In order to make up for the foreign exchange losses incurred, Iran has asked Indian refiners like Essar Oil and Mangalore Refinery and Petrochemicals (MRPL) to pay interest rate of Libor (London Inter-Bank Offered Rate)-plus 0.75 per cent on the $6.5 billion they owe it in past oil dues.
Iran is insisting on interest being paid after differences cropped up over foreign exchange rate. Iran sold oil to refiners like Essar Oil and MRPL in US dollar per barrel and 45 per cent of the oil bill was paid in rupees in a UCO Bank account, while the rest 55 per cent was to be cleared whenever banking channels open. After the lifting of sanctions, Iran has presented its unpaid bill. But Essar Oil and other refiners want to pay Iran at the exchange rate prevalent at the time of buying crude oil in the last three years. In February 2013 when the 45:55 payment system became operational rupee to a US dollar was under 55 and now rupee to a US dollar is nearing 67 now. Hence Iran is losing a lot of money due to exchange rate variation and now wants to make it up through interest rate.
Further, India is ok paying some interest rate even though the ‘Bilateral Payment Agreement’ entered into in August 2012 does not provide for payment of interest. Iran wants its dollar dues in full without factoring in the exchange rate. Refiners like Essar Oil on the other hand want to pay rupee equivalent of the purchase at current rate. Iranian Central Bank officials will shortly visit India to further discuss the modalities. The demand was made when Oil Minister Dharmendra Pradhan met Iranian Central Bank Governor Valiollah Seif in Tehran earlier this month.
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