 22702290, E-mail: cgmfmrd@rbi.org.in
िह�ी आसान है, इसका प्रयोग
बढ़ाइएRESERVE BANK OF INDIA
FINANCIAL MARKETS REGULATION DEPARTMENT
9th FLOOR, CENTRAL OFFICE BUILDING, FORT
MUMBAI 400 001
Notification No. FMRD.DIRD.07/14.03.046/2025-26 dated December 08, 2025
Master Direction - Reserve Bank of India (Rupee Interest Rate Derivatives)
Directions, 2025
In exercise of the powers conferred under section 45W of the Reserve Bank of India
Act, 1934 (hereinafter called the Act) read with section 45U of the Act and in
supersession of the Directions indicated in Annex-I, the Reserve Bank of India
(hereinafter called the Reserve Bank) hereby issues the following Directions. A
reference is also invited to the Foreign Exchange Management (Permissible Capital
Account Transactions) Regulations, 2000 (Notification No. FEMA 1 /2000-RB dated
May 03, 2000) and Foreign Exchange Management (Debt Instruments) Regulations,
2019 (Notification No. FEMA 396/2019-RB dated October 17, 2019), as amended from
time to time.
1. Short title, scope and commencement of the Directions
1.1 These Directions shall be called the Master Direction - Reserve Bank of India
(Rupee Interest Rate Derivatives) Directions, 2025 (hereinafter, the Directions).
1.2 These Directions shall be applicable to Rupee interest rate derivatives (IRD)
transactions undertaken in the over-the-counter (OTC) market and on recognised
stock exchanges in India.
Provided that Forward Contracts in Government Securities shall be undertaken in
the OTC market in terms of the Reserve Bank of India (Forward Contracts in
Government Securities) Directions, 2025, dated February 21, 2025.
1.3 These Directions shall come into force from March 01, 2026.
2. Definitions
2.1 In these Directions, unless the context otherwise requires:
(i) ‘Back-to-back arrangement’ means an arrangement under which an overseas
entity (including overseas branches, IFSC Banking Units (IBUs), wholly owned
subsidiaries or joint ventures of market-makers) undertakes a transaction with a
non-resident and immediately enters into an off-setting transaction with the
1market-maker in India. In the case of foreign banks operating in India, the back-
to-back arrangement may be through any branch of the parent bank.
(ii) ‘Benchmark Interest Rate’ means an interest rate administered by a Financial
Benchmark Administrator.
(iii) ‘Company’ shall have the same meaning as assigned to it in section 2 (20) of
the Companies Act, 2013 (18 of 2013).
(iv) ‘Electronic Trading Platform (ETP)’ shall have the same meaning as assigned
to it in paragraph 2(a)(ii) of the Master Direction – Reserve Bank of India
(Electronic Trading Platforms) Directions, 2025, dated June 16, 2025, as
amended from time to time.
(v) ‘European Interest Rate Call / Put Option’ means an interest rate call / put
option contract that can be exercised only on the expiration date.
(vi) ‘Financial Benchmark Administrator’ (FBA) means a person who controls the
creation, operation and administration of financial benchmark(s) authorised
under Reserve Bank of India (Financial Benchmark Administrators) Directions,
2023, dated December 28, 2023, as amended from time to time.
(vii) ‘Foreign Currency Settled Interest Rate Derivative (FCS-IRD)’ means a
Rupee interest rate derivative contract whose settlement currency is a currency
other than the Indian Rupee (INR).
(viii) ‘Foreign Portfolio Investor (FPI)’ means a person registered in accordance
with the provisions of the Securities and Exchange Board of India (Foreign
Portfolio Investors) Regulations, 2019, as amended from time to time.
(ix) ‘Forward Rate Agreement (FRA)’ means a cash-settled OTC derivative
contract between two counterparties, in which a buyer will pay or receive, on the
settlement date, the difference between a pre-determined fixed rate (FRA rate)
and a predetermined floating interest rate / price / index, applied on a notional
principal amount, for a specified forward period.
(x) ‘Interest rate call / put option’ means an interest rate option that gives the buyer
the right, but not the obligation, to buy / sell an interest rate instrument or receive
/ pay an interest rate on a notional principal at a pre-determined price/rate on or
before a specified expiration date in the future.
