What does an Indian rupee look like? Indian rupees. Exchange rate of the Indian rupee to the ruble, dollar, euro. Currency exchange in India

For a long time in India there was no common monetary unit. For the first time, the national currency of India - the Indian rupee (translated from Sanskrit as “minted silver”) - appeared only in 1542 during the reign of Sher Shah, and this coin weighed almost 12 g. Since then, Indian rupees began to be widely used outside India. Today they are used in several countries around the world, including the Maldives, Sri Lanka and Indonesia.

Brief History of India

The Republic of India is a South Asian state located on the Hindustan Peninsula near the Indian Ocean. India is the heir of the Harappan civilization. The first states began to appear here in the 2nd half of the 1st millennium BC. e. Depending on the current rulers, India was at different times called the state of the Mauryas, Groups and even the Delhi Sultanate.

The Indian economy was based on agriculture, cattle breeding and handicrafts. It was the Indians who were the first in history to begin to grow cotton in the fields and make threads from it for the production of fabrics. Thanks to the trade in cotton linens, economic relations with other countries. Ancient India maintained trade relations with many states. For example, it is known for sure that goods were brought by land and sea from China, Afghanistan and Burma. The main items of trade were cotton fabrics, precious jewelry and miniature figurines made of metals and ivory, and grain.

One can only guess how the history of India would have developed if the ships of the famous Portuguese navigator Vasco da Gama had not landed on its shores in 1497. From the 16th century, India began to be gradually conquered by European colonialists - the Portuguese, Dutch, French and British. As a result of a long struggle for dominance in the mid-19th century, India became part of Great Britain.

The country gained independence only after the Second World War, in 1947, having lost part of its territory - Pakistan. And already in 1950, India was officially recognized as a republic.

Indian rupee denomination

The currency of India is the Indian rupee. 1 rupee is equal to 100 paise. In circulation are:

• banknotes in denominations of 1, 5, 10, 20, 50, 100, 500 and 1000 rupees of various years of issue;
• coins in denominations of 5, 10, 20, 25, 50 paise; 1, 2, 5 and 10 rupees.

Banknotes of the same denomination can be different: these are not fakes, but different modifications of the same banknote. Despite this, all paper money has a common obligatory element - the image of Mahatma Gandhi. Banknotes may be issued in honor of certain people or important events. What a modern 10-rupee note looks like, for example, can be seen in Fig. 1.

For several centuries, several types of Indian rupees (Bengal, Bombay, Madras) were used in India, until in 1835, after the loss of sovereign independence, the British introduced a single standard for the silver rupee throughout India. Then the rupee lost its value and original appearance over time. The first English king depicted on this coin was William IV.

At first, Indian rupees were made only from silver, then from gold. Eventually, in 1924, India returned to the silver standard. So, in February 1920, one rupee corresponded to 2 shillings and 8 pence. Since 1924, the rate has been fixed at 1 rupee - 18 pence (1 shilling and 6 pence), which corresponded to 0.549179 grams of pure gold.

Indian rupee exchange rate today

Well Indian rupee depends on the exchange rate between the US dollar and the euro. It is abbreviated as INR. To calculate the exchange rate of the Indian rupee against the ruble, we take as a basis the data as of March 12, 2016:

• 1 INR = 0.015 $
• 1 INR = 0.013 EUR
• 1 $ = 70.31 RUB
• 1 EUR = 74.9 RUB

If you pick up a calculator, you can easily calculate that in relation to the dollar 1 INR = 0.015 × 70.31 = 1.05 RUB, and in relation to the euro 1 INR = 0.013 × 74.9 = 0.97 RUB . The Indian rupee exchange rate is almost equal to the ruble exchange rate, and often even falls lower. If we take into account that banks do not exchange money equally, it may turn out that traveling to India with our rubles is not yet profitable. Therefore, it is better to convert them into dollars or euros in Russia. When exchanging dollars and euros into Indian rupees you will receive:

1 $= 67.15 INR, 1 EUR = 74.9 INR. And when exchanging our rubles (without bank commission): 1 RUB = 0.96 INR.

