MUMBAI: As global markets reeled in April following U.S. President Donald Trump’s sweeping tariff hike proposals, Indian investors demonstrated a strategic response by significantly increasing their exposure to U.S. equities. Taking advantage of falling stock prices, many followed the well-known strategy of “buying the dip,” showing a marked surge in investments in American stocks.
“April was a record-breaking month for us,” said Nikhil Behl, Co-founder and CEO of INDMoney, a tech-driven platform that facilitates investments in both Indian and global equities. “We saw a massive spike in interest, with both new and existing investors eager to capitalize on the market correction.”
According to Behl, inflows into U.S. stocks through INDMoney jumped 400% in April compared to previous months. “We added nearly as many new U.S. stock investors as we did Indian stock investors — something we’ve never seen before,” he added.
While consolidated industry data for overseas investments by Indians is not readily available, similar trends were observed across other platforms. HDFC Securities reported that global investment volumes in the first half of April had already exceeded those for the entire month of March.
“There’s been a notable surge in user activity and trading volumes following the tariff-related announcements,” said Abhishek Mehrotra, Head of Equities & Investment Products at HDFC Securities.
Appreciate, another platform catering to global investing, saw a 2.5x increase in average stock purchases and a 2x rise in average purchase value per user post-announcement, according to Shlok Srivastav, its COO and Co-founder.
Indian investors typically invest in foreign stocks through the RBI’s Liberalised Remittance Scheme (LRS), which allows individuals to invest up to $250,000 annually in global assets. Many saw the market volatility as a window of opportunity—particularly in sectors such as AI, semiconductors, and big tech.
“Heavyweights like Apple, Google, and Meta were trading at more attractive valuations,” Behl noted. “With cash still waiting on the sidelines, many retail investors saw this as the ideal time to enter or expand their positions.”
Interestingly, investments weren’t overly concentrated in individual stocks. While first-time investors gravitated toward the “Magnificent Seven” — Apple, Microsoft, Alphabet, Amazon, Nvidia, Meta, and Tesla — experienced investors increasingly turned to exchange-traded funds (ETFs) to diversify their portfolios and mitigate risk.
This growing sophistication in overseas investing highlights a shift in mindset among Indian investors, who are not only seeking global exposure but also applying more nuanced strategies to navigate volatility.
