In November 2016, India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced the withdrawal 1,000 and 500 rupee notes, exposing 1.3 billion people to months of agony and financial difficulties.
Indians, according to a January 4, 2017 CNN report, endured an acute cash shortage and massive lines at banks as they sought to exchange worthless notes for new currency. Change was nearly impossible to find. Some businesses resorted to barter.