That’s the puzzle nobody’s talking about. Here’s the twist: Even with solid growth, our currency keeps weakening. Why? Because we pay for 85% of our oil in dollars. When crude prices jump, we need more dollars; and that drags the rupee down. Foreign investors pulled out over $30 billion this year alone. When they sell shares, they convert rupees to dollars; adding even more pressure. The RBI tried. It sold dollars from its reserves, tightened forex rules, even created a special dollar window for oil companies. But none of it stops the root cause: our trade deficit, high inflation, and dependency on imported oil. And here’s the kicker; RBI Governor Sanjay Malhotra says a 3% annual drop in rupee value is ‘quite natural’. Not because it’s good… but because our inflation is higher than G7 nations. So can the rupee bounce back? Only if oil prices cool, exports grow stronger, and we start attracting consistent foreign capital; not just short-term bets. The lesson? A strong economy doesn’t always mean a strong currency. Especially when your bills are paid in someone else’s money.