Mumbai: The foreign exchange reserves rose by a hefty USD 5.038 billion to USD 303.673 billion in the week to March 28, on a surge in currency assets, the Reserve Bank said on Friday.
Total foreign exchange reserves had increased by USD 1.348 billion to USD 298.635 billion in the previous reporting week.
In December 2011 the reserves had touched USD 300 billion and in February that year it had touched a historic high of USD323 billion.
Foreign currency assets (FCAs), a major part of the overall reserves, rose USD 5.01 billion to USD 276.41 billion for the week ended March 28, the RBI said.
Foreign currency assets, expressed in dollar terms, include the effect of appreciation/depreciation of the non-US currencies such as the euro, pound and yen held in its reserves.
The gold reserves remained unchanged at USD 20.978 billion, as per the RBI data.
The special drawing rights were down by USD 3.6 million to USD 4.458 billion, while the country's reserve position with the IMF rose USD 30 million to USD 1.83 billion, the apex bank said.