• 1 INR (1 Indian rupee)= 1.05 RUB
• 1 INR = 0.015 $
• 1 INR = 0.013 EUR
• 1 INR = 0.015 CHF (Swiss franc)
• 1 INR = 0.01 GBR (pound sterling used in the Falkland Islands)
• 1 INR = 1.69 JPY (Japanese yen)
• 1 INR = 0.39 UAH (Ukrainian hryvnia)
• 1 INR = 5.12 KZT (Kazakhstani tenge)
• 1 INR = 307.29 BYR (Belarusian ruble)

For a long period of its existence, India was under the control of different countries. This mainly applies to England. This fact left a serious imprint on many different elements, including what the Indian currency ultimately became.

History of origin

In fact, the first mention of the country's monetary units dates back to 1542. Many travelers are interested in what it is called official currency India. The answer is very simple: from the moment of their appearance, these funds were called “rupiah,” which literally translates simply as “minted silver.” Subsequently, the name stuck, and it was this unit that became the main payment instrument in the country.

Following the establishment of British influence in the region, the first rupee was issued in 1677 and was minted by the East India Company. In general, for many years (and even centuries) on the territory of what is now India, there were several options for such means of payment, each of which had its own, unique value. From 1835 to 1893, a special silver standard for unified rupees was in force in this region. It was legislated that any person who owned silver could come to the mint and exchange it for the appropriate amount of rupees, which, again, were minted from silver.

Gradually, as the situation in the world worsened due to the First World War, the Second World War and subsequent crises, the monetary unit, which initially had a considerable value, became more and more depreciated. Now the Indian currency is quite cheap; one dollar can buy you about 60 rupees. And this despite the fact that back in 1947 the ratio was 1 to 3.3, that is, for three point three rupiah one could buy one US dollar.

Indian banknotes

The same name as the official currency of India is also used for the banknotes issued by this country. Paper money is printed regularly, but old series are not withdrawn and have the same circulation as modern banknotes. That is why papers that are completely different in appearance and in their anti-counterfeiting performance can have the same purchasing power. There are many banknote value options available, ranging from 1 rupee to a thousand. Each such payment unit looks quite colorful and bright, and the main colors used when printing banknotes are ocher or olive.

Coins of India

For most of the period that Indian currency survived, many variants of different coins circulated throughout the country, but the most common were the silver rupee, gold muhr and copper paise. Gold coins were not accepted as a means of payment, but they were actively used for savings. According to the law, one mukhra contained exactly the same amount of gold as one rupee of silver. In turn, one rupee consisted of 16 double paise, 64 regular paisa or 192 “half paisa”. As already mentioned, all paisas were made of copper. It was precisely because of this diversity, and also taking into account the fact that double paise was called annas, and half a paise was called paiyam, and it became natural for the question of what the name of the currency of India to arise. It should be noted that on this moment There are coins in circulation ranging from 10 paise to five rupees.

The national currency of India was a rather unique means of payment, especially at first, until 1957, when the decimal system of calculation, standard for other countries, was finally adopted. So, for example, back in 1916, one rupee was worth sixteen English pence, and itself was divided according to the same principle into 16 annas. Each anna, in turn, was divided into four paisa, and each paise into three paiyas. In general, for a modern person it is not a very convenient and understandable system, which, nevertheless, was the main one in this region for almost half a millennium. Another rather expected, but no less interesting fact: absolutely all Indian banknotes depict a portrait of the greatest citizen of this country throughout its existence - Mahatma Gandhi.

Results

Despite all the government's attempts, every year the Indian currency becomes cheaper and cheaper against the dollar. In principle, the same can be said about any other means of payment, since world wars, and then financial crises, one way or another, but had a significant influence on all countries without exception. Nevertheless, recently the situation has begun to improve, at least a little. For example, if in 2013 one US dollar could buy 68 rupees, then as of 2015 it was already about sixty. Considering that before this, the means of payment was steadily losing its value, maintaining such positions is in itself a huge achievement that should not be underestimated.

You can only understand what currency is used in India by visiting this country - it is forbidden to take money outside its borders. The rupee has a long history, but today this does not help it to be convertible and competitive.

Financial interaction All Indian states use the national currency rupee. Interesting fact: money cannot be taken out of the country, only to Bangladesh, Nepal, Bhutan and the island of Sri Lanka. Local residents are sensitive to what currency is in India, because money is considered the personification of the goddess Lakshmi, and it should not be treated carelessly.

Birth and evolution of the rupee

The first appearance of the national currency dates back to the reign of Sher ShahSuri (approximately in the 6th century BC). The first rupee was a round piece and was equal to forty copper pieces called paisa.