(xi) ‘Interest rate cap’ means a series of interest rate call options (called caplets) in
which the buyer of the option receives a payment at the end of each period when
the underlying interest rate is above a rate agreed in advance (strike rate).
2(xii) ‘Interest rate collar’ means a derivative contract where a market participant
simultaneously purchases an interest rate cap and sells an interest rate floor on
the same interest rate for the same maturity and notional principal amount.
(xiii) ‘Interest rate floor’ means a series of interest rate put options in which the buyer
of the option receives a payment at the end of each period when the underlying
interest rate is below the strike rate.
(xiv) ‘Interest rate futures’ means a standardised interest rate derivative contract,
traded on a recognised stock exchange, to buy or sell a notional security or any
other interest-bearing instrument or an index of such instruments or interest rates
at a specified future date, at a price determined at the time of the contract.
Interest Rate Futures include Money Market Futures.
(xv) ‘Interest rate swap’ means a derivative contract that involves exchange of a
stream of agreed interest payments on a `notional principal’ amount during a
specified period.
(xvi) ‘Interest rate swaption’ means an option on an interest rate swap(s) which
gives the buyer the right, but not the obligation, to enter into an interest rate swap.
(xvii) ‘Government Securities’ shall have the same meaning as defined in section
2(f) of the Government Securities Act, 2006 (38 of 2006).
(xviii) ‘Hedging’ means the activity of undertaking a derivative transaction to reduce
Rupee interest rate risk at the balance sheet level or the portfolio level or at
individual asset or liability level.
(xix) ‘Interest Rate Derivative’ means a financial derivative contract whose value is
derived from one or more Rupee interest rates, prices of Rupee interest rate
instruments, or Rupee interest rate indices.
(xx) ‘Leveraged derivative’ means an OTC derivative contract whose potential pay-
out during the tenure of the contract can be more than the notional amount of the
contract or whose pay-out calculation involves effective multiplication, by a factor
of more than 1.0, of either the notional amount or the underlying interest rate /
price / index.
(xxi) ‘Market-maker’ means an entity which provides prices to users and other
market-makers. Market-makers need not have an underlying risk.
(xxii) ‘Money Market Futures’ means an interest rate future based on any rupee
denominated money market interest rate or money market instrument.
3(xxiii) ‘Net-worth’ shall have the same meaning assigned to it in section 2(57) of the
Companies Act, 2013, as amended from time to time.
(xxiv) ‘Non-resident’ means and includes a ‘person resident outside India’ as defined
in section 2 (w) of Foreign Exchange Management Act, 1999 (42 of 1999).
(xxv) ‘Over-the-counter (OTC) market’ refers to a market where derivative
transactions are undertaken in any manner other than on exchanges and shall
include those undertaken on electronic trading platforms (ETPs).
(xxvi) ‘Recognised Stock Exchange’ shall have the same meaning as assigned to
it in section 2(f) of the Securities Contract Regulation Act, 1956 (42 of 1956).
(xxvii) ‘Related Party’ shall have the same meaning as assigned to it under Para-9 of
Indian Accounting Standard (Ind AS) 24 – Related Party Disclosures or Para-9
of International Accounting Standard (IAS) 24 – Related Party Disclosures or
any other equivalent accounting standards. Provided that the term ‘related party’
shall exclude associates, as specified in Ind AS 24 or IAS 24 or any other
equivalent accounting standard.
(xxviii) ‘Resident’ means and includes a ‘person resident in India’ as defined in section
2 (v) of Foreign Exchange Management Act, 1999 (42 of 1999).
(xxix) ‘Reverse interest rate collar’ means a derivative contract which involves
simultaneous purchase of an interest rate floor and sale of an interest rate cap
on the same interest rate for the same maturity and notional principal amount.
(xxx) ‘Turnover’ shall have the same meaning as assigned to it in section 2(91) of the
Companies Act, 2013, as amended from time to time.
(xxxi) ‘User’ refers to a person who undertakes derivative transactions other than as
a market-maker.
