India's external debt declines to $554.5 bn in June from March level

India's external debt declined to $554.5 billion by June'20 from $558.4 billion in March 2020 and $556.9 billion a year ago.

As a proportion of GDP, however, it increased to 21.8 per cent from 20.6 per cent at end-March 2020.

Commercial borrowings remained the largest component of external debt, with a share of 38.1 per cent, followed by non-resident deposits (23.9 per cent) and short-term trade credit with 18.2 per cent share.

At end-June 2020, the long-term debt (with original maturity of above one year) was placed at $449.5 billion, recording a decrease of $2.0 billion over its March'20 level.

The short-term debt, at $105 billion, declined both from its March 2020 level of $106.9 billion and its year-ago level of $109.7 billion.

The instrument-wise classification shows the loans were the largest component of external debt, with a share of 35.4 per cent, followed by currency and deposits (24.3 per cent), trade credit and advances (18.8 per cent) and debt securities (16.3 per cent).