Demonetisation: Big notes put NRIs in limbo

New Delhi: Indians travelling abroad are facing cash crunch as foreign exchanges are refusing to exchange Indian rupee after scrapping of Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 currency notes. Even NRIs holding Indian Rupee are confused how to exchange them.

“I had taken the rupee for exchange in Dubai. The day we reached the ban was imposed on Rs 500 and Rs 1,000. We were not able to exchange Indian rupee for the local currency. We are totally confused as to what can be done,” an Indian national told this newspaper.

He said, “We even contacted SBI’s branch in Dubai. But they were also clueless.”   RBI circulars have been mostly silent on what Indians travelling abroad and having Rs 500 and Rs 1000 notes with them should do. Reports from other parts of the world claim that Indians who took rupees with them are facing hardships.