Frequently Asked Questions
What Indian investors should know before investing globally.
Clear answers on diversification, index selection, investment routes, LRS, GIFT City, taxation considerations and currency exposure.
India remains the core. Global investing broadens the opportunity set and adds another layer of diversification.
01
Why should Indian investors invest globally?
Global investing complements India by providing access to world-leading businesses, industries underrepresented in India and dollar-denominated assets. India remains the core; global equity broadens the opportunity set.
02
If India is growing faster, why invest in the US?
Stock-market returns depend on the earnings and valuations of listed companies, not GDP growth alone. Many US-listed companies are global leaders earning substantial revenues from across the world.
03
Why is the S&P 500 a good starting point?
It offers exposure to leading companies across all major US sectors. Its breadth, low-cost availability and ability to evolve with changing business leadership make it a strong core global holding.
04
S&P 500 or Nasdaq-100—which is better?
The S&P 500 is generally better suited as a core because it is more broadly diversified. The Nasdaq-100 is heavily concentrated in technology and is better considered as a smaller satellite allocation.
05
Does owning both indices improve diversification?
Not significantly. Their largest holdings overlap considerably. Combining them primarily increases exposure to mega-cap technology companies rather than adding genuinely different businesses.
06
Why not buy leading US stocks directly?
Direct US holdings involve stock-selection risk, US estate-tax exposure, taxable rebalancing and additional reporting. Diversified fund structures are generally a more practical starting point for resident Indians.
07
How can resident Indians invest globally?
The main routes include Indian international funds, GIFT City IFSC funds and Ireland-domiciled UCITS ETFs. The right choice depends on availability, costs, taxation, estate exposure and reporting requirements.
08
What is the benefit of investing through GIFT City?
GIFT City provides an India-regulated route to international markets and operates outside the overseas-investment cap applicable to domestic mutual funds. Investments are still made under LRS.
09
What are LRS and TCS?
LRS permits resident individuals to remit up to USD 250,000 per financial year. Remittances above the prescribed threshold attract TCS, which is adjustable against tax but affects immediate cash flow.
10
Does investing globally create currency risk?
Yes. A stronger dollar can increase rupee returns, while a stronger rupee can reduce them. The key benefit is diversification beyond an investor’s predominantly rupee-linked income, assets and liabilities.