Under the ruler Akbar in the second half of the 16th century, the rupee acquired a decent appearance - it began to be cast from silver. In addition to round ones, there were rectangular coins in circulation; wishes and blessings were often written on them.

There are two opinions about the etymology of the name Indian money:

1. The first version is “rupa” (cattle). The cattle played the role of natural money.
2. The second option is more similar to reality - it comes from the Sanskrit word “rupayakam”, translated as “silver coin”.

British colonization left its mark - the quality of the issued rupees indicated their belonging to a specific region:

• Bengali (“sikka”);
• Bombay (“sirat”);
• Madras (“arkot”).

The currency first experienced devaluation in 1883, which was dubbed the “time of the fall of the rupee.” Money could not withstand competition precisely because of its silver rather than gold origin.

In 1815, a parallel currency was issued - fans, it was equal to 12 rupees. Everything came to a common denominator in 1835 - rupees with the image of the English monarchy began to be issued (William IV was the first to receive such an honor).

Autonomous states had other banknotes- Danish and French rupees, Portuguese escudo. Finally single currency The rupee became only in 1947 with the country's independence.

General information about the national currency of India

The Indian rupee is equal to 100 paise. In international designation:

• symbol – Rs;
• designation INR.

Graphically, the rupee symbol is represented by the letter “Ra”, taken from Devangari, a type of Indian script:

Visually, the letters hang down and are crossed out at the top. A similar symbol was adopted and approved in 2010, but since India is a multilingual country, there are other symbols in other languages.

Today in circulation:

• banknotes in denominations of 5, 10, 20, 50, 100, 500, 2000 rupees;
• coins of 10, 25, 50 paise and 1,2,5 rupees.

The Indian rupee has pegged several neighboring currencies:

• Nepalese rupee (exchange ratio 1:1.6);
• ngultrum from Bhutan (change 1:1).

The country uses a kind of calculus to large sums– they are usually counted not in millions and so on, but in thousands or tens of thousands or other terms:

• varnish – 100,000;
• crore = 10 million rupees = 100 lacs;
• Arabb – 1 million rupees = 100 crores.

Features of paper banknotes

The first banknotes were issued back in the 1770s. Indian currency is issued by the Federal reserve bank countries.

A strange feature of paper bills is that almost all of them are... perforated. This is due to the “ineradicable” banking habit of fastening money together with a stapler. Therefore, unpunctured money may be perceived as counterfeit. But at the same time, a torn banknote will simply not be accepted anywhere, except at a certified exchange point (where they will take a certain commission).

The denominations of modern banknotes are made in several versions. The latter have a high degree of security - they use watermarks and a security thread. Many bills turn out to be written on - Indians write notes on the empty light space that is on every banknote. On the front side of each of these bills there is certainly an image of Mahatma Gandhi and a bank seal. A mandatory element on the reverse side is the Asoka Column, which has archaeological value.

The size of the 5 rupees note is 6.3 x 11.7 cm. On the reverse you can see agricultural work:

On the reverse of the ten-rupee note measuring 6.3 x 13.7 cm are the inhabitants of the Indian jungle - an elephant, a Bengal tiger and a rhinoceros.

Each subsequent denomination increases in length by 10 mm. That's why that empty area for notes appeared.

The reverse side of the 10 rupees denomination features palm trees. The bill itself has a reddish tint:

Reverse 50 rupees - Parliament House. The color of the banknote is close to lilac:

The reverse banknote of one hundred rupees depicts the Kanchenjunga Range, which divides India with the neighboring state of Nepal. Another name for the ridge is the Five Treasures of the Great Snows. Greenish and lilac colors predominate here.

The Rs 500 introduced at the beginning of the year comes in shades of grey. On the back is a mirror image of the leader, compared to previous bills. The reverse of the 500 note shows the Red Fort:

Attention! At the beginning of 2017, the Government of India is withdrawing the 1000 rupees note from circulation, wanting to reveal the shadow income of fellow citizens.

More details about the situation with the withdrawal of funds from circulation:

The drawing on the back of this banknote revealed the theme of the formation of industry, Agriculture and science of the country:

The new compact 2000 rupees note features the first Indian spacecraft, which was launched into Martian orbit in 2014:

Indian coins

Today, all Indian coins are minted from aluminum and silver. Regardless of the denomination, each such coin depicts the Indian coat of arms.

