What is the currency of India?

The currency of India is the Indian rupee. Its official symbol is ₹ and its international currency code is INR; the rupee is issued under the authority of the Reserve Bank of India.

The word “rupee” is generally traced to the Sanskrit word rūpya, meaning “wrought silver” or “a shaped piece of silver.” Silver rupee coins became especially important in South Asia, and the currency continued through British rule and after India became independent in 1947. India decimalised the rupee in 1957, making it equal to 100 paise.

India adopted the modern rupee sign, ₹, in 2010 after a national design competition. The symbol combines elements resembling the Devanagari letter र and the Latin letter R, with horizontal lines suggesting the national flag and an equality sign.

The Indian rupee is sometimes confused with the currencies of Nepal, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, and Mauritius, which also use the word “rupee.” They are separate currencies, even though some have related histories or symbols.