Countries / South Asia
Investing in India
The world's most populous country has also built one of its most vibrant retail-investing cultures, with monthly mutual-fund SIPs (systematic investment plans) turning into a genuine mass-market savings habit over the past decade.
- Capital
- New Delhi
- Currency
- Indian rupee
- Main exchange
- Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE) & National Stock Exchange (NSE)
- Regulator
- Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI)
How people invest in India
Gold remains culturally central (jewelry doubles as savings), real estate is the default for larger wealth, and equities — direct demat accounts plus SIPs — have grown fastest. India also has the deepest bench of multi-generational business families anywhere in Asia, several running dedicated investing arms.
Entrepreneurial families to know
Business families based in India who are also active capital allocators — see the full family capital directory.
Tata family
Jamsetji Tata, born in Navsari, Gujarat, founded a private trading firm in Bombay in 1868 with rough…
Telecom & digitalAmbani family
Dhirubhai Ambani began trading spices in the late 1950s before pivoting into synthetic textiles, ope…
CementBirla family
The family's trading business traces to 1857 in Pilani, Rajasthan; Ghanshyam Das ('G.D.') Birla late…
Ports & logisticsAdani family
Gautam Adani worked briefly as a diamond sorter in Mumbai before returning to Gujarat in 1981 to hel…
Consumer goodsGodrej family
Ardeshir Godrej, a lawyer turned entrepreneur, founded the business in a rented Mumbai shed in 1897,…
AutomobilesBajaj family
Jamnalal Bajaj founded the group's predecessor in 1926, building on a cotton-ginning venture in Ward…
AutomotiveMahindra family
Brothers J.C. and K.C. Mahindra, with a partner, incorporated Mahindra & Mohammed in Ludhiana, Punja…
BankingHinduja family
Parmanand Deepchand Hinduja, from Sindh, moved to Bombay in 1914 to start a trading business, then i…
IT servicesPremji family
Wipro's predecessor, Western India Vegetable Products, was founded by Azim Premji's father in Amalne…
Other South Asia markets
Ready to put capital to work?
Browse platforms, banks, and funds active in South Asia, or read our start-investing guide.