It wasn’t always like this: it’s known gold coin muhr, which has been published since 1562 (material of the highest quality was used for production). At first there were no images on the mukhra, then decorations in Arabic script began to appear, and then the years of issue began to appear.

One ordinary mohr weighed almost 12 grams. However, there are also record holders - a coin with a face value of 200 muhrs was minted in 1654 and weighed 2 kg. Its diameter was 13.6 cm.

The coin was used in circulation almost until 1918. Now it can only be found in the collections of numismatists. The last gold mohr was minted in 2014 as a commemorative coin. The sample cost is $1,500.

Connoisseurs are collecting another valuable Indian coin item - a silver chakram. Its production lasted from the beginning of the 10th to the beginning of the 20th centuries.

Coins like these can make a wonderful gift for a collector. This is great.

The coins of colonial India had an unusual shape. For example, in 1944, a 1 anna coin was released that had a wavy edge (with the profile of King-Emperor George VI on the reverse). And other money was a square with rounded edges.

On earlier issues before 1957 there is another interesting feature– images of fingers. This was done specifically for illiterate residents. Today, coins are not of great value - tourists use them as offerings to the gods, and such money no longer plays a significant role in circulation.

Convertibility of Indian currency

You can import into the country foreign currency, but exporting domestic products is not allowed. Tourists should know: amounts over $2,500 must already be declared. The declaration document should be kept until departure - it will be required for the return exchange (it will only be allowed for 25% of total amount). It is better to import part of the funds into the country non-cash on cards of international payment systems (Mastercard, American Express, Visa).

Conversion (according to www.calc.ru as of May 22, 2017) is equal to the following indicators:

1. U.S equals 1 USD = 64.59 INR.
2. The Euro goes to the ratio of 1 EUR = 72.20 INR.
3. The Indian currency exchange rate to the ruble is 1 RUB = 1.13 INR.

There are a lot of currency scammers in the country - it is better to contact official institutions. Foreign currency exchange can be carried out in many places - banks, government exchange offices and those located at hotels, at the airport and shopping centers. In this case, a passport with a valid visa is provided. In this case, at the exchange point you need to take a special certificate about the operation performed - it will be required for the return exchange (the certificate is valid for three months).

Newcomers to the country will find it useful to know that all banks are open on weekdays from 10:00 to 14:00, and on Saturdays you need to be there before 12:00. Banks are closed on December 30, 31 and on national holidays. Not all banking institutions in the country offer reverse exchange of rupees for other currencies (the exchange rate may also be unfavorable). Profitable offer found in jewelry stores (this is permitted by law).

The American dollar is loved in India - they can be accepted almost everywhere throughout the country. But you cannot cash out your card account in foreign currency - you can only receive rupees in your hands. The same will happen when cashing traveler's checks (Thomas Cook and American Express).

You can also travel with euros, but this money is not so popular on the Hindustan Peninsula. Due to the established historical habit in the country, they are much more loyal to the pound sterling.

But it’s not worth going to India with Russian rubles - it will be impossible to buy anything with such cash. Of course, you can pay by card or withdraw money from an ATM - the result will be converted into rupees. We need to get ready right away large amounts commissions for conversion and think about how it makes sense to carry out such an operation: rubles are automatically converted into dollars, and then dollars into rupees.

India is the number one country in terms of credit fraud. So, it’s still better not to use this method to pay for services (except for paying for tickets at airline offices).

What and how much does it cost?

The country is considered one of the most inexpensive in Asia. However main feature trade in India is double standards for its citizens and foreigners. So before purchasing any product, it is better to first find out from trusted sources real cost.

You can import duty-free goods up to a certain amount into India:

• for foreigners it should not exceed 750 rupees;
• for citizens of the country 6000 rupees.

It is worth paying attention to the abbreviation on the price tag -MRP. She talks about Fixed Price Shop. Despite this, local sellers may inflate prices for foreigners. The “markup” can reach up to 50% of the price, and sometimes be increased by 100 times (that’s why you need to constantly bargain).

A special word should be said about tips - giving them is optional. But due to the low social status of most residents, for many service sector employees they are the main source of livelihood. The average amount is 10% of the total bill - sometimes it is included under the guise of a service fee. In monetary terms this is expressed as follows:

• approximately 10-20 rupees in mid- and low-price hotels;
• at least 1 dollar in expensive hotels.

