Best Investment Options for NRIs in India in 2026: Where to Invest?

I would also consider NPS if your objective is long-term retirement planning.

I am an NRI living in the UK, and I recently researched NPS because I wanted to maintain some retirement savings in India.

According to the current NPS eligibility rules, eligible Indian citizens living abroad and OCI cardholders aged 18–70 can subscribe to NPS, subject to KYC requirements. NRIs can open a Tier I account, but should check the applicable account restrictions before proceeding.

Apart from NPS, government securities and Treasury Bills are also worth researching. They are different from fixed deposits because their market value can fluctuate if you sell before maturity.

I personally prefer understanding the withdrawal rules before investing. Some products are relatively liquid, while retirement-oriented investments have specific withdrawal conditions.

One more thing: if you are planning to return to India in a few years, consider how your investments will be treated after your residential status changes.

I would not put all savings into one product. Consider your emergency requirements, investment horizon and exposure to both Indian and overseas markets before deciding.

I live in Canada and have found that investing in Indian mutual funds is not as straightforward as I initially expected.

I wanted to start SIPs in a few Indian mutual funds, but some asset management companies had restrictions for Canadian residents because of their FATCA and CRS compliance arrangements.

Eventually, I found that investment acceptance differed between fund houses. I had to check their NRI policies before completing the KYC process.

I also invest in Indian fixed deposits, but I am gradually exploring government securities and other debt investments.

My suggestion is to be careful with taxation in your country of residence. For example, if you are a US or Canadian tax resident, an investment that receives favourable tax treatment in India may still have reporting or tax consequences overseas.

I would also check whether your Indian financial institution supports your country of residence before transferring money.

The investment option itself is only one part of the decision. Tax reporting, documentation and repatriation matter just as much.

I have been investing in India while living in the UAE for around four years. I started with NRE fixed deposits because I wanted something relatively straightforward before exploring market-linked investments.

For me, the biggest advantage of an NRE FD is that the principal and interest are generally repatriable, and the interest is exempt from Indian income tax while the account holder meets the applicable non-resident conditions.

I also maintain an NRO FD for money generated in India, including rental income. The interest treatment is different because NRO interest is taxable in India.

Recently, I started investing in Indian mutual funds through SIPs. I use a combination of equity and debt funds, depending on my investment horizon.

One thing I would suggest is not to select investments just because someone mentions a particular return. Your country of residence, tax obligations, investment period and whether you want to repatriate the money are equally important.

For someone living in the UAE, the investment onboarding process may also be different from someone living in the USA or Canada.