Reserve Bank of India (Commercial Banks - Prudential Norms on Capital Adequacy) Tenth Amendment Directions, 2026

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( 367 kb ) Reserve Bank of India (Commercial Banks - Prudential Norms on Capital Adequacy) Tenth Amendment Directions, 2026

RBI/2026-27/155 DOR.MRG.REC.No.141/21-01-002/2026-27

June 24, 2026

Reserve Bank of India (Commercial Banks - Prudential Norms on Capital Adequacy) Tenth Amendment Directions, 2026

Please refer to Annex I of the FMRD Master Direction - Risk Management and Inter-Bank Dealings (Master Direction No. 1/2016-17 dated July 5, 2016) and paragraph 199 (Section D.4) of the Reserve Bank of India (Commercial Banks - Prudential Norms on Capital Adequacy) Directions, 2025 dated November 28, 2025 , which specify the methodology for computation of Net Open Position and calculation of capital charge on foreign exchange risk. Upon a review and to ensure greater alignment with international standards and consistent implementation across commercial banks, there is a felt need to amend these instructions.

2. Accordingly, in exercise of the powers conferred by Section 35A of the Banking Regulation Act, 1949 and all other provisions / laws enabling the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) to issue instructions in this regard, the RBI being satisfied that it is necessary and expedient in the public interest so to do, hereby, issues the Amendment Directions hereinafter specified.

3. (i) These instructions shall be called the Reserve Bank of India (Commercial Banks - Prudential Norms on Capital Adequacy) Tenth Amendment Directions, 2026.

(ii) These Amendment Directions shall come into effect from April 1, 2027.

4. The Reserve Bank of India (Commercial Banks - Prudential Norms on Capital Adequacy) Directions, 2025 are amended as provided below.

(i) Paragraph 199 shall be substituted by the following, namely:–

“D.4 Foreign Exchange Risk

199. A bank shall compute capital charge for foreign exchange risk as per the following method.

Scope of Application

(1) A bank shall compute Net Open Position and maintain capital charge for foreign exchange risk at both group / consolidated level and solo / standalone level. For this purpose, a bank may refer to paragraph 8 of these Directions.

(2) A bank shall meet the capital requirements for foreign exchange risk on a continuous basis, i.e., at the close of each business day.

Exclusions from Net Open Position

(3) A bank shall not apply foreign exchange risk capital requirement to any position that is deducted from the bank’s regulatory capital, including a position that is hedging such a position.

(4) Holdings of capital instruments that are deducted from a bank’s capital or risk weighted at 1250 per cent are not required to be included in the forex risk capital requirements. This includes:

(i) holdings of the bank’s own eligible regulatory capital instruments; and

(ii) holdings of other banks’ and other financial entities’ eligible regulatory capital instruments, as well as intangible assets, where such assets are deducted from capital.

(5) A bank shall not apply forex risk capital requirements to securities which are (i) already matured and remain unpaid; or (ii) have been classified as a non-performing asset / investment. Such securities shall attract capital only for credit risk.

Exclusion of certain structural foreign exchange positions from Net Open Position

(6) A bank shall have the option to exclude certain structural foreign currency investments from the calculation of Net Open Position, on both standalone and consolidated basis.

(7) The forex risk positions eligible for exclusion under sub-paragraph (6) above shall be structural (i.e., non-dealing) in nature, including capital investments and accumulated / unremitted surplus in overseas consolidated subsidiaries, Joint Ventures and associates, overseas branches, IFSC Banking Units, and Offshore Banking Units in Special Economic Zones denominated in foreign currencies.

(8) A bank may opt to exclude structural foreign exchange positions from Net Open Position on a case-to-case basis, in a consistent manner, provided the exemption meets each of the criteria mentioned in sub-paragraph (9) below.

(9) A bank shall comply with each of the following conditions while excluding currency risk positions under sub-paragraph (6) above:

(i) The exclusion is limited to the amount that neutralises the sensitivity of the capital ratio to movements in exchange rates.

(ii) The exclusion from the calculation is made for at least six months.

(iii) The establishment of a structural foreign exchange position and any changes in its position shall follow the bank’s risk management policy for structural foreign exchange positions.

(iv) The exclusion from the calculation shall be applied consistently, with the exclusionary treatment of the hedge remaining in place for the life of the assets or other items.

(v) The bank shall document and have available for supervisory review the positions and amounts to be excluded from market risk capital requirements.

