The Reserve Bank of India has decided to allow all residents and non-residents to carry Indian currency notes up to Rs 25,000 while leaving the country. They can also bring Indian currency up to Rs 25,000 into India every time they visit. However, citizens of Pakistan and Bangladesh travelling to and from India will not be allowed to carry Indian currency. Resident individuals travelling to Nepal and Bhutan will also not be allowed to carry Indian currency.
Till recently, only Indian residents were allowed to take Indian currency abroad; non-resident Indians (NRIs) were neither permitted to take out nor bring in any Indian currency while entering or leaving India. You don’t need Indian rupees while abroad, but you may need it when you return.
The increased limit to Rs 25,000 can be useful for various purposes - it can cover the cost of transportation on reaching India, hotel stay, buying a SIM card or even buying gifts at duty-free shops at an Indian airport. Say, you plan to go to a small town and your international flight lands in Delhi. This extra cash will allow you to cover the cost of your long journey. It can also come in handy in case of an emergency.
But with ATM easily accessible, is this cash really needed? Yes, for various reasons. You can convert the cash into foreign currency in your destination country if you didn’t have the chance to do so while departing from India. Moreover, some people may not be comfortable using their ATM cards in another country for reasons of safety or the extra charges involved. This may be especially useful for frequent travellers as it will save them from having to rush to a foreign exchange counter every time they visit India.
