As GIFT City reshapes how global Indians access financial products, Policybazaar is expanding its offerings to make investment seamless for Non-Resident Indians (NRIs). Through its presence in India's International Financial Services Centre, Policybazaar is enabling NRIs across more than 35 countries to access investment-linked insurance solutions denominated in US dollars.
GIFT City as a Preferred Investment Hub
GIFT City is also emerging as a base for global reinsurance with a growing presence of international players. Addressing the media at Policybazaar's recent event in Gujarat, Bimal Menon, Principal Officer of Policybazaar's GIFT City Branch, stated, "GIFT City now contributes to more than 50% share of our NRI customer base. Among NRIs, GIFT City is gaining strong momentum as a preferred investment hub. This shift is driven by benefits including tax-free gains under Section 10(10D), availability of US Dollar-denominated market-linked insurance products, seamless repatriation, and a single unified regulator. It is a future-ready ecosystem that brings together technology, sustainability, and globally benchmarked urban development standards."
NRI Customer Demographics and Investment Behavior
According to Policybazaar's data, the NRI customer base is concentrated in the Gulf region, which collectively accounts for nearly 50% of customers, with key markets including the UAE, Qatar, and Oman. The United States, as a single country, contributes around 30%, making it the largest individual market. The UK is among the top three geographies, while Singapore is emerging as a fast-growing market with increasing demand. In terms of investment behavior, customers in the US lead with monthly contributions up to $10,000, followed by the UAE at around $8,000 per month. Nearly two-thirds of Policybazaar's investors in this segment fall in the 28-45 age group, indicating a younger NRI cohort actively allocating to global, dollar-based instruments.
Digital Onboarding and Investment Flexibility
Lakshit Mahajan, Head of NRI Investment Business at Policybazaar, added, "We are elated to be present in GIFT City to make global investing easy and efficient for our NRI customers. As India's first International Financial Services Centre, GIFT City offers world-class infrastructure, flexible rules, and tax advantages like none other. With digital onboarding, access to global investments, currency diversification, and seamless cross-border financial planning, it is becoming a preferred destination and a credible alternative to global financial hubs like Singapore and Dubai."
The event also highlighted how NRI customers can invest directly through their NRE or overseas bank accounts using a fully digital platform. They can choose from international funds, as well as Gold and Silver ETFs, with the flexibility to pay premiums in different ways and withdraw funds partially if needed. The entire process from onboarding to investing can be completed online, with remote KYC and no need to be physically present. Certain policies also offer tax benefits, and Double Taxation Avoidance Agreements (DTAAs) help reduce the chances of being taxed in more than one country. Policybazaar's plans incorporate waiver-of-premium options that ensure continuity of investment in case of unforeseen events, alongside life cover and USD-denominated payouts.
Reinsurance and Market Impact
From a reinsurance perspective, the regulatory framework in GIFT City allows overseas insurers to operate with greater flexibility, making it easier to deploy capital and build underwriting capacity locally. Over time, this is expected to improve risk pricing, increase product availability, and deepen the insurance market in India, according to Policybazaar.
Future of Cross-Border Wealth Creation
As global investment opportunities become increasingly accessible, GIFT City is poised to play a pivotal role in shaping the future of cross-border wealth creation for NRIs. With a robust regulatory framework, tax advantages, and seamless digital infrastructure, Policybazaar aims to empower NRI investors with solutions that combine global diversification, long-term financial security, and ease of investing from a single, future-ready platform.
