Daijiworld Media Network - Mumbai
Mumbai, Oct 24: Investment by Indians in overseas equity and debt markets more than doubled, surging 111 per cent year-on-year to $321.53 million in August 2026 under the Liberalised Remittance Scheme (LRS), according to the Reserve Bank of India’s October 2026 bulletin.
The investment in overseas equity and debt stood at $152.18 million in August 2025, the central bank’s monthly data showed.
However, on a month-on-month basis, the outflow under this category declined by 7 per cent. Investments in overseas equity and debt had touched an all-time high of $460 million in June 2026.
In FY26, total outward remittances under the LRS stood at $28,979.36 million, according to RBI data.
In August 2026, investments in overseas equity and debt accounted for around 11.7 per cent of total LRS outflows, compared with 5.8 per cent in the corresponding month last year.
Outflows towards overseas equity and debt investments emerged as the leading investment-related component of outward remittances in August and accounted for a significantly larger share of the LRS basket compared with a year ago.
Meanwhile, total outward remittances under the LRS rose to $2,738.58 million in August 2026 from $2,642.91 million in August 2025, registering year-on-year growth of 3.6 per cent. The outflow also increased by around 6 per cent from July 2026, when it stood at $2,582.62 million.
Travel continued to be the largest component of LRS remittances, accounting for $1,630.26 million in August 2026, marginally higher than $1,618.81 million in the year-ago month.
Travel-related remittances accounted for around 59 per cent of total LRS outflows. The category registered year-on-year growth of about 1 per cent but rose 11.4 per cent from July’s $1,463.11 million.
Business travel remittances recorded a particularly sharp increase on a month-on-month basis, rising nearly fivefold from $10.9 million in July to $51 million in August.
Among other major categories, gift remittances increased to $215.72 million from $190.43 million a year earlier, while remittances towards the maintenance of close relatives stood at $275.43 million, compared with $272.05 million.
Remittances for the purchase of immovable property rose to $39.59 million from $36.02 million in the corresponding period last year. Deposits also increased to $50.78 million from $42.75 million.
Notably, remittances for medical treatment grew 21.3 per cent year-on-year to $4.84 million in August 2026.