India reduces exposure to US government securities

India has reduced its exposure to the US government securities this year so far with the holding coming down to USD 67 billion in February.
In the first two months of this year, India has trimmed its holding by more than USD 1 billion reversing the trend witnessed during the last few months of 2013.
While India's holdings in February stood at USD 67 billion in February, the same was at USD 68.1 billion in the preceding month, according to latest data from the US Treasury Department.
India held US Treasury securities worth USD 68.5 billion in December last year.

Growth prospects are slowly improving for the US, the world's largest economy, even as many of the developing countries are facing economic headwinds.
In the fourth quarter of 2013, the American economy grew 2.6 per cent, as per official figures.

Meanwhile not only India, rest of the BRIC (Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa) nations too have trimmed their exposures in February compared to January.
Even though China cut its holding marginally, the country is still the largest holder of American government securities with holdings worth USD 1.27 trillion.
Among the BRICS members, Brazil has the second largest exposure at USD 243.9 billion, followed by Russia whose holdings stood at USD 126.2 billion in February.

South Africa held USD 11.4 billion worth such securities during the same period.
Japan with securities holdings of USD 1.21 trillion at the end of February is is the second largest holder of US Treasury securities.