2.2 Words and expressions, used but not defined in these Directions, shall have the
same meaning as assigned to them in the Act or in Foreign Exchange Management
Act (FEMA), 1999.
3. Eligible Participants
3.1 The following persons would be eligible to participate in IRD markets:
(i) A resident;
(ii) A non-resident, to the extent specified in these Directions.
3.2 A non-resident may undertake IRD transactions through its central treasury or its
group entity, where applicable. In case of such transactions, the market-maker
4shall ensure that the central treasury / group entity is appropriately authorised by
the user to deal for and on its behalf.
4. Interest Rate Derivatives on Recognised Stock Exchanges
4.1 A recognised stock exchange is permitted to offer any standardised IRD product
and the product design, eligible participants and other details of the IRD product
may be finalised by the exchange. The exchange shall obtain prior approval of the
Reserve Bank before introducing any new IRD product or carrying out
modifications to an existing product.
4.2 Any floating interest rate or price or index used in an exchange-traded IRD shall
be a benchmark published by an FBA.
4.3 A non-resident may transact in exchange-traded IRDs for the purpose of hedging.
4.4 A Foreign Portfolio Investor (FPI) is permitted to purchase or sell Interest Rate
Futures (IRFs) subject to the following conditions:
(i) The aggregate long position of all FPIs, each of whom has a net long position
in any IRF instrument, shall not exceed ₹ 5,000 crore, aggregated across all
IRF instruments; and
(ii) The total gross short (sold) position of any FPI shall not exceed its
consolidated long position in Government securities and Interest Rate
Futures, at any point in time.
4.5 Recognised stock exchanges shall ensure that users participating on the
exchanges are made adequately aware of the risks associated with IRD products.
4.6 The market timings for undertaking an exchange-traded IRD transaction shall be
as prescribed by the Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI), in
consultation with the Reserve Bank.
4.7 Recognised stock exchanges shall furnish returns, documents and other
information relating to IRD transactions to the Reserve Bank or any other agency
as may be required by the Reserve Bank in the manner and format and within the
time frame as may be specified by the Reserve Bank.
4.8 Any approval granted to a recognised stock exchange for introducing an IRD
product prior to the issuance of these Directions shall be deemed to have been
granted under these Directions.
55. Interest Rate Derivatives in the OTC Market
5.1 Market-makers
(i) The following entities shall be eligible to act as market-makers in IRDs:
(a) A Scheduled Bank;
(b) A Standalone Primary Dealer (SPD);
(c) An NBFC – Upper Layer (NBFC-UL);
(d) Export-Import Bank of India, National Bank for Agriculture and Rural
Development, National Housing Bank, Small Industries Development Bank of
India and National Bank for Financing Infrastructure and Development.
(ii) At least one of the parties to an interest rate derivative transaction shall be a
market-maker or a central counterparty authorised by the Reserve Bank for the
purpose.
5.2 User Classification Framework
(i) A User shall be classified by market-makers either as retail or non-retail for the
purpose of offering interest rate derivative contracts.
(ii) The following shall be eligible to be classified as non-retail users:
(a) An entity who is otherwise eligible to be a market maker;
(b) An NBFC (including HFC), other than a market-maker;
(c) An Insurance Company regulated by Insurance Regulatory and
Development Authority of India (IRDAI);
(d) A Pension Fund regulated by Pension Fund Regulatory and Development
Authority (PFRDA);
(e) A Mutual Fund regulated by SEBI;
(f) An Alternative Investment Fund regulated by SEBI;
(g) A resident with (a) minimum net worth of ₹500 crore; or (b) minimum
turnover of ₹1,000 crore, as per the latest audited financial statements; and
(h) A non-resident, other than an individual.
(i) A user who is otherwise eligible to be classified as a retail user, subject to
the condition that the user makes a request in this regard to the market-
maker and the market-maker is satisfied that the user has the risk
management capabilities suitable for classification as a non-retail user.
(iii) Any user who is not eligible to be classified as a non-retail user shall be
classified as a retail user.
6(iv) Any user who is otherwise eligible to be classified as a non-retail user shall
have the option to request the market-maker to get classified as a retail user.
