India

Economy & industry overview

India is the world's fifth-largest economy by nominal GDP, at approximately $4.1 trillion in 2025, and the third-largest by purchasing power parity. Real GDP growth of around 6.5% in FY2024/25 was driven by domestic consumption, government capital expenditure, and a large services sector led by information technology exports. The financial sector is anchored by large private and state-owned banks; the IT services industry—anchored by companies such as TCS, Infosys, and Wipro—generates significant foreign exchange earnings. India's pharmaceutical sector is among the world's largest generics producers, and the economy is increasingly diversifying into renewable energy, semiconductors, and advanced manufacturing. The National Stock Exchange (NSE) is the primary venue for equity trading, with approximately 2,800 listed companies and a total market capitalisation of roughly $4.9 trillion as of mid-2025.

Key sectors

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Macro

GDP nominal, USD	$4.12T
GDP growth real, annual	6.5%
Inflation annual	4.2%
Population people	1.44B
GDP per capita USD	$2,850
Market cap total listed, USD	$5.67T
Market cap / GDP	118.6%
Unemployment	4.2%
Listed companies	2,781
Exchange	National Stock Exchange of India (NSE)

Data year: 2025. Sources: IMF World Economic Outlook April 2026 (GDP, growth, inflation), IMF Article IV India 2025 consultation, CEIC Data — India Market Capitalisation May 2026, NSE India — Capital Market Snapshot, companiesmarketcap.com — Largest Indian companies by market cap (June 2026), iShares product pages — INDA, INDY, SMIN, EEM expense ratios, Franklin Templeton — FLIN product page, WisdomTree — EPI product page, Worldometer — India GDP and Population 2026, World Bank — India population indicator, topforeignstocks.com — Complete list of Indian ADRs (May 2026), indmoney.com / appreciatewealth.com — Top Indian ADRs by market cap, SEBI FPI Regulations 2019; RBI FDI/FPI rules 2024-2025, lexology.com — Mid-Year FPI Wrap 2025, gurufocus.com — India market cap to GDP ratio June 2026 (119-137% est.), statranker.org / statisticstimes.com — India nominal GDP 2025, Statista — India unemployment rate 2025 (ILO estimate), exchangerates.org — USD/INR 2026 average (~86-93 INR/USD range), etfdb.com — India ETF list, stockanalysis.com — VWO holdings country breakdown.

Local exchange & access

Exchange	National Stock Exchange of India
Code	NSE
Website	www.nseindia.com
Currency	INR

Local broker access

Direct NSE/BSE access for non-Indian residents requires FPI registration with SEBI plus a local custodian arrangement — this pathway is designed for institutional investors, not retail individuals. Interactive Brokers operates a local Indian entity (Interactive Brokers India Pvt. Ltd.) enabling Indian residents and eligible NRIs to trade NSE-listed equities locally; non-Indian foreign residents cannot typically open a standard IB India account for local Indian equity trading. Saxo Bank does not offer direct NSE/BSE trading to foreign retail clients. For foreign investors seeking India equity exposure without FPI registration, the practical alternatives are: US-listed India ETFs (INDA, FLIN, EPI, INDY), ADRs of Indian companies (HDB, IBN, INFY, RDY, WIT, TTM), or GDRs listed on Luxembourg or London exchanges. Local Indian brokers such as Zerodha, Angel One, and ICICI Direct are available to Indian residents and NRIs who meet account requirements.

Global brokers with foreign-market access

• Interactive Brokers — Direct access to 90+ markets worldwide, including many emerging exchanges.
• Saxo Bank — Multi-market access across Asia, Europe and the Middle East.
• Charles Schwab (Global) — Foreign ordinary shares on select markets; US-listed ADRs and ETFs.
• Fidelity International Trading — International stock trading on a number of developed and emerging markets.

Listed for convenience only — not a recommendation. Available markets, fees and onboarding rules differ by broker and by your country of residence.

Relocation & residency

Foreign-investor access

Foreign nationals can invest in Indian-listed equities through the SEBI Foreign Portfolio Investor (FPI) framework. To trade directly on NSE/BSE, a foreign entity or individual must register as an FPI with SEBI (Category I or II), open a custodian-linked demat and trading account with a SEBI-registered custodian (such as HSBC Securities Services, Deutsche Bank, or Citibank India). Individual foreign retail investors generally cannot open a standard retail brokerage account directly; institutional or professional investor registration is required. Sector-specific foreign ownership caps apply (e.g., private banks: 74%, telecom: 100% with conditions, insurance: 74%). As of 2024, SEBI removed a blanket 49% aggregate FPI cap in most sectors, with the limit now set at the applicable sectoral FDI cap. NRIs (Non-Resident Indians) and OCIs may invest through PIS (Portfolio Investment Scheme) accounts via NRE/NRO bank accounts.