With reference to Balance of Payments, which of the following constitu

With reference to Balance of Payments, which of the following constitutes/constitute the Current Account?

  • 1. Balance of trade
  • 2. Foreign assets
  • 3. Balance of invisibles
  • 4. Special Drawing Rights

Select the correct answer using the code given below.

1 only
2 and 3
1 and 3
1, 2 and 4
This question was previously asked in
UPSC IAS – 2014
The correct option is C. The Balance of Trade and Balance of Invisibles constitute the Current Account of the Balance of Payments.
The Balance of Payments (BoP) is a statement of all transactions made between entities in one country and the rest of the world over a specific period. It is divided into two main accounts: the Current Account and the Capital Account. The Current Account records transactions in goods, services, income (like remittances, interest, dividends), and current transfers (like gifts, grants).
1. Balance of Trade: Exports minus imports of *goods* (visible trade). This is a component of the current account.
2. Foreign assets: These relate to investments and reserves, which are recorded in the Capital Account or Financial Account (often considered part of the Capital Account structure).
3. Balance of Invisibles: Exports minus imports of *services* and net income and net transfers. This is a component of the current account.
4. Special Drawing Rights (SDRs): These are reserve assets held by countries with the IMF and changes in SDR holdings are typically recorded in the Capital Account or as part of reserve assets, not current transactions.
Therefore, only 1 and 3 are components of the Current Account.