5.3 Products
(i) A Market-maker may offer the following IRD products to retail users:
(a) Forward rate agreement;
(b) Interest rate swap;
(c) European interest rate call and put option, subject to the condition that retail
user shall only buy these products;
(d) Interest rate cap and interest rate floor, subject to the condition that retail
user shall only buy these products; and
(e) Interest rate collar and reverse interest rate collar, subject to the condition
that the retail user shall not be a net receiver of premium.
(ii) A Market-maker may offer the following IRD products to non-retail users
including users classified as non-retail in terms of Para 5.2 (ii)(i) of these
Directions:
(a) All products permitted to be offered to the retail users;
(b) Interest rate swaption; and
(c) Any other IRD product, including derivatives having cash instrument(s)
and/or permitted derivative(s) as components but excluding leveraged
derivatives and derivatives containing a derivative instrument as underlying.
(iii) A bank having an Authorised Dealer Category-I (AD Cat-I) license under FEMA,
1999, and an SPD authorized under section 10(1) of FEMA,1999, may offer
FCS-IRD contracts to non-residents. These market-makers may also undertake
transactions in FCS-IRD among themselves.
(iv) Scheduled Commercial Banks and SPDs authorised under section 10(1) of
FEMA,1999, may offer transactions in IRDs based on the Modified Mumbai
Interbank Forward Outright Rate (MMIFOR) to users. These market-makers
may also undertake transactions in IRDs based on the MMIFOR among
themselves.
(v) The IRD products that can be offered by a market-maker to a non-resident shall
be subject to provisions specified in terms of para 5.4(iii) of these Directions.
75.4 Purpose
(i) A market-maker shall offer IRD products to a resident retail user (including a
user who chooses to be classified as a retail user in terms of Para 5.2(iv) of
these Directions) and to a resident user classified as non-retail user in terms of
Para 5.2(ii)(i) of these Directions, only for the purpose of hedging.
(ii) A market-maker may offer IRD products to a resident non-retail user other than
a user who is classified as a non-retail user in terms of Para 5.2(ii)(i) of these
Directions without any restriction in terms of purpose.
(iii) A market-maker may, subject to the provisions specified under Para 5.5 of
these Directions, offer IRD products, including FCS-IRD products to (a) non-
resident individuals for the purpose of hedging and (b) non-residents, other than
individuals, without any restriction in terms of purpose.
Provided that market-makers shall offer an IRD contract on Government
Securities to a non-resident only for the purpose of hedging.
(iv) A market-maker shall offer IRD products based on MMIFOR to users only for
the purpose of hedging.
5.5 Transactions with Non-residents
(a) A market-maker may undertake IRD transactions, including FCS-IRD
transactions with a non-resident directly or by way of a back-to-back
arrangement for the purpose of hedging interest rate risk or otherwise, subject to
the following:
i. The back-to-back arrangement may be put in place through an overseas
entity (including overseas branches, IFSC Banking Units (IBUs), wholly
owned subsidiaries or joint ventures of market-makers) provided that the
overseas entity is eligible to deal with derivatives in the capacity of a dealer /
market-maker as per the host jurisdiction laws and regulations.
ii. The wholly owned subsidiary / joint venture of a market-maker incorporated
in India may undertake such transactions provided the wholly owned
subsidiary / joint venture is a banking entity;
iii. IRD transactions undertaken globally by the offshore related parties of the
market-maker in India shall be reported individually by either the market-
maker in India or its related party(ies) to the Trade Repository (TR) of
Clearing Corporation of India Ltd. (CCIL) in terms of the Annex-II; and
8iv. The market-maker shall provide information regarding IRD transactions,
including FCS-IRD transactions, undertaken through the overseas entity
(including overseas branches, IBUs, wholly owned subsidiaries and joint
ventures of the market-makers), as may be required by the Reserve Bank in
the prescribed manner and time.
(b) IRD transactions, including transactions in FCS-IRD, by non-residents with
market-makers undertaken for purposes other than hedging, shall be subject to
an overall limit, as specified below:
i. The Price Value of a Basis Point (PVBP) of all outstanding IRD positions,
including FCS-IRD positions shall not exceed the amount of ₹1,000 crore
(PVBP cap).
