RBI Allows Standalone PDs to Trade Interest Rate Futures
Current · Source: Reserve Bank of India · RBI/2009-10/141 · issued 01 Sep 2009 · ~1 min read
Quick answerRBI now permits standalone Primary Dealers to trade Interest Rate Futures for hedging and own-account trading, but not for clients. This aligns with the 2009 IRF Directions and existing prudential norms.
The rule, in the simplest words
Standalone Primary Dealers (special firms that buy and sell government bonds) can now trade Interest Rate Futures (contracts that let you bet on future interest rates) for two reasons: to protect against interest rate changes (hedging) and to make money for themselves (own-account trading).
They are NOT allowed to trade Interest Rate Futures for clients (other people or companies).
All trades must follow the safety rules (prudential norms) from earlier RBI circulars in 2003 and 2007.
Banks that have a Primary Dealer department must follow separate rules from the Department of Banking Operations and Development (DBOD).
How it plays out — a real example
Ravi, a treasury officer in Indore, also works in the treasury of a standalone Primary Dealer. He uses Interest Rate Futures to protect the bank's government bond portfolio from a sudden rise in interest rates, and sometimes takes small trading positions for the bank's own profit. He never offers these futures to customers, keeping client trading off-limits as per RBI rules.
What changed
RBI clarified that standalone Primary Dealers can deal in Interest Rate Futures for both hedging and proprietary trading, subject to existing risk management and accounting guidelines. This builds on the 2009 IRF Directions and earlier circulars from 2003 and 2007.
What it means for you
Standalone PDs gain flexibility to manage interest rate risk on government securities portfolios through IRFs, while trading positions are allowed for own account. Banks with PD departments must follow separate DBOD guidelines. This expands hedging tools but keeps client trading off-limits.
What you must do
Ensure IRF transactions comply with prudential norms from 2003 and 2007 circulars.
Restrict IRF dealings to hedging and own-account trading; avoid client transactions.
Review risk management and accounting frameworks for IRF positions.
Banks with PD departments should follow DBOD guidelines for IRF activities.
No, the circular explicitly allows IRF dealings only on own account, not on client’s account.
What guidelines govern IRF transactions for PDs?
PDs must follow risk management and accounting norms from June 2003 circulars and the comprehensive derivatives guidelines from April 2007.
Does this apply to banks with PD departments?
Banks undertaking PD activities departmentally should follow DBOD guidelines, not this standalone PD circular.
📜 Read the original circular — full text as issued by RBI
RBI/2009-10/141
IDMD.PDRD.No. 1056/03.64.00/2009-10
September 1, 2009
All Stand-alone Primary Dealers
Dear Sir
Guidelines on Exchange Traded Interest Rate Derivatives
Please refer to the directions contained in Interest Rate Futures (Reserve Bank) Directions, 2009 [ Notification No.FMD.1 / ED(VKS) - 2009 dated August 28, 2009 ] issued by the Reserve Bank of India.
2. Guidelines on risk management, accounting norms, etc. to be followed by the Primary Dealers (PDs) were issued vide our circulars IDMC.PDRS. 4802 / 03.64.00 / 2002-03 dated June 3, 2003 and IDMD.PDRS. 4802(A) / 03.64.00 / 2002-03 dated June 11, 2003. Further, comprehensive guidelines on derivatives were issued by our Department of Banking Operations and Development vide circular DBOD.No.BP.BC.86 / 21.04.157 / 2006-07 dated April 20, 2007. In terms of these guidelines, Primary Dealers are allowed to transact in Exchange Traded Interest Rate Futures for the purpose of hedging the interest rate risk of their underlying government securities portfolio and hold trading positions in Interest Rate Futures, subject to the terms and conditions indicated therein.
3. In the context of the Interest Rate Futures (Reserve Bank) Directions, 2009 dated August 28, 2009 issued by the Reserve Bank of India, it is clarified that stand-alone Primary Dealers (PDs) are allowed to deal in Interest Rate Futures (IRFs) for both hedging and trading on own account and not on client’s account, subject to adherence to the prudential norms contained in the aforesaid circulars.
4. Banks undertaking PD activities departmentally may be guided by the extant guidelines issued by our Department of Banking Operations & Development in this regard.
Yours faithfully
(K.V.Rajan)
Chief General Manager
Reproduced for reference with acknowledgment — Source: Reserve Bank of India · RBI/2009-10/141 · issued 01 Sep 2009. The plain-English explanation above is BankPulse’s own independent summary.
Example: if you are a Compliance officer at a bank this circular applies to (Standalone Primary Dealers, Banks undertaking PD activities departmentally), your first concrete step on “RBI Allows Standalone PDs to Trade Interest Rate Futures” is: “Ensure IRF transactions comply with prudential norms from 2003 and 2007 circulars.” (RBI issued this 01 Sep 2009).
Action required: Ensure IRF transactions comply with prudential norms from 2003 and 2007 circulars.
Action required: Restrict IRF dealings to hedging and own-account trading; avoid client transactions.
Action required: Review risk management and accounting frameworks for IRF positions.
Action required: Banks with PD departments should follow DBOD guidelines for IRF activities.
Owner: ____________ Target date: ____________
Board/committee approval needed? Y / N
Evidence filed in compliance register on: ____________
Built only from this circular’s own published fields — not legal advice; always confirm against the official RBI source.
💬 Banker Discussion
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BankPulse Compliance Evidence Pack — generated 03 Aug 2026 · status cross-checked against RBI’s official withdrawal register (refreshed weekly). Official RBI source: https://www.rbi.org.in/Scripts/NotificationUser.aspx?Id=5247&Mode=0 — Plain-English summary by BankPulse (bankpulse.ai), reviewed by our expert reviewer, CA Amit Jain. Independent platform, not affiliated with the Reserve Bank of India; is our own plain-English paraphrase, not RBI’s original wording.
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