Trends and determinants of raising ECBs in Indian Context

Abstract

This study examines the effect of capital control measures initiated during the last two decades in terms of all-in-cost ceilings and enhanced limits on ECB in India over the sample period 2004Q1 to 2020Q2. Using global liquidity, the exchange rate between INR/USD, imports and interest rate differentials as control variables and changes in capital control measures from 2008 to 2011 in the all-in-cost ceiling, and changes in the enhanced limits on ECBs from USD 500 million to USD 750 million under the automatic route in 2012, regression analysis of three ECB series show interesting results. Using Robust Least Squares method, we document that (1) the successive increment in all-in-cost ceilings on ECB from 2008 to 2011 is inducing ECBs to flow, indicating that Indian firms benefit more than they pay due to increase the cost for ECBs having maturities 3<5 years. However, such capital control measures are not effective on ECBs having maturities >5 years. (2) The effect of the enhanced limits on ECBs from USD 500 million to USD 750 million under the automatic route in 2012 has a pronounced impact on ECB, averaging 1602.1 USD million per quarter. We observed that CCAs in India are initiated in response to the volatility of the exchange rate and global liquidity, imports, and interest rate differentials are significant variables in India's required capital control actions.