The foreign exchange reserves rose by a hefty $ 5.038 billion to $ 303.673 billion in the week to March 28, on a surge in currency assets, the Reserve Bank said on Friday.
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Total foreign exchange reserves had increased by $ 1.348 billion to $ 298.635 billion in the previous reporting week.
In December 2011, the reserves had touched $ 300 billion and in February that year it had touched a historic high of $323 billion.
Foreign currency assets (FCAs), a major part of the overall reserves, rose by $ 5.01 billion to $ 276.41 billion for the week ended March 28, the RBI said.
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Foreign currency assets, expressed in dollar terms, include the effect of appreciation/depreciation of the non-US currencies such as the euro, pound and yen held in its reserves.
The gold reserves remained unchanged at $ 20.978 billion, as per the RBI data.
The special drawing rights were down by $ 3.6 million to $ 4.458 billion, while the country’s reserve position with the IMF rose by $ 30 million to $ 1.83 billion, the apex bank said.