Explanation: The PVBP cap shall be calculated by making a gross addition,
ignoring mathematical signs, of the PVBP of each non-resident.
ii. Market-makers shall not offer any IRD/ FCS-IRD to a non-resident for
purposes other than hedging after the PVBP cap is reached.
iii. CCIL shall monitor and publish the utilisation of the PVBP limit on a daily
basis. CCIL shall also publish the methodology for calculation of the PVBP
limit.
(c) Other Conditions
i. All payments related to interest rate derivative transactions of a non-resident,
excluding FCS-IRD transactions, may be routed through an INR account of
the non-resident or, where the non-resident does not have an INR account in
India, through a vostro account maintained with an Authorised Dealer bank
in India. All payments related to FCS-IRD transactions may be routed through
normal banking channels. The market-makers shall maintain complete details
of such transactions.
ii. A non-resident shall ensure that its IRD transactions, including FCS-IRD
transactions, conform to the applicable provisions of Foreign Exchange
Management Act, 1999, and the rules, regulations and directions issued
thereunder.
5.6 Other Guidelines for Transactions in OTC markets
(i) Any floating interest rate or price or index used in IRDs in OTC markets shall
be a benchmark published by an FBA.
9(ii) A market-maker undertaking an IRD transaction through a broker shall ensure
that the broker has been accredited by the Fixed Income Money Market and
Derivatives Association of India (FIMMDA) for the purpose.
(iii) An IRD transaction shall be settled bilaterally or through any clearing
arrangement approved by the Reserve Bank for the purpose. An FCS-IRD
transaction may also be settled as decided bilaterally by the counterparties.
(iv) A market participant may exit its position in IRDs by unwinding the position with
the original counterparty or assigning the position to any other eligible market
participant(s) through novation1 subject to the provisions of the circular on
Novation of OTC Derivative Contracts dated December 9, 2013, issued vide
Notification No. DBOD.No.BP.BC.76/21.04.157/2013-14 and subject to the
condition that at least one of the parties to the novated interest rate derivative
transaction shall be a market-maker . However, provisions under Paragraph 2,
Paragraph 5.1 and Paragraph 5.2 of the above circular shall not apply to IRD
transactions undertaken in terms of these Directions.
(v) Settlement basis and other market conventions for IRD transactions may be
specified by FIMMDA, where possible, in consultation with market participants.
(vi) Market hours for IRD transactions in OTC market shall be from 9:00 AM to 5:00
PM on each business day or as specified by the Reserve Bank from time to
time. A market-maker may undertake FCS-IRD transactions beyond onshore
market hours.
(vii) A market-maker shall comply with the Master Direction - Reserve Bank of India
(Market-makers in OTC Derivatives) Directions, 2021 [Notification No.
FMRD.FMD.08/02.03.247/2021-22 dated September 16, 2021], as amended
from time to time.
(viii) A market participant shall comply with the Reserve Bank of India (Prevention
of Market Abuse) Directions, 2019 issued vide RBI Circular No. FMRD. FMSD.
11/11.01.012 /2018-19 dated March 15, 2019, as amended from time to time.
(ix) A market-maker may call for such documents from users as it deems necessary
for complying with the requirements of these Directions.
1 Novation is the replacement of a contract between two counterparties to an OTC derivatives transaction (the
transferor, who steps out of the existing contract, and the remaining party) with a new contract between the
remaining party and a third party (the transferee). The transferee becomes the new counterparty to the
remaining party.
105.7 Reporting
(a) Reporting to the Trade Repository
(i) A market-maker shall report all OTC IRD transactions undertaken by it directly
or through its overseas entities (including overseas branches, IBUs, wholly
owned subsidiaries or joint ventures of market-makers) to the TR of CCIL as
per the following timelines:
I. All IRD transactions (including client trades) undertaken by a market-maker,
other than FCS-IRD transactions with non-residents and structured
derivative transactions, shall be reported within 30 minutes of the
transactions.
II. All FCS-IRD transactions undertaken by a market-maker with non-
residents, either directly or by way of a back-to-back arrangement shall be
reported before 12:00 noon of the following business day.
III. All structured derivative transactions undertaken by a market-maker during
the day shall be reported before closure of the TR of CCIL for the day.
