RBI’s retail direct platform opens doors for NRIs and OCIs to invest in government securities

The Reserve Bank of India’s (RBI) Retail Direct Scheme has expanded investment opportunities for Non-Resident Indians (NRIs) and Overseas Citizens of India (OCIs). The scheme, which enables retail investors to invest in government securities, now allows NRIs and OCIs to invest in Government Securities (G-Secs), State Development Loans (SDLs), and Treasury Bills (T-Bills) through the RBI’s retail direct platform.

Investors can conduct unlimited trades in secondary markets via the RBI retail direct account, without incurring any commission, brokerage, or annual fees. The platform does not, however, permit investments in Sovereign Gold Bonds (SGBs) or floating rate bonds.

The Retail Direct Scheme, which facilitates investment in government securities by retail investors, includes NRIs among its eligible investors. It allows the purchase of treasury bills, dated securities, SGBs, and SDLs using Internet banking or Unified Payments Interface (NASDAQ:) (UPI).

To access government securities and secondary market operations via the Negotiated Dealing System-Order Matching (NDS-OM) system, investors can open an RDG Account following Know Your Customer (KYC) verification. The RBI’s ‘Fully Accessible Route’ (FAR) further permits NRIs to invest in G-Secs, SDLs, and T-bills.

Opening an RBI Retail Direct account requires an Indian mobile number linked to Aadhaar, a Non-Resident Ordinary (NRO) savings bank account with UPI/net banking services, and a Permanent Account Number (PAN) card. All customer requests are One Time Password (OTP)-based. Nomination details are mandatory at account opening, and a token amount is credited for verification.

Joint accounts can also be opened under the scheme. For this purpose, the PAN card details, email address, and phone number of both account holders are required. Applicants receive a reference number to track their application, and confirmation of RDG account opening is sent via email.

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