(10) A matched currency risk position will protect a bank against loss from movements in exchange rates, but will not necessarily protect its capital adequacy ratio. If a bank has its capital denominated in its domestic currency and has a portfolio of foreign currency assets and liabilities that is completely matched, its capital / asset ratio will fall if the domestic currency depreciates. By running a short risk position in the domestic currency, the bank can protect its capital adequacy ratio, although it would result in a loss in the event of appreciation of the domestic currency. An illustration of the exclusion of structural foreign currency investments from Net Open Position is provided in sub-paragraph (11) below.

(11) Illustration of exclusion of structural foreign currency investments from Net Open Position:

(i) The paragraphs below provide an example of the exclusion of structural foreign currency investments from Net Open Position. The example uses a simplified scenario and is for illustrative purposes only.

(ii) A bank may adopt an alternative methodology, with reasonable assumptions, to determine its maximum Net Open Position to be excluded. The methodology shall be documented in the bank’s risk management policy for structural foreign exchange positions.

(iii) Assume a bank with the below balance sheet consisting of domestic currency (DC) assets / liabilities and foreign currency (FC) assets / liabilities.

Case 1: The forex assets and liabilities are perfectly matched.

Forex Assets in FC

300

Forex Liabilities in FC

300

Exchange Rate

1

Forex Assets in DC (a) 1

300

Forex Liabilities in DC (c)

300

Domestic Assets (b)

700

Domestic Liabilities (d)

540

Capital (e = a + b – c - d)

160

Total Assets (f = a + b)

1000

Forex exposure (g = a - c)

0

Total RWA (h=f*100%)

1000

Capital Ratio (i = e / h)

16.00%

Assume that the foreign currency appreciates, with exchange rate increasing from 1 to 1.2. Although the forex assets and liabilities increase by the same percentage (20 per cent) and hence continue to be perfectly matched, the bank’s capital ratio will decline since forex RWAs increase by 20 per cent, while capital amount remains unchanged.

Forex Assets in FC

300

Forex Liabilities in FC

300

Exchange Rate

1.2

Forex Assets in DC (a)

360

Forex Liabilities in DC (c)

360

Domestic Assets (b)

700

Domestic Liabilities (d)

540

Capital (e = a + b – c - d)

160

Total Assets (f = a + b)

1060

Forex exposure (g = a - c)

0

Total RWA (h = f * 100%)

1060

Capital Ratio (i = e / h)

15.09%

Case 2: The bank takes a structural long position (i.e., structural forex positions listed in sub-paragraph (7) above) in the foreign currency (i.e., short position in the domestic currency).

Forex Assets in FC

300

Forex Liabilities in FC

200

Exchange Rate

1

Forex Assets in DC (a)

300

Forex Liabilities in DC (c)

200

Domestic Assets (b)

700

Domestic Liabilities (d)

640

Capital (e = a + b – c - d)

160

Total Assets (f = a + b)

1000

Forex exposure (g = a - c)

100

Total RWA (h = f * 100%)

1000

Capital Ratio (i = e / h)

16.00%

Assume that the foreign currency appreciates, with exchange rate increasing from 1 to 1.2. Forex assets and liabilities increase 20 per cent. RWAs increase from 1000 to 1060 whereas the capital amount increases from 160 to 180. Overall, the bank’s capital ratio improves from 16 per cent to 16.98 per cent.

Forex Assets in FC

300

Forex Liabilities in FC

200

Exchange Rate

1.2

Forex Assets in DC (a)

360

Forex Liabilities in DC (c)

240

Domestic Assets (b)

700

Domestic Liabilities (d)

640

Capital (e = a + b - c - d)

180

Total Assets (f = a + b)

1060

Forex exposure (g = a - c)

120

Total RWA (h = f * 100%)

1060

Capital Ratio (i = e / h)