Note:
(a) The reporting requirement shall not apply to OTC derivative transactions
undertaken on an anonymous order matching ETP and reported directly by the
ETP to the TR of CCIL.
(b) For the purpose of 5.7 (a)(i)(I) and (III), structured derivative shall have the
meaning as assigned in the Master Direction – Reserve Bank of India (Market-
makers in OTC Derivatives) Directions, 2021 dated September 16, 2021, as
amended from time to time.
(ii) A market-maker shall also ensure compliance to the reporting requirement, as
specified in Para 5.5(a)(iii) of these Directions.
(iii) Market-makers shall ensure that the reporting details of a client OTC IRD trade
also include the detail of whether the trade has been undertaken for hedging or
other purposes.
(iv) Market-makers shall report all unwinding and novation details to the TR of
CCIL.
(v) For transactions undertaken under a back-to-back arrangement, trade details,
including particulars of the non–resident client shall be reported to the TR.
11(vi) There shall be no requirement of matching transactions with non-residents and
client transactions in the TR as the non-residents and clients are not required
to report/confirm the transaction details. The market-makers shall be
responsible for ensuring the accuracy in respect of the transactions reported.
(vii) Market-makers shall ensure that outstanding balances between their books and
the TR are reconciled and subjected to concurrent audit on an ongoing basis.
(viii) The reporting formats shall be as indicated by CCIL with the prior approval of
the Reserve Bank.
(b) Regulatory Reporting
Cross-border remittances arising out of transactions in IRD, including FCS-IRD, shall
be reported by banks to the Reserve Bank for every month through the Centralised
Information Management System (CIMS) by the 10th day of the following month in the
format set out below:
Inward remittance Outward remittance
(In INR) (In INR)
For hedging
For purposes other than hedging
6. Prudential Norms, Accounting and Capital Requirements
(i) Market participants shall follow the applicable prudential norms including those
related to capital adequacy, exposure norms, related party transactions, KYC/AML
requirements, etc., issued by their respective regulators for IRD transactions.
(ii) The accounting of IRD transactions by market participants shall be as per notified
and applicable accounting standards read with regulatory guidelines/instructions
issued by the respective regulators. In case the notified applicable accounting
standards or the respective regulator have not prescribed the accounting treatment for
IRD contracts, guidance, if any, issued by the Institute of Chartered Accountants of
India shall be followed in this regard.
7. Obligation to provide information sought by the Reserve Bank: The Reserve
Bank may call for information or statement or seek any clarification, which in the
opinion of the Reserve Bank is necessary, from persons or agencies dealing in IRD
transactions, including eligible participants, ETP operators and exchanges, and such
12persons/agencies shall furnish such information, statement or clarification within such
time as specified by the Reserve Bank.
8. Dissemination of data: The Reserve Bank or any other agency authorised by it,
may, in public interest, publish any anonymized data related to transactions in the IRD
market.
9. Violation of Directions: If a person violates any provision of these Directions, the
Reserve Bank may, in addition to taking any penal or regulatory action in accordance
with law, disallow that person from participating in the IRD markets for a period not
exceeding one month at a time, after providing reasonable opportunity of hearing.
Such action may be made public by the Reserve Bank.
10. These Directions shall apply to IRD transactions entered into from the date the
Directions come into effect. Provisions of the extant Directions will continue to be
applicable to IRD contracts undertaken in accordance with the said Directions till the
maturity or cancellation of the IRD contract.