The most important question that comes to mind when planning a trip to Goa is the currency. Indeed, in order to calculate your travel budget and not get into trouble upon arrival in India, it is better to study the nuances of the money market in advance. The latest currency exchange rates in Goa are available on almost all thematic websites, including on the official pages of central banks. It is updated daily and it is quite easy to calculate approximately how much to take with you. It is more difficult to decide which money is more convenient to use: cash or plastic cards?

What is the currency in Goa

The official currency of India, the only one allowed in circulation, is the Indian rupees. In the international classification they are designated INR.

All paper money in Goa has an image of Mahatma Gandhi on one side. Denomination: 1, 5, 10, 20, 50, 100, 500, 2000 rupees.

In November 2016, a reform was carried out: the old 500 and 1000 rupees banknotes were withdrawn from circulation. The situation with money market at that time it was quite turbulent, and even critical for tourists: huge queues, an overnight collapse in cash payments. The news broadcast of the Indian Prime Minister's speech brought the banking system to a virtual standstill.

At the moment, the problem is still not resolved. Experienced tourists recommend not to change all your currency into rupees at once and try not to take large amounts of money from exchange offices. Because the only way to pay is often cash dollars. Despite the fact that their circulation in India is outside the boundaries of official monetary circulation.

What currency to take to Goa

580*400 goa 13 block

The currency that will provide you with relative peace of mind in Goa is dollars. Just in case, stock up on banknotes of different denominations. They are accepted not only by exchangers and banks. Taxi drivers, tour guides, and taxi owners will gladly accept dollars as payment. Of course, this is officially prohibited, but money turnover in India has many similarities with domestic ones.

Euros are held in less esteem here, that is, you won’t be able to pay freely, unlike dollars. But changing them is easy.

Coming from the countries of Southeast Asia, you will not be left without money. In addition to dollars and euros, you can change the currencies of neighboring countries at exchange offices.

If you prefer to pay plastic card Please note that in Goa, trade and services are almost entirely cash-based. The cities here are small. There are ATMs in all resorts in Goa, but they do not always work smoothly: money runs out at the most unpredictable moment.

It is impossible to project into the future, but in November 2016, a strict limit was established on cash withdrawals - up to 2.0-2.5 thousand rupees at a time. At the moment, you are allowed to withdraw no more than 10.0 thousand rupees. It is not a fact that such a situation will not repeat itself in November 2018.

Currency exchange

Exchange of Rupees in Goa is not difficult at all. The state is completely tourist oriented. The only difficulty is the course. It is different everywhere. Even taxi drivers will take currency in their own way, at a rate only available to them. Everywhere, with the exception of banks and official exchange offices, be sure to bargain.

The exchange rate of the rupee against hard currencies is a flexible concept for Indians. It even depends on the denomination of the money exchanged.

Where is the best place to change money in Goa?

Arriving in Goa, the first instinct of a tourist will be to change currencies at the airport. It’s logical, especially since you need to somehow get to your destination, which means you need to get rupees. It is important not to make the mistake of exchanging all your cash for local currency at once: the dollar exchange rate at the airport is extortionate.

Change exactly enough to travel to your chosen hotel or village on the coast. The amount required for a taxi can be checked at the prepayment counter. Taxi drivers will gladly take you in dollars, just be sure to bargain. This money is enough for a couple of days of comfortable life in Goa, so it is better to choose a route by public transport. For buses with several transfers you will need no more than 100 rupees.

Travel agencies will give you a good dollar exchange rate. Their offices are located in all coastal villages and cities. In Morjim you can even exchange rubles for rupees. The course is floating. On average it is 1:1. As an option, there are agents in Goa who accept transfers to Russian bank cards and issue cash rupees directly to your hands.

Exchangers sometimes do not agree to exchange banknotes with a denomination of less than $100 or add an additional markup. For Goa this is par for the course.

ATMs in Goa

In India, next to an ATM you can find a colorful guard in the form of an Indian soldier in full uniform with rare firearms.

ATMs in Goa are slightly different from ours. The card is read without being absorbed inside. The menu is simple and clear, on English language. MasterCard and Visa accepted.

The same travel agencies offer an alternative to ATMs. Most of them have a cash-advance service. However, this is not safe, it is better to play it safe and change money.

