Indian Outward Remittances Fall 11.9% in April as Overseas Investments Moderate

Indian resident outward remittances under the Reserve Bank of India’s Liberalised Remittance Scheme (LRS) dropped 11.9% in April 2026 to $2.29 billion, compared to $2.59 billion in March 2026. The contraction reflects a shift in investor sentiment as residents adopt a more cautious approach toward international equity, debt, and bank deposits.

The data reveals a sharp 46.2% decline in remittances for deposits abroad and a 45.8% drop in overseas equity and debt investments. Despite the slowdown in financial assets, outbound travel spending rose by 5.8% to $1.16 billion, accounting for over half of all LRS outflows. Furthermore, remittances for purchasing immovable property overseas remained resilient, increasing by 27.2% year-on-year.

The moderation in remittances for education and studies abroad suggests a temporary cooling in discretionary international spending. While financial investments have slowed, the resilience in travel and real estate indicates that high-net-worth individuals are still engaging in international luxury and capital asset acquisition, even as broader financial outflows remain under pressure from global market uncertainty.