NRIs pump back more dollars on falling rupee

With the ongoing fall in the rupee, the remittances volume has seen a massive spike as high networth individuals have started sending more money back home to cash in on the pricing difference.

While some pegged the volume increase up to 75 per cent, others have seen the business jumping up to 20 per cent.

The domestic currency ended at 63.62 against the dollar on Wednesday, compared to 63.54 on Tuesday, which was at a 13-month low.

Global payment service provider UAE Exchange said it has seen a 70 per cent jump in the volume of high-ticket remittances in the last week alone.

"Although the number of transactions have increased by 20 per cent, we have seen high value remittances in volume terms surging by 70 per cent," said Ashwin Shetty, UAE Exchange vice-president for treasury. The NRIs are remitting anywhere between Rs 25 lakh to Rs 5 crore, he added.

Last year the country led the chart in remittance inflows, by receiving a whopping $70 billion, followed by China with $60 billion and the Philippines with $25 billion. It had $69 billion in remittances in 2012, and according to the World Bank, this year the inflows will touch higher levels.

"The fall in the rupee has positive impact on remittances from HNIs. We are seeing a jump of 15-20 per cent in the high-value remittance volume," Xpress Money vice-president and business head Sudhesh Giriyan told PTI.

He said HNIs have high disposable income and they look for an opportunity when rupee falls to take advantage.

"Either they have accumulated funds or they borrow from banks of the respective countries at a cheaper rate and then send money home," Giriyan said.