As Rupee drops in value, so does Japan's love for Indian Uridashi bonds

The amount of uridashi bonds sold in rupees fell to 1.1% of all sales of such debt so far this year, lowering its ranking to No 7

Indian bonds used to get a lot of love from Japanese individual investors only a few years ago. But the passion has faded due to a plunge in the rupee and concern about election-related chaos.

The amount of uridashi bonds sold in rupees fell to 1.1 per cent of all sales of such debt so far this year, lowering its ranking to No 7, Bloomberg-compiled data show. That compared with 1.6 per cent last year, the sixth highest, and 2.6 per cent in 2017. The proportion rose to an all-time high of 4.3 per cent in 2016.

Bond investors in Japan are turned off by the tumble in the rupee, which has dropped 6.5 per cent in the past year against the yen, the worst performer among Asian currencies. Projections show the Indian currency’s fall will continue until the end of 2021. Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced an expansionary budget earlier this month in his final attempt to woo voters as investors are concerned his re-election bid may fall after at least three pre-poll surveys indicated that his Bharatiya Janata Party won’t get a majority later in the year.