The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has issued final regulations expanding the country's credit derivative market, implementing a framework proposed by the federal finance minister in this year's budget.

The new rules permit resident Indian non-retail users to deploy instruments such as credit default swaps (CDS) and total return swaps without restrictions on purpose, while maintaining tighter controls for other participants.

25% despite pressures from surging global energy costs and a weakening rupee.

This regulatory shift aims to enhance risk management capabilities for institutional investors and deepen the domestic bond market.

By removing purpose-based restrictions for qualified entities, the RBI seeks to increase liquidity and price discovery in credit risk transfer mechanisms.

The move aligns with broader efforts to develop India's fixed-income infrastructure, which has historically lagged behind equity markets in terms of depth and sophistication.

The development follows the RBI's decision to maintain its benchmark interest rate at 5.25% despite pressures from surging global energy costs and a weakening rupee.