The Economic Survey 2013-14, presented today in the Lok Sabha by the Union Finance Minister Shri Arun Jaitley, has noted that India’s Balance of Payments (BoP) position improved dramatically in 2013-14, particularly in the last three quarters. This owed in large part to measures taken by the Government and the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) and in some part, to the overall macroeconomic slowdown that fed into the external sector. Current account deficit (CAD) declined sharply from a record high of US $ 88.2 billion (4.7 per cent of gross domestic product GDP) in 2012-13 to US $ 32.4 billion (1.7 per cent of GDP) in 2013-14. After staying at perilously unsustainable levels of well over 4.0 per cent of GDP in 2011-12 and 2012-13, the improvement in BoP position is a welcome relief and there is need to sustain the position going forward, the Survey noted.

Balance of Payments improvement follows coordinated macro and monetary measures, reducing current account pressures and requiring sustained policy vigilance. India's Balance of Payments position improved notably in 2013-14, driven principally by government and Reserve Bank of India measures and aided by a macroeconomic slowdown that reduced external demand. The document highlights a marked contraction in the current account deficit, occurring largely in the final three quarters of the year, and stresses that sustaining the improved external position will require continued policy vigilance and coordinated macroeconomic management.