16.98%

(iv) To determine the maximum amount of the risk position that can be excluded from Net Open Position, the amount of additional capital required to maintain the capital ratio unchanged, for a unit change (1 per cent) in the exchange rate is to be calculated. Step 1 Calculate the new RWA position with the revised exchange rate. For the illustration provided in Case 2 above, assume the foreign exchange rate increases from 1 to 1.01. Forex Assets in DC = 300*1.01 = 303 Domestic Assets in DC = 700 Total Assets = 303 + 700 = 1003 Total RWAs = 1003 * 100% = 1003 Step 2 Now, calculate the new capital amount required and the increase in capital amount required in order to keep the capital ratio unchanged. Initial capital ratio = 16.00% New capital amount required = Initial capital ratio * New Total RWAs = 16% * 1003 = 160.48 Increase in capital amount required = New capital amount required – Initial capital amount = 160.48 – 160.00 = 0.48 Step 3 Amount of structural foreign exchange position that can be excluded from Net Open Position = (Increase in capital amount required) / 1% = 0.48 / 0.01 = 48 Initial NOP from the structural foreign exchange position = Foreign currency assets - Foreign currency liabilities = 300 – 200 = 100 Hence, amount of structural foreign exchange position to be included in Net Open Position = Initial Net Open Position - Amount of structural foreign exchange position that can be excluded from Net Open Position = 100 – 48 = 52 Alternate method: An alternate method which provides the same result for the maximum amount of structural foreign exchange position that can be excluded from Net Open Position is to multiply the capital ratio with the forex RWAs. Maximum amount of structural foreign exchange position that can be excluded from Net Open Position = (Capital / Total RWAs) * Forex RWAs = (160 / 1000) * 300 = 48 (12) In determining the maximum amount of exemption to structural positions as per sub-paragraph (11)(iv) above, a bank shall adhere to the following: (i) A bank shall use the CET1 ratio on quarter end basis for calculating the maximum amount of exemption to structural positions. (ii) Forex RWAs used in the calculation of structural exemption includes all RWAs denominated in the particular foreign currency, other than the RWAs used for calculation of forex market risk (as per paragraph 199). For operational convenience, a bank may, alternatively, include only the credit RWAs denominated in the particular foreign currency. (iii) The amount of structural exemption in a foreign currency shall be capped at the eligible amount of structural positions in that foreign currency. (iv) A bank shall re-calculate the amount of structural exemptions on a quarterly basis. (v)A bank may note that the above example uses certain assumptions and simplifications (such as Risk weight = 100 per cent and equal for forex assets and domestic assets, operational RWAs not considered, etc.). (vi)The above example considers the maximum amount of
structural foreign exchange position for a single foreign currency. In practice, a bank would have to separately calculate the maximum amount of structural foreign exchange position for each foreign currency for which it seeks an exclusion from Net Open Position. (vii)The illustration only provides the maximum amount of structural foreign exchange position that can be excluded from Net Open Position. In order to be eligible for such exclusion, a bank shall meet all the conditions mentioned in sub-paragraphs (6) to (9) above. Calculation of Net Open Position (13) For measuring the capital requirement for foreign exchange risk, a bank shall include all positions, within the ‘Scope of Application’ above, in foreign currencies, including gold, regardless of whether these are in the trading book or banking book. (14) The Net Open Position shall be calculated as under: (i)Measure the exposure in a single currency position as set out in sub-paragraphs (15) to (25) below. (ii)Measure the risks inherent in a bank’s mix of long and short positions in different currencies as set out in sub-paragraphs (26) to (32) below. Measuring the exposure in a single currency (15) The bank’s Net Open Position in each currency shall be calculated by summing: (i)the net spot position (i.e., all asset items less all liability items, including accrued interest, denominated in the currency in question); (ii)the net forward position (i.e., all amounts to be received less all amounts to be paid, as indicated in sub-paragraph (18) below); (iii)guarantees (and similar instruments) that are certain to be called and are likely to be irrecoverable; (iv) net future income / expenses not yet accrued / due but where the amounts are certain and have been fully hedged by the bank, at its discretion; (v)any other item representing a profit or loss in foreign currencies (depending on particular accounting conventions in different countries); and (vi) the net delta-based equivalent of the total book of foreign currency options. (16) Options are also subject to a separately calculated capital requirement for gamma and vega risks as described in paragraph 211(1). Alternatively, options and their associated underlying are subject to one of the other methods described in paragraphs 208 to 211. (17) All open positions from onshore and offshore operations are captured in the calculation of Net Open Position, as per sub-paragraph (15) above. Hence, a bank is not required to separately calculate onshore and offshore Net Open Positions. Positions from offshore operations include structural forex positions (after applying the structural exemption provision) and other items contributing to Net Open Position not captured in the structural forex position. For example, forward positions denominated in GBP of a US branch of a bank will not be captured through the structural forex position and shall be included separately in Net Open Position. (18) The net forward position includes: (i)tom and spot
