GIFT City
India's gateway to global markets
GIFT City
GIFT City is India’s first International Financial Services Centre — a special economic jurisdiction in Gandhinagar with its own unified regulator, IFSCA, where everything is transacted in foreign currency. Indian regulation, dollar-denominated assets.
IFSCA describes the purpose as onshoring the offshore: offering the regulatory comfort of New York, London, Singapore or Dubai while letting investors engage with the Indian economy efficiently. Banking, exchanges, funds, bonds and insurance all operate there in foreign currency.
For a family whose future spending is partly in dollars — education abroad, a property overseas, retirement outside India — that currency match is the whole point. NRIs and OCIs invest foreign currency they already hold; residents can participate through the Liberalised Remittance Scheme.
What GIFT City actually is
GIFT City — Gujarat International Finance Tec-City — sits in Gandhinagar, Gujarat. Inside it is India’s first International Financial Services Centre, a special economic jurisdiction with its own unified regulator, IFSCA.
Its stated purpose is to “onshore the offshore”: to offer the regulatory comfort of New York, London, Singapore or Dubai, while letting investors engage with the Indian economy more efficiently. Everything inside it is transacted in foreign currency.
For an Indian family whose future spending is partly in dollars, that combination — Indian regulation, foreign currency — is the whole point.
Who can invest through GIFT IFSC
It is not only for NRIs. Residents have a route too — the paperwork and the limits differ.
NRIs & OCIs
Invest from abroad in USD, EUR or GBP without routing money through the domestic Indian system. No LRS limit applies — you are investing foreign currency you already hold.
Resident Indians
Residents can invest through the Liberalised Remittance Scheme, which permits remittance of up to USD 250,000 per person per financial year for permissible transactions.
Businesses & family offices
Corporates and family offices use GIFT IFSC for treasury, external commercial borrowings, fund structures and captive insurance.
Where the tax advantage actually sits
Real, but narrower than the marketing suggests. Here is the accurate version.
No Securities Transaction Tax
STT does not apply to trades on GIFT IFSC exchanges, unlike the domestic Indian market.
No Commodities Transaction Tax
CTT is likewise not applicable in GIFT IFSC.
Capital gains exempt or reduced
For NRIs investing or trading on GIFT IFSC exchanges, long-term and short-term capital gains tax are exempt or significantly reduced, depending on the instrument.
No GST on offshore services
Financial services rendered to non-residents are exempt from GST, which lowers the cost of managing an international portfolio.
Ten-year tax holiday for entities
Units operating from GIFT IFSC enjoy a 10-year tax holiday out of a block of 15 years — which is why fund structures are domiciled there.
What it takes to start
Indicative figures only. IFSCA has revised several thresholds recently and they may change again — confirm the current minimum before planning around a number.
Four steps, mostly done remotely
Open a foreign currency account
Approach the IFSC unit of a bank to open an account. This is separate from any domestic NRE or NRO account and is denominated in foreign currency.
Onboard with an IFSCA-registered intermediary
Register with a broker or fund manager licensed by IFSCA. Remote video KYC is available, so most investors complete onboarding without travelling to India.
Choose your products
From deposits and ETFs through to retail fund schemes, PMS and AIFs. What fits depends on your currency of future spending, your horizon and your ticket size.
Confirm your tax position
GIFT IFSC advantages are real, but your personal position depends on where you are resident — particularly if you live in a country that taxes worldwide income, such as the USA. Speak to a tax adviser before committing.
Check the firm in IFSCA’s own register
IFSCA publishes a public register of every regulated entity — banks, brokers and fund managers. It also carries a standing warning about financial scams and impersonation in this space.
Look any firm up there before money moves, including ours. A genuine adviser will encourage you to check rather than ask you to take their word for it.
Open the IFSCA RegisterDeal only with IFSCA-regulated entities
Banks, brokers and fund managers must be licensed. If a firm is not listed, walk away.
Be wary of assured-return claims
No regulated GIFT IFSC product guarantees a return. Assured-return promises are the clearest signal of a scam.
Remote onboarding is normal
Video KYC is permitted. Nobody legitimate needs your passwords, OTPs or net-banking credentials.
Frequently asked questions
Other products in our suite
Not sure if this fits your plan?
Tell us your goal and timeline. We will tell you honestly whether GIFT City belongs in your portfolio — or whether something simpler would serve you better.
- A senior advisor calls you, not a call centre
- Recommendation matched to your goal and risk profile
- Written summary after the call
- No cost and no obligation
Is GIFT City right for you?
Every product suits a particular goal, horizon and temperament. A short conversation is the fastest way to find out where this fits in your plan — or whether something else serves you better.