India's National Stock Exchange (NSE) said on March 1 that the country's market regulator has approved the launch of rupee-denominated NYMEX crude oil and natural gas futures contracts in its commodity derivatives segment.

NSE said earlier this month that it signed a data licensing deal with CME Group Inc. to list, trade and settle rupee-denominated U.S. WTI crude and Henry Hub natural gas futures.

The contracts are designed to provide market participants with a more efficient way to manage their price risk, NSE said in a statement. It will set a launch date later.

The move will expand NSE's commodity segment, which already provides trading in gold, copper, silver and Brent crude.

The Multi-Commodity Exchange of India Ltd., the country's largest commodity derivatives exchange, already has crude and natural gas futures.