India
RBI deputy wants to make banking a 'fundamental right'
Kamalesh Chandra Chakrabarty champions universal access to basic banking services; says banks’ cost structures are incompatible with the ideal
RBI cuts rates and strikes dovish note for 2013
Reserve Bank of India cuts headline interest rate for first time in nine months; governor Duvvuri Subbarao hints more cuts may be on the way
Gold is no inflation hedge, says RBI deputy
Kamalesh Chandra Chakrabarty disputes status of gold as a safe asset or hedge against inflation, arguing that as the gold price increases, so do risks
RBI’s Subbarao justifies greater central bank focus on poverty
Duvvuri Subbarao explains why a move towards greater emphasis on identifying and measuring poverty is important for the Reserve Bank
RBI mulls bank supervision changes in light of IMF report
Indian central bank accepts potential for ‘moral hazard' in supervisory system; IMF report finds regime on the whole ‘well developed and largely in compliance with international standards'
New deputy governor takes office at RBI
Indian government appoints Urjit Patel to replace Subir Gokarn on the Reserve Bank of India’s governing board; management roles reallocated again
RBI seeks to draw retail investors into government securities
Deputy governor Harun Khan says tailoring government securities to retail investors will help cushion volatility created by institutional and international investors
India extends Basel III timetable to let banks raise capital
Decision to push back Basel III implementation motivated by capital concerns, say market sources
RBI’s Padmanabhan sets out plans to disincentivise cheque use
Reserve Bank of India executive director explains efforts to encourage electronic payments, but says improved cheque systems are also being implemented due to high usage
RBI report condemns ‘excessive’ gold demand
Reserve Bank of India working group recommends gold imports are reduced to protect the country’s balance of payments and currency reserves
RBI shakes up management roles as deputy departs
Duties of Reserve Bank of India governing board reshuffled as deputy governor Subir Gokarn’s term expires; new executive director appointed
RBI’s Padmanabhan on technology in the financial sector
Reserve Bank of India executive director sets out where technological change has improved financial services and where it still can
The ghost at the IMF’s Tokyo feast
Robert Pringle looks back at the main themes of the IMF’s annual meeting, which was held in October in Tokyo, and forward to prospects for 2013
RBI’s Sharma urges euro area rebalance
Reserve Bank of India executive director says current account imbalances are ‘inherently unsustainable’; periphery countries must pursue greater productivity and competitiveness
RBI’s Subbarao encourages more ambitious global governance
Reserve Bank of India governor wants more cohesive policies between countries, and commitments to be enforced
RBI’s Subbarao addresses issue of struggling co-operatives
RBI governor explains his views on the root causes of problems being faced by India’s co-operative banks
RBI director wants to bolster inflation measures
Deepak Mohanty proposes the introduction of inflation-indexed bonds and the expansion of households' survey
Kenyan coin shortage denied by central bank
Central Bank of Kenya insists there are sufficient coins in circulation; urges public to accept coins ‘without reservation’
RBI pushes government to act on fiscal consolidation promises
Reserve Bank of India chief calls on government to make concrete progress on fiscal consolidation as central bank holds rates but cuts reserve requirements
Technology is both a blessing and a curse, says RBI director
Reserve Bank of India executive director discusses the costs that have arisen from technological advances in the financial sector as well as highlighting the potential for social gains
Indian government appoints new director to RBI board
Engineering professor at the Indian Institute of Technology nominated to Reserve Bank of India’s board of directors; replaces Shashi Rajagopalan, who died in August 2011
RBI may force move to electronic payments
Reserve Bank of India plans to channel payments providers into 'less-cash society' through regulation if necessary, according to new report
RBI deputy governor wants real sector reforms
Kamalesh Chandra Chakrabarty says a second generation of economic reforms is needed; measures should target individuals rather than the financial sector as whole
RBI official highlights stumbling blocks to ‘less-cash society’
G Padmanabhan says the development of prepaid transactions in India is ‘not very heartening’ despite non-banks being admitted into the market