"RBI Subsidiary Invites Global Bids for Polymer Banknote Substrate Supply"
BRBNMPL
Bharatiya Reserve Bank Note Mudran Private Limited, the RBI's wholly owned subsidiary that prints Indian currency notes.
BOPP
Biaxially Oriented Polypropylene, the transparent plastic film used as the substrate for polymer banknotes.
India's currency printing infrastructure is managed by Bharatiya Reserve Bank Note Mudran Private Limited (BRBNMPL), a wholly owned subsidiary of the Reserve Bank of India (RBI). It operates currency printing presses and manages the procurement of raw materials for banknote production. Currently, Indian banknotes are printed on cotton-based paper, a standard used by most countries historically. The shift to polymer substrate, a form of biaxially oriented polypropylene (BOPP) film, has been under consideration in India for over a decade, driven by concerns about counterfeiting, durability, and hygiene.
Polymer banknotes were pioneered by Australia in 1988 and have since been adopted by over 40 countries. The technology embeds security features directly into the substrate, making counterfeiting significantly harder than with cotton-paper notes. Countries like the United Kingdom, Canada, and New Zealand have fully transitioned to polymer currency. India's hesitation has been shaped by multiple factors: the cost of transitioning existing printing infrastructure, concerns about recyclability in a tropical climate, and, notably, religious and cultural sensitivities around the use of animal-derived materials in everyday objects.
Polymer banknotes are made from a transparent biaxially oriented polypropylene (BOPP) film coated with an opacifying layer on which ink is printed. The substrate itself can carry embedded security features, transparent windows, holographic elements, and tactile marks, that are far more difficult to replicate than features applied to cotton paper. The lifecycle advantage is significant: polymer notes are estimated to last up to six times longer than cotton-paper equivalents, reducing the frequency and cost of note replacement.
The procurement process for polymer substrate involves multiple stages. BRBNMPL issued a global Expression of Interest (EOI) as a qualifying round. Bidders submit samples, which are tested across different climatic zones in India, a critical step given that polymer notes can behave differently in high-humidity tropical conditions compared to temperate climates. …
With reference to the Indian economy, "Collateral Borrowing and Lending Obligations" are the instruments of:
Consider the following statements:
1.'Commercial Paper' is a short-term unsecured promissory note.
2.'Certificate of Deposit' is a long-term instrument issued by the Reserve Bank of India to a corporation.
3.'Call Money' is a short-term finance used for interbank transactions.
4.'Zero-Coupon Bonds' are the interest bearing short-term bonds issued by the Scheduled Commercial Banks to corporations.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
Consider the following statements regarding Bharatiya Reserve Bank Note Mudran Private Limited (BRBNMPL):
1.It is a wholly owned subsidiary of the Reserve Bank of India.
2.It issued the global Expression of Interest for polymer banknote substrate procurement.
3.It is governed by the Currency and Coinage Act, 2011.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
With reference to polymer banknotes, consider the following statements:
1.They use biaxially oriented polypropylene (BOPP) film as their substrate.
2.They are estimated to last six times longer than conventional cotton-paper currency notes.
3.India proposes to first introduce polymer notes in Rs 50 and Rs 100 denominations.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
Match the following polymer banknote suppliers with their country of origin:
1.CCL Secure — (a) United Kingdom
2.De La Rue — (b) Australia
3.Cosmo First — (c) India
Select the correct matching:
Consider the following statements about India's procurement conditions for polymer banknote substrate:
1.Bidders must certify that the polymer substrate contains no animal tallow or its DNA.
2.Bidders are required to firewall their India operations from any operations they may have in China or Pakistan.
3.Bidders must provide proof of financial standing at the Expression of Interest (qualifying) stage.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
Which of the following best describes the significance of CCL Secure's supply relationship with 40 central banks in the context of India's polymer banknote procurement?
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