Foreign investors dumped record ₹1.6 lakh crore in Indian stocks this year
In 2025, foreign investors pulled out about ₹1.52 lakh crore from Indian equities—one of the largest annual exits on record.
The selling was heaviest in January and kept up through December, pushing FII ownership to a 15-year low of just 16.9%.
Homegrown investors stepped up
While FIIs were selling, domestic investors (think: your SIPs, insurance, pensions) bought big—over ₹7.2 lakh crore worth—helping keep the market afloat on most trading days.
Thanks to their steady buying, the Nifty 100 still climbed 10% this year.
What's behind the moves?
A weaker rupee, shaky US bond markets, and a stalled India-US trade deal made FIIs nervous.
Plus, global money chased AI opportunities in Korea and Taiwan instead of India.
Tech and real estate stocks took a hit from FII exits, but telecom actually saw foreign investment jump by 79%.