Why the Rupee Is Falling Again and How RBI Is Trying to Hold It

The Indian rupee is sliding once more and this time, faster than many expected.

Ever noticed how ₹100 feels smaller when the rupee weakens? That’s the reality again. And this time, it’s happening fast.

In October 2025, the rupee slipped close to ₹89 against the US dollar, its weakest level in months. Importers are paying more, investors are uneasy, and the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) is quietly stepping in to slow the drop.

It’s a familiar story for India’s markets, every few years, global and local forces combine to test the currency’s strength. But this time, the pace of decline is sharper, and the RBI’s response is more active.

What’s Behind The Latest Fall In Rupee Value?

The recent rupee slide didn’t happen overnight. According to a LoansJagat report (15 September 2025), the RBI sold around $7.6 billion in August 2025, its biggest intervention since 2022. That was when the rupee moved past ₹88 to a dollar.

Then came another sign. Reuters reported on 16 October 2025 that the one-month 25-delta risk reversal for USD/INR touched –0.8. That figure hadn’t been this low since 2012. It meant traders started expecting the rupee to strengthen a bit. But only after RBI stepped in.

These signs show why rupee exchange rate and RBI intervention aren’t just policy words anymore. They hit real numbers.

What Is Rupee Depreciation And Why Does It Matter?

When people say the rupee is weak, it simply means you need more rupees to get one US dollar. For example, oil gets pricier, foreign goods cost more. That’s rupee depreciation.

So what’s causing it now? The reasons behind Indian rupee depreciation are the usual suspects: strong US dollar, costlier imports, and a drop in foreign fund flows. This time, though, the shift feels sharper.

RBI measures to control rupee fall focus mostly on selling dollars into the market. But there’s more. It’s also active in offshore trades and nudging state-run banks.

Here's a quick look at what the RBI actually did:
 

This wasn’t random. The RBI stepped up only when things started to slide too fast. Feels like familiar ground.

Has the RBI Faced This Situation Before?

Yes. The RBI has managed similar currency pressures several times in the past. In 2019, it opened a $5 billion swap window to calm markets, as reported by Business Standard. During the 2020 COVID-19 phase, the RBI again used swaps, bonds, and forward trades to stabilise the rupee.

Now in 2025, the central bank seems to be following a similar playbook, just quicker and more targeted.

To understand how much firepower RBI still has, it helps to see where forex reserves and the REER index stand today.
 

REER, or Real Effective Exchange Rate, is a fancy term. But it just tells you how expensive or cheap the rupee is compared to other trade partner currencies. Lower REER means cheaper rupee. That’s where we are now.

What Are the Government’s Options This Time?

So far, not much noise from the North Block. But in the past, like in 2018, the finance ministry had eased NRI deposit rules and opened borrowing lines for Indian companies.

Sources quoted in a Reuters report on 31 October 2025 said similar ideas are on the table again. Maybe.

And yes, RBI has been nudging public banks. Quiet calls. Small shifts. Not all official. That’s how it usually works during currency pressure.

For now, the focus is clear, slow the fall, don’t let it panic the markets.

Conclusion

The Indian rupee may be under pressure, but it’s not in crisis. The RBI has handled similar shocks before and still has enough reserves to manage volatility.

For now, India’s currency stability and monetary policy are working together, trying to hold that fine balance between market calm and inflation control.

The next few weeks will show how strong that balance really is.
 

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LoansJagat Team

‘Simplify Finance for Everyone.’ This is the common goal of our team, as we try to explain any topic with relatable examples. From personal to business finance, managing EMIs to becoming debt-free, we do extensive research on each and every parameter, so you don’t have to. Scroll up and have a look at what 15+ years of experience in the BFSI sector looks like.