RBI via circular dated 15/12/2011 made changes in Foreign Exchange Derivative Contacts with immediate effect until further review. Below is the extract of the same related to importers and exporters.

1). Under contracted exposures, forward contracts, involving the Rupee as one of the currencies, booked by residents to hedge current account transactions, regardless of the tenor, and to hedge capital account transactions, falling due within one year, were allowed to be cancelled and rebooked.

It has now been decided to withdraw the above facility. Forward contracts booked by residents irrespective of the type and tenor of the underlying exposure, once cancelled, cannot be rebooked.

2). Under probable exposures based on past performance residents were allowed to hedge currency risk on the basis of a declaration of an exposure and based on past performance up to the average of the previous three financial years’ (April to March) actual import/export turnover or the previous year’s actual import/export turnover, whichever is higher. Further, contracts booked in excess of 75 per cent of the eligible limit were to be on deliverable basis and could not be cancelled.

It has now been decided that

A. For importers availing of the above past performance facility, the facility stands reduced to 25 percent of the limit as computed above, i.e., 25 percent of the average of the previous three financial years’ (April to March) actual import/export turnover or the previous year’s actual import/export turnover, whichever is higher. In case of importers who have already utilised in excess of the revised / reduced limit, no further bookings may be allowed under this facility.

B. All forward contracts booked under this facility by both exporters and importers hence forth will be on fully deliverable basis. In case of cancellations, exchange gain, if any, should not be passed on to the customer.

3). All cash/tom/spot transactions by the Authorised Dealers on behalf of clients will be undertaken for actual remittances / delivery only and cannot be cancelled / cash settled.

Reference

RBI Circular