13Annex-I
List of circulars superseded
a. List of circulars superseded vide Master Direction - Reserve Bank of India
(Rupee Interest Rate Derivatives) Directions, 2025
(i) FMRD.DIRD.05/14.03.046/2022-23 dated August 08, 2022
(ii) FMRD.DIRD.12/14.03.046/2021-22 dated February 10, 2022
(iii) FMRD.DIRD.19/14.03.046/2018-19 dated June 26, 2019
(iv) FMRD.DIRD.6/14.03.001/2017-18 dated March 01, 2018
(v) DBOD.No.BP.BC.82/21.04.157/2010-11 dated March 16, 2011
(vi) DBOD.BP.BC.No.34/21.04.157/2009-10 dated August 28, 2009
(vii) DBOD.No.BP.BC. 91/21.04.157/2004-05 dated May 20, 2005
b. List of circulars superseded vide Rupee Interest Rate Derivatives (Reserve
Bank) Directions, 2019
(i) FMRD.DIRD.13/14.03.041/2018-19 dated March 27, 2019
(ii) FMRD.DIRD.9/14.01.020/2017-18 dated June 14, 2018
(iii) FMRD.DIRD.12/14.01.011/2016-17 dated December 29, 2016
(iv) FMRD.DIRD.10/14.03.01/2016-17 dated October 28, 2016
(v) FMRD.DIRD.10/14.03.01/2014-15 dated June 12, 2015
(vi) IDMD.PCD.09/14.03.01/2013-14 dated December 19, 2013
(vii) IDMD.PCD.08/14.03.01/2013-14 dated December 5, 2013
(viii) IDMD.PCD.2191/14.03.01/2012-13 dated January 28, 2013
(ix) IDMD.PCD.16/14.03.01/2011-12 dated December 30, 2011
(x) IDMD.PCD.17/14.03.01/2011-12 dated December 30, 2011
(xi) IDMD.PCD. 28/14.03.01/2010-11 dated March 7, 2011
(xii) IDMD.PDRD.No.1056/03.64.00/2009-10 dated September 1, 2009
(xiii) FMD.MSRG No.39/02.04.003/2009-10 dated August 28, 2009
(xiv) DBOD.BP.BC.No.56/21.04.157/2008-09 dated October 13, 2008
(xv) IDMD.PDRS.4802(A)/03.64.00/2002-03 dated June 11, 2003
(xvi) MPD.BC.187/07.01.279/1999-2000 dated July 7, 1999
iAnnex-II
Reporting of transactions undertaken by related parties of Market-Makers
Reporting by market-maker other than SPD
1. Reporting entity: The market-maker shall report the necessary details of the
offshore Rupee IRD transactions undertaken by its offshore related parties to
the Trade Repository (TR) of CCIL. The related entity of the market-maker may
also choose to report the details of the Rupee IRD transactions undertaken by
it independently to the TR of CCIL.
2. Coverage of transactions: All Rupee IRD transactions, undertaken globally
by the related parties of the market-maker in India shall be reported to the TR.
3. Reporting requirements: A market-maker shall ensure that all transactions
undertaken by its offshore related parties are reported. With a view to providing
operational flexibility, such reporting shall be subject to the following
requirements:
(i) A market-maker is not required to report transactions under back-to-
back arrangement and transactions undertaken by the related parties
with other market-makers in India to the TR;
(ii) A market-maker shall have the option of not reporting transactions where
the gross notional of the contract does not exceed US $ 1 million or
equivalent;
(iii) A market-maker shall ensure that with effect from January 01, 2027,
transactions reported by it constitute at least 80 per cent of the gross
notional value of all IRD transactions, undertaken offshore by offshore
related parties;
(iv) A market-maker shall ensure that with effect from January 01, 2028,
transactions reported by it constitute at least 90 per cent of the gross
notional value of all IRD transactions, undertaken offshore by the market
maker and its related parties;
(v) For the purpose of computation of reporting requirement, financial
transactions indicated at (i) and (ii) above may be excluded.
4. Details of transactions to be reported: A market-maker shall report all
elements of covered transactions which are relevant to provide meaningful
iiinformation about the financial transaction. This will include, but not be limited
to, the notional value, name of the counterparty, maturity date, interest rate
specifications etc., as applicable to the transaction. The central counterparty
may be reported as the counterparty only in cases where the financial
transaction is undertaken on an anonymous trading platform and is cleared by
the central counterparty. The reporting formats shall be as indicated by CCIL
with the prior approval of the Reserve Bank.
5. Cut-off time for reporting: Transaction shall be reported preferably on the
date of transaction, but in any case within two working days from the date of
transaction.
Reporting by SPD
The reporting by related parties of SPDs to the TR shall be in terms of the Reserve
Bank of India (Standalone Primary Dealers) Directions, 2025, dated November 28,
2025, issued by the Department of Regulation.
iii