Indian shares hit record highs on Monday, as pre-budget cheer and optimism over corporate results offset lowered growth forecasts.
The rupee, meanwhile, rose to as high as 63.2450 per dollar, its strongest level since April 2015, and was last at 63.3550, compared to its close of 63.3750 on Friday.
The broader NSE index was up 0.55 per cent at 10,616.40 as of 0542 GMT, after earlier rising as much as 0.61 per cent to hit a record high of 10,623.20.
The benchmark BSE index rose 0.59 per cent to 34,356.95, after gaining as much as 0.65 per cent to touch a record high of 34,374.85.
Financials and IT stocks gained, with Infosys Ltd and ICICI Bank Ltd helping the indexes to the gain.
Infosys, which is due to report December-quarter results on Friday, rose 1.8 per cent, while ICICI Bank climbed 1.2 per cent.
Pharma stocks also advanced, with the Nifty Pharma index up as much as 2.5 per cent to a two-month high.
Sun Pharmaceutical Industries Ltd rose 3.2 per cent and was among the top gainers on the indexes.
Real estate developer Sobha Ltd rose as much as 14.8 per cent to its highest in over nine years following its highest ever quarterly sales performance.
