The government may end up issuing three or four new 10-year benchmark securities instead of the usual two it has been issuing each of the past years, as it will be borrowing more in FY21 amid the pandemic.
This will ensure that repayments are spread over three-four quarters at the time of maturity of the securities a decade down the line.
With the government, under its revised issuance calendar, planning to raise ₹20,000 crore (including a ₹2,000-crore greenshoe option) every alternate week via a 10-year security, the outstanding in this security could reach ₹1.32-lakh crore by July-end itself.
The government issued a new 10-year benchmark security on May 8 at a coupon rate of 5.79 per cent. It is planning to raise ₹30,000 crore every week via government securities (G-Sec) from May 11 to September 30, 2020.
Outstanding debt
According to bond market expert K Boovendran, the maximum outstanding debt against a G-Sec currently is at ₹1.21-lakh crore. “So, once the outstanding in the 5.79 per cent G-Sec that matures in 2030 reaches about ₹1.20-lakh crore, a new 10-year security will be issued,” he said.
In 2019, the government issued two 10-year benchmark government securities — 7.26 per cent G-Sec 2029 (issued on January 14, 2019) and 6.45 per cent G-Sec 2029 (issued on October 7, 2019).
As per CCIL data, the outstanding debt against 7.26 per cent G-Sec 2029 and 6.45 per cent G-Sec 2029 is at ₹1,18,831 crore and ₹95,840 crore, respectively. Going by this data, the government issued a new 10-year benchmark security once the debt raised via the earlier benchmark security reached ₹1,18,831 crore.
Given that the government will be borrowing 54 per cent more (at ₹12-lakh crore) in FY21 against the budget estimate of ₹7.80-lakh crore to take care of Covid-related spending towards social and healthcare sectors and for reviving the economy, Boovendran said, it could issue at least three new 10-year benchmark securities this year.
Staggered redemption
Marzban Irani, CIO - Fixed Income, LIC Mutual Fund, observed that if the same 10-year security is issued repeatedly, the government will face redemption pressure on a single day at the time of maturity. By issuing three or four 10-year benchmark securities, it can be staggered.
A letter from the Editor
Dear Readers,
The coronavirus crisis has changed the world completely in the last few months. All of us have been locked into our homes, economic activity has come to a near standstill. Everyone has been impacted.
Including your favourite business and financial newspaper. Our printing and distribution chains have been severely disrupted across the country, leaving readers without access to newspapers. Newspaper delivery agents have also been unable to service their customers because of multiple restrictions.
In these difficult times, we, at BusinessLine have been working continuously every day so that you are informed about all the developments – whether on the pandemic, on policy responses, or the impact on the world of business and finance. Our team has been working round the clock to keep track of developments so that you – the reader – gets accurate information and actionable insights so that you can protect your jobs, businesses, finances and investments.
We are trying our best to ensure the newspaper reaches your hands every day. We have also ensured that even if your paper is not delivered, you can access BusinessLine in the e-paper format – just as it appears in print. Our website and apps too, are updated every minute, so that you can access the information you want anywhere, anytime.
But all this comes at a heavy cost. As you are aware, the lockdowns have wiped out almost all our entire revenue stream. Sustaining our quality journalism has become extremely challenging. That we have managed so far is thanks to your support. I thank all our subscribers – print and digital – for your support.
I appeal to all or readers to help us navigate these challenging times and help sustain one of the truly independent and credible voices in the world of Indian journalism. Doing so is easy. You can help us enormously simply by subscribing to our digital or e-paper editions. We offer several affordable subscription plans for our website, which includes Portfolio, our investment advisory section that offers rich investment advice from our highly qualified, in-house Research Bureau, the only such team in the Indian newspaper industry.
A little help from you can make a huge difference to the cause of quality journalism!
Sincerely,
Support Quality Journalism