If you’re an NRI (Non-Resident Indian), and want to invest in the Indian stock market, the entire process can seem to be intimidating. But, it’s easier than you think to get started trading stocks in India. By learning about certain nuances and rules of the stock market, you can start trading successfully, wherever you are or how much time you have available to devote to your investments. The Indian stock market has been attracting many NRI investors in recent years, who can invest in the Indian stock market as per the rules set by the Foreign Exchange Management Act (FEMA).
Who is a NRI?
According to FEMA, “an NRI is a person resident outside India who is either a citizen of India or a person of Indian origin (PIO)”.
As per taxation norms, an NRI is a person who does not satisfy these two conditions:
- If a person is in India for 182 days or more during the financial year
- If a person is in India for a minimum of 365 days during the previous four years that year and at least 60 days in that year.
How can you invest?
If you’re going to trade in stocks, bonds, options or futures, it’s important to know which kind of investment vehicles suit your portfolio. Certain financial instruments are better-suited for active traders than long-term investors, and vice versa. If you think of your investments as part of a toolkit that helps accomplish certain goals (retirement planning vs. building a business vs. educating kids), knowing what kinds of instruments are available will help keep you from feeling overwhelmed by your investing options.
That said, there is no one right way to invest; instead, seek out advice from knowledgeable professionals who tailor their recommendations based on your individual needs and objectives. After all, every investor has different time horizons and risk tolerances—and thus requires a personalized approach to investing.
The Portfolio Investment Scheme (PIS) allows NRIs to invest in the Indian stock market, under repatriation or non-repatriation basis, through a registered broker. PIS-enabled NRI accounts are used for trading and investment in India.
The PIS account holds the investment amount of the NRI. The purchases are directly debited from this account, and the sale proceeds are credited to the account. The PIS permission letter is required for opening a demat and trading account.
Trading and Demat Account
A trading account enables the NRI to carry out sales and purchase transactions in the stock market, and the Demat Account is to hold the shares in an electronic form. Both these accounts are to be linked to a PIS-enabled NRE (Non-Resident External) account or NRO (Non-Resident Ordinary) account.
How does the actual trading happen for a NRI?
For resident Indians and for NRIs, the actual buying and selling process is the same. However, there are a few things to consider. NRIs, for example, are barred from investing in certain stocks, and the NRI must consult with the broker about this. Any breach of this negative list would result in steep penalties.
The trading account gets credited whenever the NRI allocates funds from the NRE or NRO account to the broker. When the actual transaction is made, the broker sends the contract note to the NRI and the PIS bank for debit authorization simultaneously. Then, the PIS bank debits or credits the NRI’s PIS account accordingly.
Points to remember
1. Intra-day trading is not permitted for NRIs, therefore they must always opt for delivery based transactions.
2. Be careful to avoid investment in prohibited sectors as they may bring steep penalties.
3. Make sure to reconcile the demat account balance with bank balance.
4. Banks will levy associated charges with PIS, demat and trading accounts.
5. Trading will be carried out via brokers so there will be brokerage charges involved.
Conclusion
The Indian stock market welcomes investment from NRIs. There might be some additional considerations like taxes, repatriation, holding periods and restricted markets. However, an NRI can trade in the Indian stock market in a hassle-free way and reap the benefits of a rising economy by adhering to these basic rules and regulations.
