Indian interest in global markets has experienced an unprecedented surge, with Google Trends data showing searches for 'investing in global markets' spiked over 5,000% in the last 12 months through September 2026. This dramatic increase reflects a fundamental shift in how Indian investors approach wealth building, moving beyond traditional domestic markets. According to The Financial Express, Indians sent nearly $2.6 billion overseas for investments in FY2025-26, representing a 56% increase from $1.69 billion in FY2024-25. The momentum has accelerated significantly, with Indians sending nearly 13.4 times more money abroad for equity and debt investments in June 2026 than in June 2020, while the full-year figure for FY2025-26 stands at 5.6 times the FY2020-21 level.
Indian retail investors now have access to global investment opportunities through the Liberalised Remittance Scheme (LRS), which allows resident Indians to remit up to ₹2 crore per financial year for permitted transactions. According to Viram Shah, Founder and CEO of Vested Finance, Indian investors can purchase US-listed stocks through platforms providing access to US markets once companies list on exchanges. The process involves completing KYC, providing PAN, and opening an overseas brokerage account, with platforms automatically filling out W-8BEN forms for tax compliance. International brokerage platforms like Vested and Appreciate, built specifically for Indian investors to buy US stocks, ETFs and even fractional shares, have made the process far simpler than it was even three or four years ago.
Nvidia remains the single most-bought US stock among Indian investors, according to data from two domestic brokerage platforms Appreciate and Vested Finance. The top ten US stocks Indians buy include Nvidia, Micron, Meta, Microsoft, Amazon, AMD, SanDisk, Broadcom, Google and Tesla. Technology stocks, including AI, semiconductor and chip stocks, continue to dominate the global portfolio of Indian investors. During FY 2025-26, Indians investing in US stocks enjoyed approximately 25.4% return, benefiting from a 14% rise in the S&P 500 and a 10% depreciation of the Indian Rupee against the US dollar. This depreciation compounded the gains for Indian investors, resulting in a higher overall return than the sum of the two individual gains.
For Indian residents investing in Dubai companies, the USD 250,000 ceiling is not a separate limit but part of the overall LRS framework. As per recent guidance, other LRS remittances made during the same financial year must be considered, including amounts used for purchasing foreign securities and other permitted transactions. Only the unutilized balance remains available for Dubai company investments, and family members cannot be included as shareholders merely to pool LRS limits unless each person is a genuine investor with legitimate funds. Resident individuals must route investments through Authorized Dealer Category-I banks in India, which examine transactions under RBI framework and require comprehensive documentation including identity documents, Dubai company incorporation papers, and tax-compliance documents.
For Indian investors in US stocks, gains are taxed at 12.5% if held for more than 24 months, or added to income at applicable slab rates for shorter holding periods. Dividends face 25% withholding tax in the US, which can be claimed as foreign tax credit under India-US DTAA. According to Shah, platforms like Vested generate relevant tax reports including Schedule FA, Schedule FSI, Schedule TR, and Form 67, with integration available for ClearTax filing processes. For Dubai investments, TCS may be collected at source under Indian income-tax provisions, though this is not additional final tax but reflects in tax records for potential credit claims.
