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10 Jun 2026

Navigating India's financial market: Wealth management solutions for investors

India’s financial sector is changing quickly, driven by rising incomes, expanding businesses and stronger global ties. The country is now one of the fastest-growing wealth markets, with more investors seeking effective ways to manage and grow their assets.1 As wealth spreads beyond major cities, investment opportunities are emerging across more asset types and regions.

Amid this transformation, DBS provides investors with integrated global banking capabilities, access to curated investment solutions and seamless international connectivity. For Non-Resident Indians (NRIs) and globally mobile individuals, this includes efficient remittance services to support family members in India, manage financial commitments and maintain flexibility across markets.

 

India’s unprecedented wealth expansion

India is witnessing a significant expansion in household wealth as economic growth, digital innovation and entrepreneurship reshape its financial landscape. The World Bank estimates India’s economy reached about US$3.9 trillion in 2024, reflecting a larger base for income and wealth creation over time.2 The increase in investible assets across segments of affluent investors reflects not only the resilience of domestic markets but also the growing sophistication of the country’s wealth management ecosystem.

Rising affluence drives market growth

Strong equity markets, rising start-up valuations and new businessmodels have accelerated affluence growth in India. A growing consumer base and favourable demographics continue to support long-term expansion, creating a more diverse and competitive financial sector.

At the regional level, Capgemini’s World Wealth Report 2025 notes that Asia-Pacific HNWI wealth rose 4.8% in 2024, alongside a 2.7% rise in HNWI population, supported by market momentum and macroeconomic conditions.3 Consistent with this trajectory, Knight Frank’s The Wealth Report 2025 estimates India has 85,698 individuals with net worth of at least US$10 million, ranking it among the world’s largest hubs for high-end wealth.4

Wealthy individuals are increasingly seeking structured financial solutions to manage portfolios, improve tax efficiency and access wider investment options. This shift is encouraging banks to expand their range of investment products and global banking services to meet evolving client needs.

Tier 2 and Tier 3 cities fuel wealth creation

Wealth creation is expanding beyond major cities like Mumbai and Delhi. This is increasingly visible in how individual investors outside the largest centres participate in financial markets. The Association of Mutual Funds in India (AMFI) reports that 18% of the mutual fund industry’s assets came from B30 locations (beyond the top 30 cities) in June 2025 and that 27.39% of assets held by individual mutual fund investors were from B30 locations.5

As Tier 2 and Tier 3 cities build wealth through technology ventures, regional manufacturing and services, more individuals in these cities are seeking guidance on wealth planning and international opportunities that match personal goals and life stages.These trends highlight the broad growth of India’s wealth sector and its influence on domestic and cross-border markets.

 

Shifting investment priorities among India’s wealthy

As India’s affluent population expands, investors are rethinking their portfolio strategies. Traditional holdings in equities and fixed income instruments remain important but the focus is increasingly on diversification and resilience. Many now explore diversified investment products offered through their banking relationships to balance risk and return across asset classes and geographies.

 

Global wealth management for Global Indians

As more Indian investors look abroad, global wealth management is becoming central to long-term financial planning. NRIs and overseas citizens of India (OCIs) are seeking structured, compliant and efficient ways to manage assets across countries while keeping flexibility and transparency.

For many NRIs, this also includes the ability to remit funds seamlessly to family members in India for household support, education, healthcare and property-related needs. Reliable global banking arrangements play a critical role in enabling these ongoing financial commitments.

International banking solutions for NRIs and OCIs

For globally mobile individuals, international banking solutions are often about convenience and compliance. With the right setup, clients can manage cashflow, savings and investment-linked transactions across currencies and markets, while keeping banking arrangements aligned to the regulations of the countries involved.

Efficient remittance capabilities are especially important for NRIs who regularly send funds to India to support parents, children or other dependants. Transparent transfer processes, competitive exchange handling and secure digital platforms help ensure that money reaches beneficiaries smoothly and in compliance with applicable regulations.

Given the global emphasis on financial integrity, cross-border banking is also shaped by widely adopted standards on transparency and anti-money laundering. The Financial Action Task Force (FATF) publishes internationally endorsed recommendations designed to improve transparency and combat money laundering and terrorist financing, which influences how financial institutions structure due diligence and ongoing monitoring.7

DBS Treasures offers global banking solutions that can support clients who want to organise assets across regions while facilitating compliant fund transfers into India, helping them maintain a consolidated view of their finances.

Strategic global diversification

Wealthy investors are increasingly allocating capital across regions to mitigate risk and optimise returns. Exposure to international equities, bonds and alternative assets helps diversify currency and market risk. Financial institutions such as DBS provide access to a broad suite of investment products across their regional network, enabling clients to participate in global markets.

Navigating Multi-Jurisdictional wealth planning

Managing assets across borders can involve multiple tax frameworks, reporting standards and compliance requirements, making informed guidance valuable. For example, whether someone is considered an NRI depends on residential status rules for Indian tax purposes, as described by India’s Income Tax Department.8

For individuals with multi-country exposure, effective multi-jurisdiction planning therefore focuses on keeping structures compliant, documentation consistent and decisions aligned with both local rules and overseas obligations, so wealth stays protected and efficiently managed over time.

 

Regulatory frameworks enabling international wealth growth

India’s regulatory framework has adapted to support investors pursuing global opportunities. Guidelines from the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) and other authorities now allow greater international diversification while maintaining transparency and compliance.9 These measures strengthen investor confidence and extend India’s presence in global finance.