transactions which are not yet settled; (ii)forward and futures transactions; and (iii)principal on cross-currency swaps and any other forex derivative transactions not included in the spot position. (19) Positions in gold (spot plus forward) shall be first expressed in terms of the standard unit of measurement (tonnes / kilos / ounces, etc.), with the net position being valued at current spot rates. (20) Where gold is part of a forward contract (quantity of gold to be received or to be delivered), any interest rate or foreign currency exposure from the other leg of the contract shall be reported as set out in paragraphs 186 to 194 and paragraph 199(15). (21) Interest, other income and expenses shall be treated as follows: Interest accrued (i.e., earned but not yet received) and accrued expenses shall be included as a spot position. Unearned but expected future interest and anticipated expenses may be excluded unless the amounts are certain and the bank has taken the opportunity to hedge them. If a bank includes future income / expenses it shall do so on a consistent basis, and it would not be permitted to select only those expected future flows which reduce its position. (22) Measurement of derivative positions: A bank shall use the current spot rates, without present value adjustment, for measuring derivative positions. Overseas operations in Net Open Position (23) Treatment of capital invested in overseas operations: Subject to the ‘Scope of Application’ above, a bank shall include all capital investments in overseas operations under the net spot position for calculation of Net Open Position. For this purpose, overseas operations of a bank shall include overseas branches, IFSC Banking Units and Offshore Banking Units in Special Economic Zones, as well as overseas subsidiaries, associates and joint ventures. (24) Treatment of accumulated / unremitted surplus of overseas operations: Subject to the ‘Scope of Application’ above, a bank shall include all accumulated / unremitted surplus of overseas operations under the net spot position for calculation of Net Open Position. (25) A bank shall include the structural positions, i.e., capital invested in and accumulated / unremitted surplus of overseas operations [mentioned in sub-paragraphs (23) and (24) above] in Net Open Position based on quarter end position. Measuring the foreign exchange risk in a portfolio of foreign currency positions and gold (26) For measuring the foreign exchange risk in a portfolio of foreign currency positions and gold, a bank shall use a shorthand method which treats all currencies equally. (27) Under the shorthand method, the nominal amount of the net position in each foreign currency and in gold is converted at spot rates into the reporting currency. The overall Net Open Position is measured by aggregating: (i)the sum of the net short positions or the sum of the net long positions, whichever is greater; plus (ii)the net position (short or long) in gold, regardless of
sign. (28) For calculating Net Open Position as per the shorthand method, a bank shall use the spot rates based on financial benchmarks administered by benchmark administrators authorised under the relevant directions issued by FMRD. (29) Where the bank is assessing its foreign exchange risk on a consolidated basis, it may be technically impractical, in the case of some marginal operations, to include the currency positions of a foreign branch or subsidiary of the bank. In such cases, the internal limit in each currency may be used as a proxy for the positions. Provided there is adequate ex post monitoring of actual positions against such limits, the limits shall be added, without regard to sign, to the Net Open Position in each currency. (30) Transactions undertaken by a bank till the end of business day shall be included for calculation of Net Open Position. The transactions undertaken after the end of business day may be taken into the positions for the next day. For this purpose, a bank may define its own end of business day timings, but the same shall be determined as per a duly approved internal policy and followed on a consistent basis. (31) The capital requirement for foreign exchange positions, including gold, shall be 9 per cent of the overall Net Open Position computed using the shorthand method. This capital requirement is in addition to the capital requirement for credit risk, interest rate risk or any other risks on the on-balance sheet and off-balance sheet items pertaining to foreign exchange and gold transactions. Illustration: See example in Table below. Table: Example of the shorthand measure of foreign exchange risk

JPY

EUR

GBP

CAD

USD

Gold

Net position per currency

+50

+100

+150

-20

-180

-35

Net Open Position

+300

-200

35

The capital requirement will be 9 per cent of the overall Net Open Position. Thus, the capital requirement would be 9 per cent of the higher of either the net long currency positions or the net short currency positions (i.e., 300) and of the net position in gold (35) = 335 x 9 per cent = 30.15 (scalars would be applied as prescribed). (32) A bank which is subject to the Master Direction – Risk Management and Inter-Bank Dealings, as amended from time to time, shall be guided by the Direction ibid, and related directions, for other instructions related to Net Open Position, including inter alia, reporting, applicable limit, and limit for Net Open Position involving Rupee as one of the currencies (NOP-INR).”. (Sunil T S Nair) Chief General Manager

1 Calculated as Forex Assets in FC * Exchange Rate = 300 * 1 = 300

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