USD/INR strengthens as geopolitical risks, foreign fund outflows drag Indian Rupee lower

The Indian Rupee softens in Wednesday’s Asian session. 

Sustained portfolio outflows and geopolitical risks could weigh on the INR, but RBI interventions might cap its downside. 

Investors await the speeches from the Fed’s Cook and Bowman on Wednesday. 

The Indian Rupee (INR) loses traction on Wednesday. The local currency remains under some selling pressure due to the renewed US Dollar (USD) demand from importers and rising geopolitical tensions after Russian officials said that Ukraine used US ATACMS missiles to strike Russian territory for the first time, while Russian President Vladimir Putin approved an updated nuclear doctrine. 

Furthermore, sustained portfolio outflows contribute to the INR’s downside. However, any significant depreciation of the Indian Rupee might be limited as the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) is likely to sell the USD to support the INR.

In the absence of top-tier economic data released from the US and India, the USD price dynamics will continue to play a key role in influencing the pair. The Federal Reserve (Fed) Lisa Cook and Michelle Bowman are scheduled to speak later on Wednesday.