Why Indian Families Need to Think Beyond Rupees for Long-Term Savings: Marcellus Investment Managers

India, 30th January, 2026: Indian families save diligently through fixed deposits, gold, and domestic equities, trusting that consistency will secure their future. However, Marcellus Investment Managers highlights a less obvious but persistent risk: the long-term weakening of the Indian rupee against the US dollar. Historically, the rupee has lost nearly 40% of its value every decade, steadily reducing the real purchasing power of savings. As a result, global expenses such as overseas education, healthcare, travel, and imported goods become costlier, even when savings rise in rupee terms.

Marcellus notes that this is not only a currency concern but also a portfolio construction issue. Savings concentrated solely in India are exposed to a single economy and currency. Long-term data shows that an India-plus-global equity portfolio has delivered better risk-adjusted returns with lower volatility than a purely domestic portfolio. Simply put, global diversification has helped investor’s compound wealth more efficiently without taking proportionately higher risk.

What was once difficult is now far more accessible. Recent policy reforms have made global investing practical for Indian households. These include the development of GIFT City as a tax-efficient hub, easier rules under the Liberalised Remittance Scheme, lower long-term capital gains tax on global investments, and clearer regulations for overseas investing structures both for Indian individuals and body corporates. Together, these changes have removed many earlier cost, tax, and operational barriers making Gift City the most preferred route for Indians to invest globally.

“Most Indian families now spend the majority of their income on items which are US$ denominated eg. flights, phones, OTT subscriptions, foreign holidays, etc. Therefore, they should also consider generating investment returns in US$ especially since America accounts for the majority of the world’s market whereas India accounts for 4%. From both perspectives, a sizeable allocation to global equities is warranted”, said Saurabh Mukherjea, Founder and Chief Investment Officer, Marcellus Investment Managers.

According to Marcellus, adding global exposure is not about chasing foreign markets or short-term trends. It is about protecting long-term savings from currency depreciation, improving portfolio resilience, and aligning investments with rising global aspirations. Even a modest overseas allocation can help preserve wealth over time and reduce dependence on a single economy.

Marcellus emphasises that the focus remains on disciplined, long-term investing, not speculation. As Indian households become more globally connected, their investment portfolios must evolve in a simple, sensible, and well-governed manner.