Over the past decade, India’s high net-worth individuals have seen their ambitions grow beyond borders. The question many of them are now asking isn’t “why invest abroad,” but “how do I build something lasting outside India while keeping control?”
For most, the aim is balance. To protect their capital, diversify risk, and access opportunities that aren’t available locally. Global markets open doors to high-growth sectors like artificial intelligence, semiconductors, and renewable infrastructure. They also offer entry into private equity and venture capital deals that go beyond traditional domestic options.
But global investing has become more complex. Families today expect advisors to do more than just execute transactions. They want an investment experience that feels seamless, compliant, and connected, one that fits into their broader legacy plans.
Global Access Needs More Than a Bank
Global banks continue to attract clients with their networks and prestige, but that also comes with a catch. Most banks work within product-driven frameworks. For high net-worth investors, that can feel limiting. Their needs stretch across legal, tax, estate, and succession considerations, areas that require deep coordination.
This is where financial advisors stand apart. They bring together multiple disciplines: structuring family trusts, managing offshore vehicles, and linking global and domestic assets into a single strategy. The value lies not just in returns, but in clarity and long-term control.
The Practical Limits of the LRS Route
Many Indian investors still rely on the Liberalised Remittance Scheme to send up to $250,000 abroad each year. While useful for smaller allocations, the process becomes cumbersome for families managing larger sums, especially after the 20% TCS was introduced for transfers above ₹10 lakh.
Financial advisors are now helping clients explore more efficient ways to invest internationally. Some families set up compliant offshore investment vehicles or use GIFT City structures to build scalable, tax-efficient frameworks. This approach supports both global growth and intergenerational planning.
What Integration Really Means
For high net-worth clients, global investing is not just about access to markets. It’s about coordination across every layer of their financial life. They want:
- Portfolios that manage currency risk across denominations
- Estate and succession structures that work across borders
- Reporting systems that track performance and compliance in one place
- Access to institutional-quality investments in private equity, venture capital, hedge funds, and real assets
These needs rarely fit within a bank’s standard offering. Families prefer advisors who can bring legal, tax, and investment experts to the same table and deliver advice that feels unified, not fragmented.
Clarity and Control
Investors have always cared about transparency. What has changed is their expectation of how that information is delivered. They want instant access to portfolio data, real-time reporting, and straightforward fee structures.
This demand is pushing financial advisors to adopt stronger technology platforms. The goal isn’t to replace relationships, but to make them more effective. Platforms like EQBAC allow advisors to manage complex, multi-market portfolios with consistent data and clear reporting, something clients increasingly expect as standard.
How Technology Shapes the Experience
The new generation of investors is digital by habit. They are comfortable with platforms that show a complete financial picture at a glance. They value accuracy, speed, and simplicity.
With this, every client interaction for financial advisors, including performance updates, compliance reporting, and so on and so forth, must match the precision of a global institution while retaining a local understanding. Technology is now the bridge between the two.
Mobility, Residency, and the Bigger Picture
Global investing for Indian HNIs often ties into larger life decisions. Many families want to invest in real estate abroad not only for returns but also for residency and citizenship benefits. Golden Visa and citizenship-by-investment programmes in countries like Portugal, the UAE, and the US have become part of broader family strategies.
Financial advisors help clients navigate these opportunities without losing Indian citizenship or falling into tax complications. This mix of mobility, compliance, and structure is what families increasingly value.
The Local Advantage in a Global World
Indian advisors have a clear edge when it comes to global investing. They understand how Indian tax law, FEMA rules, and local family structures shape every financial decision. They can see where an offshore fund makes sense and when a GIFT City vehicle might do the same job with fewer complications.
That kind of judgment comes from context in addition to access. Families with complex balance sheets often need someone who knows how to align global exposure with domestic realities. A fund that looks attractive in London or Singapore can create tax friction if it isn’t structured right in India. Local advisors can spot those issues before they turn into problems.
Large global institutions tend to miss that layer of nuance. They may have products, but not always the understanding of how those products fit into an Indian client’s broader plan.
What the Numbers Tell Us
Recent data from Kotak Private Banking’s Top of the Pyramid report highlights how far Indian HNIs have come. Around one-third already have global holdings, mostly in the US and UK. Equity remains the mainstay, taking up roughly 32% of portfolios, and direct stock ownership is preferred over funds.
Among those investing globally, 58% say they do it for better returns. And about one in five ultra-HNIs is planning or in the middle of migration, often to simplify business operations or build a global base for the next generation.
The Direction of Change
As wealth grows, Indian investors are asking for more than market access. They want structure. They want clarity. They want to see everything in one place, from their private equity fund in New York to their trust in Singapore to their holdings through GIFT City.
Advisors are responding by focusing less on products and more on systems. The real challenge is connecting the dots across currencies, tax jurisdictions, and family goals. Technology plays a role here, but judgment still matters.
Advisors using EQBAC can now focus entirely on acquiring and advising clients. Everything else, from product onboarding and trade execution to product-provider fee invoicing and back-end operations, is handled by EQBAC.
Client onboarding is seamless. Each client is charged on an AMC basis, not per transaction, which keeps the process simple and transparent. Fractional trading is also available, allowing clients to participate in global markets with greater flexibility.
The platform works as a one-stop shop for all global investments. Distributors can onboard clients across multiple products under a single global account. Access to pricing, products, and execution is direct, without waiting on intermediaries.
The system is built for flexibility and customisation. Distributors get full visibility into trades and reporting, while clients gain access to intelligence-backed trading tools and advanced market data.
All product providers are integrated within the platform, so there’s no need to negotiate separate agreements or terms. Everything sits within one compliant, technology-enabled framework designed for scale and efficiency.
That combination of digital clarity and real-world experience is what Indian HNIs are looking for today. Get in touch with us to explore how you can provide this experience to your clients.