Understanding the LRS framework

The Liberalised Remittance Scheme (LRS) allows resident Indians to remit up to USD 250,000 each financial year for permissible capital and current account transactions. This framework has become a key enabler for international investments, education and property acquisition abroad. The scheme is designed to encourage global participation while ensuring adherence to the country’s foreign exchange and anti-money laundering regulations.

Leveraging LRS for global portfolio diversification

LRS can be a practical route for individual investors to diversify internationally, provided transactions remain within permitted categories and the annual limit. As noted in the RBI Master Direction, the framework explicitly accommodates overseas investing (including overseas shares/securities and mutual-fund units) within permissible capital account transactions.9

In practice, this framework can support personal goals such as reducing home-market concentration, accessing different sectors and currencies, funding overseas education or transferring money to support close relatives abroad within permitted categories, all while operating through regulated channels. The Government of India has also highlighted education and maintenance of close relatives as examples of permitted purposes within the liberalised framework.10

GIFT city as an offshore gateway

The Gujarat International Finance Tec-City (GIFT City) is emerging as a strategic offshore hub for international financial services. Offering competitive tax incentives and access to global markets, it serves as an important platform for wealth management institutions like DBS to deliver international bank account solutions, bridging domestic investors with global financial ecosystems.

 

Accessing international banking facilities across Asia

The integration of India’s financial market with global networks has made international banking a critical component of wealth management. As affluent investors increasingly pursue diversified portfolios, access to seamless and secure global banking services is becoming a defining factor in wealth mobility and international opportunity.

This aligns with the G20 cross-border payments programme led by the BIS Committee on Payments and Market Infrastructures (CPMI), which focuses on improving the speed and transparency of cross-border payments, expanding access and reducing costs.11

Seamless global banking solutions

Modern banking platforms now enable investors to manage multiple currencies and transfer funds efficiently across regions. Through international bank accounts in India, investors can conduct transactions, monitor investments and maintain liquidity across major Asian financial hubs.

Institutions such as DBS provides digital solutions that simplify the management of global wealth. It also ensures that capital can move securely between jurisdictions through:

  • Multi-currency account access across countries, including India
  • Secure and real-time international fund transfers
  • Integrated digital banking for consolidated portfolio visibility

Remittances that keep families connected

For many NRIs, global banking isn’t only about managing money across borders. It’s also about reliably sending funds home to support family needs in India. India remains the world’s largest recipient of remittances, with inflows estimated at US$129 billion in 2024, underscoring how important overseas transfers are to household finances and long-term family security.12

This dependence shows up clearly in India’s external accounts: RBI data indicates that personal transfer receipts (mainly remittances by Indians employed overseas) rose to US$33.9 billion in the January–March quarter of 2024–2025.13 For NRIs supporting parents, dependants or property and education commitments back home, having secure digital channels, clear processing timelines and transparent costs becomes a practical priority, not just a convenience.

Cost and efficiency also matter at scale. RBI research notes that the cost of sending US$200 to India was 4.9% in 2023 and that the cost of digital remittances in India was 4.0% as of Q2 of 2024, below the global average, reflecting how digitalisation can help reduce friction for families receiving regular transfers.14

Connecting India with regional financial centres

India’s rising wealth is closely tied to the strength of Asia’s financial hubs, including Singapore and Hong Kong. Through DBS’ regional network, investors gain coordinated access to banking and investment opportunities across Asia. This structure supports a connected approach to wealth management that links domestic growth with international expansion.

India’s evolving financial market continues to open new pathways for affluent investors seeking growth, diversification and global access. With rising wealth and increasingly sophisticated investment needs, the demand for seamless, expert-led financial management has never been stronger.

Explore how DBS Treasures can support your global banking and investment needs, including efficient remittance solutions and access to international financial opportunities.

Grow your wealth now

Sources:
1 International Monetary Fund. 2025. India: 2024 Article IV Consultation—Press Release; Staff Report; and Statement by the Executive Director for India. IMF Country Report No. 25/54. Washington, DC: International Monetary Fund.
2 World Bank. GDP (current US$) – India. World Development Indicators.
3 Capgemini Research Institute. 2025. World Wealth Report 2025.
4 Knight Frank. 2025. The Wealth Report 2025. 19th edition.
5 Association of Mutual Funds in India. 2025. T30 vs B30 June 2025.
6 BSE India. Alternative Investment Funds.
7 Financial Action Task Force. FATF Recommendations.
8 Income Tax Department, Government of India. Non-Resident Individual for AY 2025–2026.
9 Reserve Bank of India. 2016. Master Direction – Reporting under Foreign Exchange Management Act, 1999.
10 Press Information Bureau, Government of India, Ministry of Finance. August 2015. Modifications in Foreign Exchange Regulations.
11 Bank for International Settlements, Committee on Payments and Market Infrastructures. CPMI Cross-border payments programme.
12 World Bank. 2024. In 2024, remittance flows to low- and middle-income countries are expected to reach $685 billion, larger than FDI and ODA combined. World Bank Blogs (People Move), December 18.
13 Reserve Bank of India. 2025. Developments in India’s Balance of Payments during the Fourth Quarter (January-March) of 2024-25. Press Release: 2025-2026/611, June 27.
14 Reserve Bank of India. 2025. Changing Dynamics of India’s Remittances – Insights from the Sixth Round of India’s Remittances Survey. RBI Bulletin, March 19.