Asian financial stability, without the IMF

Japan is bolstering India’s battered rupee with a $15 billion currency swap arrangement, and some observers see in the move evidence of a region still wary of turning to the International Monetary Fund (IMF). The belief is widespread in Asia that the Fund fumbled badly its response to the 1997-1998 Asian financial crisis. Via Reuters: ...

By , a professor at Indiana University’s Hamilton Lugar School of Global and International Studies.

Japan is bolstering India's battered rupee with a $15 billion currency swap arrangement, and some observers see in the move evidence of a region still wary of turning to the International Monetary Fund (IMF). The belief is widespread in Asia that the Fund fumbled badly its response to the 1997-1998 Asian financial crisis. Via Reuters:

Japan is bolstering India’s battered rupee with a $15 billion currency swap arrangement, and some observers see in the move evidence of a region still wary of turning to the International Monetary Fund (IMF). The belief is widespread in Asia that the Fund fumbled badly its response to the 1997-1998 Asian financial crisis. Via Reuters:

Alicia Garcia-Herrero, chief economist for emerging markets at BBVA bank, said $137 billion of Indian debt maturing in the next 12 months could create further currency volatility.

"If we add to this the still huge uncertainty on the resolution of the European debt crisis, it seems clear that India can benefit from an additional cushion against capital outflows," she said.

Garcia-Herrero said the deal was a positive sign of how Asia was dealing with economic instability without turning to the International Monetary Fund.

"After the horrible experience of the Asian crisis, insurance has always come within the region," she said.

For a good survey of Asia’s troubled relationship with the IMF, see this piece by Mohsin Kahn.

David Bosco is a professor at Indiana University’s Hamilton Lugar School of Global and International Studies. He is the author of The Poseidon Project: The Struggle to Govern the World’s Oceans. Twitter: @multilateralist

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