External debt reaches $496 bn at Sep-end

Some increase in short-term debt primarily due to trade related credit also contributed to the overall increase in total external debt

India's external debt reached $495.7 billion at the end of September quarter, up 5.1 per cent over end-March 2017, primarily on account of increase in foreign investment in the debt segment of capital market.

On a sequential basis, total external debt at end-September 2017 increased by $10 billion (2.1 per cent) from the end-June 2017 level.
 

"The rise in external debt during the period was primarily due to the increase in foreign portfolio investment (FPI) in the debt segment of domestic capital market included under commercial borrowings," the finance ministry said in a statement.

Some increase in short-term debt primarily due to