Guide to Detecting Counterfeit Indian Rupee (INR) Notes

How to Identify Counterfeit INR (₹) Currency Notes

Where there’s money, there’s always someone trying to fake it. If you are an Indian wondering whether the note you have is genuine or not, you’re not alone. The good news? Every Indian Rupee (INR) note comes loaded with security features that make it nearly impossible to replicate perfectly. Don’t worry if you’ve never checked these before, because most people haven’t! But once you know what to spot, it becomes second nature.

Key Security Features of Indian Rupee Notes

Currency Paper:

The most obvious way to assess if a banknote is real is by touch. Real Indian banknotes are not made from paper. Instead, they are printed on a custom, crisp paper made from 100% cotton and cotton rag.

Raised Printing (Intaglio):

Another best security feature present on INR notes is raised print (intaglio printing). The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) uses this in the critical areas of the higher-denomination notes, such as the portrait of Mahatma Gandhi, the Reserve Bank seal, the Ashoka Pillar emblem, etc.

Watermark:

In the blank white space on the left side of the note, a subtle light-and-shade portrait of Mahatma Gandhi should become visible. Alongside the portrait, an electrotype watermark showing the denominational numeral (e.g., 500) will also appear.

Security Thread:

The vertical band running through the note is a security thread. When held against the light, this thread appears as a single, continuous, unbroken line.

See-Through Register:

On the left side of the note, a small design (the denominational numeral) is printed. Half of this design is on the front, and the other half is on the back. When you hold the note to the light, the front and back elements should align perfectly to form the complete numeral or design.

Micro-lettering:

Very small, sharp letters stating 'RBI' and the value (e.g., '100') are printed on several locations on the note, such as near the portrait of Mahatma Gandhi.

Color-Shifting Security Thread:

On notes of ₹100 and higher, the security thread is "windowed," meaning it appears in sections on the front of the note. When you tilt the note, the color of this thread changes from green to blue.

Latent Image:

On notes of ₹100 and higher, hold the note horizontally at eye level and tilt it. The denominational numeral (e.g., 100) will appear on the vertical band to the right of Mahatma Gandhi's portrait.

Optically Variable Ink (Color-Changing Ink):

This feature is present on the ₹200 and ₹500 notes. Look at the large denominational numeral (e.g., ₹500) on the bottom right of the note's front. When you tilt the note, the ink's color will shift from green to blue.

A Detailed Guide to Identifying Counterfeit INR Currency by Denomination

All banknotes in the Mahatma Gandhi (New) Series share common design elements like the portrait of Mahatma Gandhi, the Ashoka Pillar emblem, the Swachh Bharat logo, and a language panel with the denomination written in 15 of India's 22 official languages. However, each denomination has a unique color, size, and motif on its reverse side, celebrating India's rich cultural heritage, besides the key security features. Let’s break it down denomination by denomination so that the next time you’re holding a note, you’ll know exactly what to look for:

Denomination	Main Colour	Reverse Motif	Watermark Features	Security Thread	Raised Printing	Special Tilt Features	Latent Image	Micro-lettering
₹10	Chocolate Brown	Sun Temple, Konark	Gandhi + “10”	Windowed, no color shift	No	None	No	“RBI”, “भारत”, “INDIA”, “10”
₹20	Greenish Yellow	Ellora Caves	Gandhi + “20”	Windowed, no color shift	No	None	No	“RBI”, “भारत”, “INDIA”, “20”
₹50	Fluorescent Blue	Hampi Stone Chariot	Gandhi + “50”	Windowed, no color shift	No	None	No	“RBI”, “भारत”, “INDIA”
₹100	Lavender	Rani ki Vav	Gandhi + “100”	Windowed, Color shifts from Green to Blue	Yes	Yes	Yes, “100”	“RBI”, “भारत”, “India”, “100”
₹200	Bright Yellow	Sanchi Stupa	Gandhi + “200”	Windowed, Color shifts from Green to Blue	Yes	Yes	Yes, “200”	“RBI”, “भारत”, “India”, “200”
₹500	Stone Grey	Red Fort	Gandhi + “500”	Windowed, Color shifts from Green to Blue	Yes	Yes	Yes, “500”	“RBI”, “भारत”, “India”

1. The ₹10 Note

The ₹10 note comes in chocolate brown with the Sun Temple of Konark on the reverse.
The note is printed on crisp currency paper, which gives it a distinct feel compared to regular paper.
It does not have the raised printing which is found on higher denominations.
Hold the note up to a light source. You will see a watermark of Mahatma Gandhi's portrait and the numeral '10' (electrotype watermark) in the unprinted section.
The see-through register on the left side should show the numeral '10' perfectly aligned.
The security thread will appear as a solid, continuous line.
The front of the note has the denominational numeral '१०' in Devnagari script. The reverse side features the Sun Temple of Konark.
You can see micro-lettering with the text 'RBI', 'भारत', 'INDIA', and '10'.
The security thread is a simple windowed, de-metalised thread with the words 'भारत' and 'RBI'. It does not change color when tilted.