ATMs in Goa without commission

It is unlikely that you will be able to withdraw cash in Goa from an ATM without a commission. Because the ATM network State Bank of India (SBI), as well as Bank of India (BOI) and Canara Bank, where there will be no guarantee additional expenses for withdrawals do not cover the needs of tourists: they have many branches, but not many ATMs.

Experienced travelers recommend carefully studying the tariffs of the issuing bank. As a rule, they all charge either a commission or a fixed percentage. Cashing out with MasterCard will be cheaper than with Visa cards. Size ranges from 90-150 rubles.

Depending on which Indian bank owns the ATM, you may be charged additional commission. The most common ATMs are ICICI, HDFC, and Axis and they make tourists poorer by about Rs 200 per transaction. Although they warn about this before your final consent to carry it out.

Do not agree to direct exchange in rubles from the card: the commercial rate will be a real shock. It is much safer to conduct a transaction through an intermediate exchange for dollars.

Collapse monetary reform, which began in November 2016, despite assurances from the beginning of the year that restrictions would be lifted, continues to this day. Due to the huge amount of old-style rupees in the hands of the population, there is no guarantee that the printing press will cope with the load in the near future. Although by the new season, which begins in November 2018, the situation should exhaust itself.

Please note that experienced travelers advise:

1. The limit on cash withdrawals from cards at some ATMs is about 10 thousand rupees. Bring several different cards with you if you don't want to take dollars with you. Store them in different places to avoid losing the airbag.
2. Examine the money carefully. Should not be used official rate dollar when exchanging for old banknotes. Bargain. Experienced travelers recommend taking at least 100 rupees for 1 dollar. This is due to the fact that when making payments in markets, sheks or cafes, old money is accepted at a large discount.
3. Exchange large denomination dollars for small ones in advance. This is the most best option for calculations until you get your bearings.

Everyone decides for themselves whether to take currency or cards with them. For a short trip of a couple of weeks, you can take dollars with you. For long-term stays, plastic is better: it’s easier to carry with you, and you don’t have to worry about your money.

When going to Goa, monitor the situation with the money market. There is no need to wait for news this season, but in the new one, which will begin in November 2018, further innovations are not excluded.

The Indian rupee has an interesting and original history of development. In the distant Middle Ages, coins began to be minted under the leadership of the ruler Sher Shah, who understood that the development of the country’s economy depended on them. The first of them were equal to 40 pieces of copper - paisas. Their weight slightly exceeded 11.5 grams. At first the rupee was round. But under Shah Akbar, and it was he who began to actively popularize the monetary unit of India, the coins acquired a rectangular shape: blessings and wishes were written on them. Rupees often received personal names in honor of wealthy nobles.

The exchange rate of the Indian rupee was initially very high, and the coins were of excellent quality. But this was observed before the formation of the English colonial state on Indian territory. After this event - the loss of independence by the power - the rupee also lost its original and distinctive appearance. The faces of English kings began to appear more and more often on its sides. The first to depict the monarch was William IV.

Development of the monetary unit

Indian rupees became fully unified in 1835. After 30 years, the so-called government rupee was officially introduced into circulation, and a new division was established: one coin was equal to 64 paise. But this did not affect the strength of the local currency: already in 1883, a period of rapid depreciation of the currency began. It was said that the reason for this was the silver standard. They say that if coins are minted from gold, they will always be able to remain competitive.

In 1947, India was freed from British rule. From this period, a new stage in the development of the rupee begins: the country began to issue banknotes. There were paper bills before, but they were not so overwhelmingly popular. In the second half of the 20th century, the currency began to acquire an interesting appearance, “overgrown” with strong security elements. Nowadays, the rupee is in active use in India. On the territory of the state there is an excellent coin museum, where all copies of the monetary unit are collected: from the moment of their creation to the present day.

Modern currency

Nowadays, the monetary unit is largely dependent on the American currency. The Indian rupee to the dollar, as well as to the euro and ruble, is correlated according to the digital values ​​and frames that are affected by financial situation in the state and world economy generally. It is indicated by the Rs icon. Banknotes of the same denomination can be different: these are not fakes, but different modifications of the same banknote. Despite this, all paper money has a common obligatory element - the image of Mahatma Gandhi. Banknotes may be issued in honor of certain people or important events. For example, on the back of 500 rupees there is a picture of the Salt March, an episode of the people’s struggle against colonial taxes. Instead, the country's largest currency, the thousand rupees, is dedicated to the Indian economy.

