A 100 million US dollar syndicated loan arranged by Citibank in 2005, a balance 25 million US dollar Citibank loan arranged with the help of NEXI of Japan and a 50 million dollar loan from ICICI Bank arranged via state-run NSB has been paid back.
The debt office, which is a department of the central bank said new foreign currency commercial borrowings in 2008 was only 150 million US dollars and external commercial debt has fallen to 460 million US dollars at end 2008 from 485 million US dollars in end-2007.
Foreign purchase of government rupee securities which was 443 million US dollars (50 billion US dollars) at end-2007 and had increased to 620 million US dollars (70 billion rupees) had also fallen.
From mid-September 407 million US dollars (46 billion rupees) of such borrowings had left the country, the debt office said.
Outstanding Treasury Bonds and Treasury bills held by foreign parties were valued 213 million US dollars or 24 billion rupees.
The central bank said it