2. The ₹20 Note

The ₹20 note is greenish yellow and features the Ellora Caves on the back.
The note is printed on crisp currency paper. Like the ₹10 note, it does not have prominent raised printing features.
Examine the note against the Light. Check for the Mahatma Gandhi watermark and the electrotype watermark of the numeral '20'.
The see-through register on the left will form the complete numeral '20'. The security thread will appear as a continuous, unbroken line.
The front features the numeral '२०' in Devnagari. The reverse side displays the motif of the Ellora Caves.
With a magnifying glass, you can find micro-lettering of 'RBI', 'भारत', 'INDIA', and '20'.
The note has a windowed security thread with the inscriptions 'भारत' and 'RBI'. This thread does not change color when the note is tilted.

3. The ₹50 Note

The ₹50 note appears in fluorescent blue with the iconic Hampi Stone Chariot on the reverse.
The note is printed on the distinctive cotton-rag paper, giving it a crisp feel. It does not have specific raised printing.
Hold the note to the light to see the Mahatma Gandhi watermark and the electrotype watermark of '50'.
The see-through register will form the numeral '50'.
The security thread appears as a solid line.
The front of the note has the numeral '५०' in Devnagari. The reverse features the Hampi with the Chariot motif.
Under a magnifying glass, micro-lettering of 'RBI', 'भारत', and 'INDIA' is present.
The security thread is a windowed, de-metalised thread with the words 'भारत' and 'RBI'. It does not have a color-shifting feature.

4. The ₹100 Note

The ₹100 note is lavender in color and depicts the heritage site Rani ki Vav.
This is the first denomination in the new series with prominent intaglio (raised) printing.
Run your finger over Mahatma Gandhi's portrait, the Ashoka Pillar emblem, the RBI Governor's signature, and the guarantee clause to feel the raised texture.
When checked against the light, you will see the Mahatma Gandhi watermark and the electrotype '100'.
The see-through register forms the numeral '100'.
With a magnifying glass, look for the sharp micro-letters 'RBI', 'भारत', 'India', and '100'.
This note has two key tilt features. First, the windowed security thread's color shifts from green to blue when the note is tilted.
Second, a latent image of the numeral '100' is visible on the vertical band to the right of Gandhi's portrait when the note is held at a 45-degree angle.

5. The ₹200 Note

The ₹200 note stands out in bright yellow with the Sanchi Stupa on its reverse.
The note has significantly raised printing on Mahatma Gandhi's portrait and the Ashoka emblem.
When held against the light, the Mahatma Gandhi watermark and electrotype '200' are visible.
The see-through register forms the numeral '200'.
With a magnifying glass, you can see micro-lettering such as 'RBI', 'भारत', 'India', and '200'.
The windowed security thread's color shifts from green to blue.
The large denominational numeral '₹200' on the bottom right is printed with Optically Variable Ink (OVI), which also changes from green to blue when tilted.
A latent image of '200' is also present.

6. The ₹500 Note

The ₹500 note is stone grey and showcases the Red Fort with the Indian flag flying high.
The intaglio (raised) printing is very pronounced. One can feel the raised texture of Mahatma Gandhi's portrait, the Ashoka emblem, etc.
Hold the note to the light to see the Mahatma Gandhi watermark and the electrotype '500'.
The see-through register perfectly forms the numeral '500'.
With a magnifying glass, sharp and clear micro-lettering of 'RBI', 'भारत', and 'India' is visible.
The windowed security thread's color shifts from green to blue. The denominational numeral '₹500' on the bottom right is printed with
The denominational numeral '₹500' on the bottom right is printed with Optically Variable Ink (OVI), which also changes from green to blue when the note is tilted.
The latent image of '500' is visible on the vertical band when the note is held at an angle.

Key Security Features for the Visually Impaired

Indian currency is designed to be inclusive, with several features specifically created to help visually impaired citizens identify denominations.

a. Raised Identification Marks: Banknotes of ₹100 and above feature a unique shape in raised print on the right side of the note. This allows for identification by touch :

₹100: A Triangle
₹200: A raised letter 'H'
₹500: A Circle

b. Angular Bleed Lines: These are sets of raised lines on the left and right edges of the notes (₹100 and above). The number and pattern of these lines are unique to each denomination:

₹100: Four lines
₹200: Four lines with two circles between them
₹500: Five lines

The RBI has even launched a free mobile application called the Mobile Aided Note Identifier (MANI). This app uses a smartphone's camera to scan a banknote and audibly announces its denomination in both Hindi and English, assisting those with visual impairments.

Note that the MANI app only identifies the denomination of the note; it does not and cannot verify if a note is genuine or counterfeit.