India’s tryst with equity investing is gaining momentum, reveals the Economic Survey 2025-26 tabled Thursday. An impressive 2.35 crore demat accounts were added by December 2025 in FY 2025-26, epitomizing surging household confidence amid global headwinds.
Markets proved resilient, with Nifty advancing 11.1 percent and Sensex 10.1 percent April-December, thanks to steady local inflows, buoyant earnings, tax sops, moderating prices, and liquidity support.
Milestones abounded: 12 crore-plus unique demat investors by September 2025, a quarter female. Mutual funds counted 5.9 crore unique folios by December, majority from Tier-3+ cities at 3.5 crore.
The savings metamorphosis is striking—market instruments’ share in financial savings climbed from 2 percent (FY11-12) to 15 percent-plus (FY24-25). SIPs underscore this, with averages jumping from under ₹4,000 crore monthly in FY16-17 to ₹28,000 crore+ now.
IPOs numbered 20 percent higher, funds 10 percent up. SME listings reached 217, garnering ₹9,600 crore. Corporate bonds expanded 12 percent annually, issuing ₹9.9 lakh crore newly in FY24-25 atop ₹53.6 lakh crore outstanding.
These trends herald a democratized finance sector, drawing ordinary citizens into sophisticated investment paradigms with optimism.