RBI ब्याज दर वृद्धि पर विचार कर रहा है क्योंकि रुपया 96.95 प्रति Dollar के रिकॉर्ड न्यूनतम स्तर पर पहुंचा

<h3>Overview</h3> <p>The <span class="key-term" data-definition="Reserve Bank of India — India's central banking institution responsible for monetary policy, currency regulation, and financial stability (GS3: Economy)">RBI</span> is weighing all options to stabilise the <span class="key-term" data-definition="Rupee — India's official currency, denoted as INR, whose value against foreign currencies is a key economic indicator (GS3: Economy)">rupee</span> after it touched a historic low of <strong>96.95 per U.S. dollar</strong> on <strong>20 May 2026</strong>. Senior officials, including <span class="key-term" data-definition="Governor Sanjay Malhotra — the chief executive of the RBI, responsible for steering monetary policy (GS3: Economy)">Governor Sanjay Malhotra</span>, have met internally to discuss measures such as a possible <span class="key-term" data-definition="Interest rate hike — an increase in the policy rate set by the central bank to curb inflation or stabilize currency (GS3: Economy)">interest rate hike</span>.</p> <h3>Key Developments</h3> <ul> <li>RBI officials convened a series of internal meetings after the rupee fell to a new low.</li> <li>Possible policy tools under review include an interest rate hike and other market interventions.</li> <li>On <strong>21 May 2026</strong>, the rupee recovered to <strong>96.45 per dollar</strong> following remarks by U.S. President Donald Trump on Iran negotiations.</li> <li>Forex traders cite ongoing <span class="key-term" data-definition="Geopolitical risk — uncertainty arising from international political events that can affect economic variables such as currency and commodity prices (GS3: Economy)">geopolitical risk</span> and high <span class="key-term" data-definition="Crude oil prices — global market price of oil, affecting import costs and inflation in oil‑importing economies like India (GS3: Economy)">crude oil prices</span> as factors that could reignite rupee weakness.</li> </ul> <h3>Important Facts</h3> <p>At the <span class="key-term" data-definition="Interbank foreign exchange market — a market where banks trade currencies among themselves, determining spot exchange rates (GS3: Economy)">interbank foreign exchange market</span>, the rupee opened at <strong>96.25</strong>, touched <strong>96.45</strong> in early trade, and later closed at <strong>96.86</strong> on 20 May 2026, marking an all‑time closing low. The decline coincided with a higher <span class="key-term" data-definition="Dollar index — a measure of the U.S. dollar's value against a basket of major currencies, influencing exchange rates (GS3: Economy)">dollar index</span> and sustained elevated oil prices.</p> <h3>UPSC Relevance</h3> <p>This episode illustrates the interplay of monetary policy, external sector dynamics, and geopolitical events—core topics for <strong>GS3: Economy</strong>. Candidates should understand how the RBI uses tools like the repo rate to manage exchange‑rate volatility, and how oil import bi