The Indian rupee currency has changed frequently. Modern coins have regained their round shape, but these days they are made of aluminum. All bear the national emblem of the state - the capital of a column decorated with three lions. He led the state back in the 3rd century BC.

Degrees of protection

Indian rupees have a whole system of elements that protect them from massive fraud. One of the degrees of protection is a watermark made in the form of a portrait of Mahatma Gandhi. It is visible if you look at the banknote against the light. Banknotes also have a so-called diving feature, which appears in bright light as a dark continuous stripe. In addition, on the monetary unit there is an RBI microelement, which can only be seen with multiple magnification, as well as a hidden picture, visible only from a certain angle.

Other levels of protection include special tactile marks, raised printing, original serial number and matching image. Banknotes are painted with a special paint that contains optically variable pigmentation, which changes the palette depending on the viewing angle and lighting intensity. There are also UV elements: colored fibers and luminescent substances that transform the shade under the influence of ultraviolet rays.

Exchange

If you decide to spend your vacation in India, you will definitely be faced with the question of where and how best to exchange for local ones. The financial transaction can be carried out directly at the airport upon arrival. But experienced tourists do not advise doing this: the Indian rupee against the ruble in these points is at a slightly low price level. That is, you can lose a little on the exchange. In addition, you can be deceived: India is an eastern country on the very outskirts of Asia, where counterfeiters are actively operating. As for the exchange of money that seems to be offered to you by seemingly decent hotel administrators or taxi drivers, such actions are also fraught with the loss of your hard earned money. Avoid them like the plague.

The Indian rupee exchange rate is the most favorable for a traveler at a bank. There are also exchange offices, but you should contact them only as a last resort. When conducting a financial transaction, make sure that you are not given too large banknotes. With such bills you will face additional difficulties when paying for services and goods: sellers here never have change.

Card system

Indian rupees can be obtained not only by exchanging real money, but also by withdrawing from plastic card. It is not recommended to use it instead: this method is far from safe, and has long since become obsolete. If you have chosen a card, then it would be wise to go to your bank before your trip and clarify all the important nuances: whether the plastic device is serviced in India, what difficulties may arise in receiving money. Ask your manager about possible restrictions and bonuses.

To exotic eastern country better grab some cards international systems: Mastercard and Visa. You can use them not only at ATMs near financial institutions, but also in large shopping centers, airports, and hotels. If you lose your card, don’t despair: immediately call your bank so that they can immediately block it. It is better to store the card in a special safe in your hotel room. Cases of theft in India are common, and even your hotel staff may commit a crime. Especially if he sees that you are the owner of a GOLD class card.

ATMs

When you withdraw money using these machines, you pay a commission. Its size is similar to the contribution that is collected in third-party banks upon receipt of funds. Typically this is 1% of the total amount. In this case, the commission cannot be less than $3. It turns out that what more money If you rent, the more profitable it will cost you. There will be no need to constantly run to the ATM, each time losing a fairly decent amount.

There are also some restrictions in India. For example, you will not be able to withdraw more than 20 thousand rupees. Banks also have strict limits regarding the daily amount issued. Be sure to keep all receipts after transactions. They will be useful when exchanging rupees for foreign currency, when purchasing tickets at ticket offices for tourists, as well as during other important manipulations. By the way, there are ATMs in the country that “retract” banknotes if you do not withdraw them within 30 seconds after the end of the transaction.

Exchange rate

Many travelers claim that it is most profitable to exchange dollars in India. American currency is highly valued by the local population here: it is eagerly accepted not only by serious financial institutions, but also small traders at the market. The Indian rupee to the dollar today is in the following ratio: 1:0.01. That is, for one dollar you can buy 68 rupees. To give you an idea: this is approximately how much a liter of gasoline costs in this country. For ten dollars you can rent a modest hotel room: daily accommodation in a two-star hotel costs from 600 rupees.

The Indian rupee is at a similar price level to the euro. A single denomination banknote is equal to 0.01 European monetary unit. can be exchanged for 74 rupees: this is a seven-minute call home from the card mobile operator of this country. As for domestic money, the range in which the Indian rupee falls to the ruble is as follows: 1: 1.2. One ruble can buy only 0.83 rupees. When exchanging money, do not forget to count and check it appearance banknotes for possible damage.