With exposure worth USD 118.2 billion, India emerges 12th largest holder of US government securities at end of 2016

India became the 12th largest holder of US government securities at the end of 2016, with exposure worth USD 118.2 billion.

With holdings worth USD 1.09 trillion, Japan remained the largest holder of these securities followed by neighbouring China with exposure to the tune of USD 1.06 trillion.

Latest data available with the US Treasury Department showed that India's holding stood at USD 118.2 billion in\ December last, slightly lower than USD 118.7 billion seen in November.

At the end of December 2015, India's exposure was to the tune of USD 116.8 billion.

As per the data, India was the 12th largest holder of these securities. After Japan and China, Ireland was at the\ third place with holdings worth USD 288.2 billion, followed by Cayman Islands (USD 263.5 billion), Brazil (USD 259.2 billion) and Switzerland (USD 229.3 billion).

Other nations having more holdings than India were Luxembourg (USD 223.4 billion), United Kingdom (USD 217.1 billion), Hong Kong (USD 191.4 billion), Taiwan (USD 189.3 billion) and Belgium (USD 120.4 billion).

India is at the third place among BRIC grouping after China and Brazil in terms of exposure. Russia held American government securities worth USD 86.1 billion in December 2016.

In general, the data reflects foreign holdings of US securities collected primarily on the basis of custodial data.

"Foreign residents decreased their holdings of long-term US securities in December; net sales were USD 13.9 billion. Net sales by private foreign investors were USD 32 billion, while net purchases by foreign official institutions were USD 18.1 billion," the Treasury Department said in a release onFebruary 16.