How resident Indians can invest abroad via GIFT City

Published 12 June 2026 · finance

What investment options are available through GIFT City? What are the eligibility conditions for investing through GIFT City? Minimum investment required for GIFT City investments

What investment options are available through GIFT City? What are the eligibility conditions for investing through GIFT City? Minimum investment required for GIFT City investments Investment Route Minimum Investment Requirement Outbound Mutual Funds Typically USD 5,000 initial investment; USD 500 for additional investments Alternative Investment Funds (AIFs) USD 150,000 Direct Equity Trading via Global Access Platform (GAP) No fixed minimum investment requirement Compliance requirements investors should know LRS compliance: All remittances must be routed through an Authorised Dealer (AD) bank with proper Form A2 declaration and purpose code All remittances must be routed through an Authorised Dealer (AD) bank with proper Form A2 declaration and purpose code Tax Reporting: GIFT City investments may need to be disclosed in Schedule FA of the income tax return (ITR-2 or ITR-3). GIFT City investments may need to be disclosed in Schedule FA of the income tax return (ITR-2 or ITR-3). KYC with IFSC entities: Separate KYC is required for GIFT City based investments. What are the costs involved? TCS (Tax Collected at Source): This is the most significant upfront cost consideration. From FY 2025-26, remittances under LRS for investment purposes attract 20% TCS on amounts exceeding Rs 10 lakh in a financial year. This is not an additional tax; it is an advance tax and can be adjusted against your future income tax liability or claimed as a refund when you file your ITR.

This is the most significant upfront cost consideration. From FY 2025-26, remittances under LRS for investment purposes attract 20% TCS on amounts exceeding Rs 10 lakh in a financial year. This is not an additional tax; it is an advance tax and can be adjusted against your future income tax liability or claimed as a refund when you file your ITR. Forex Conversion Costs: When you remit INR to GIFT City there is a currency conversion cost which varies from bank to bank but typically ranges from 0.5% to 1%. When you remit INR to GIFT City there is a currency conversion cost which varies from bank to bank but typically ranges from 0.5% to 1%. Trading Charges: These can be higher than domestic trading charges. Indian investors looking to diversify beyond domestic markets can now access global stocks, mutual funds, bonds and other international investment products through the GIFT City (Gujarat International Finance Tec-City).It’s India’s first smart city and International Financial Services Centre (IFSC), acting as a global hub for finance and technology, offering special business zones and tax benefits to attract international companies. However, there are investment limits, costs and regulatory requirements that investors should understand before getting started.GIFT City has several outbound retail mutual funds that invest in global markets.“For example, DSP Global Equity Fund launched in Sept 2025, Edelweiss Greater China Fund in March 2026 and PPFAS launched S&P 500 and Nasdaq 100 Fund-of-Funds from GIFT City in May 2026,” says Ankur Choudhary, co-founder and CEO, Belong.These schemes are structured under IFSCA regulations and are open to resident Indian investors.