The steps came after the RBI's foreign exchange reserves fell by more than $40 billion over the past nine months, largely due to its intervention in the currency market to curb rupee losses
Experts say firms will have to either immediately take forward cover or book losses if Rs depreciates further
RBI said that despite the headwinds from geopolitical developments, elevated crude oil prices and tighter external financial conditions, high frequency indicators point to an ongoing recovery in sever
The efficacy of the central bank's steps will be seen in the coming days
Union ministers Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi and R C P Singh submitted their resignations to Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday, a day before the completion of their Rajya Sabha term, sources said.
The measures include easing norms for FPI investment in debt market, and increasing the ECB limit under the automatic route from $750 mn or its equivalent per financial year to $1.5 bn
The currency's slump comes a day after data showed India's trade deficit ballooned to a record $25.63 bn on account of a steep increase in gold and crude oil imports
As the rupee fell, Congress on reminded Prime Minister Narendra Modi of his jibe when the UPA was in power, and alleged the BJP-led government was sitting "idle" and doing nothing to arrest the slide.
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The Reserve Bank of India has been defending the rupee and has lost a significant amount of foreign exchange reserves
The rupee losses on Friday were, however, limited by dollar sales by exporters, who felt that the domestic unit may not fall much further, given the sharp depreciation seen this week
The government raised import taxes on gold, while increasing levies on exports of gasoline and diesel in an attempt to control a fast-widening current account gap.
Depreciation of rupee makes India's imports costlier, while on the other hand exports become attractive.
A shortfall in India's current account -- the broadest measure of trade -- will probably widen to 2.9% of gross domestic product in the fiscal year ending March 31
The rupee breached the psychologically significant level of 79 per dollar level for the first time ever on Wednesday and has also hit a series of new lows this month
Dealers say magnitude of RBI interventions slowed down over past couple of days
In the previous session, the rupee had closed at its all-time low of 79.03 against the US dollar
Indian currency closes at 78.97 to the greenback after hitting all-tine low of 78.98 intraday
At the interbank foreign exchange market, the rupee opened lower at 78.86 against the greenback and finally settled at 79.03, down 18 paise over its previous close.
To control the tumble, the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has sold dollars in the spot market and simultaneously bought and sold in the forwards market.