In a measure taken to check the rupee’s rise, the Reserve Bank of India has liberalized norms for Indian companies, mutual funds and individuals to invest abroad. Indian mutual funds, henceforth would be allowed to invest up to USD 5 billion or (euro 3.5 billion) and domestic companies invest upto 400% instead of 300% of their net worth.

For individuals too, the overseas investment bar has been raised to USD 200,000 from USD 100,000 per annum. The rupee broke the Rs.40 to a dollar threshold last week at 39.88, and has been steadily rising, reaching 39.63 on Wednesday, 26th, September.

The US Federal Reserve’s cut in its lending rate triggered foreign investors’ decisions to invest in India’s thriving stock market, with the Sensex already hitting the 17,000 mark on Wednesday. Over the last week, USD 1.5 billion has been invested in Indian stocks, taking the figure to USD 11 billion so far this year, as per the SEBI.

RBI’s moves to stem the rupee’s rise would not be enough to check the trend, say analysts. The inflow of the dollar would far outnumber the outflow, barely impacting the rupee-dollar exchange rate.

Exporters were already reeling under the rising rupee over the last few months, and the fresh onslaught has resulted in a fall in the shares of technology firms who rely heavily on outsourcing from the US.

The RBI’s latest measures are seen as part of the apex bank’s moves to create a fully convertible rupee, recommended by the Committee on Fuller Capital Account Convertibility.

The Committee has prepared a five-year plan to make the Indian currency fully convertible. Presently, the Indian currency is partially convertible, necessitating RBI’s approval for all capital account transactions.

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