Diaspora interested to invest in India, but keen to settle abroad post retirement: Survey

A majority of the diaspora Indians are keen to invest in India, even though they are more likely to settle down in their current country of residence after retirement for better quality of life, a survey said on Thursday. The survey by foreign lender HSBC, which covered 4,152 people of Indian origin across generations now living in other countries, said 80 per cent of the people are investing in India and 59 per cent are likely to increase their bets on India in the next three years.

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COVID-19 was the most common reason for a minority of the respondents to have decreased their levels of investment in India in the past three years, the survey said.


Friends and family remaining back in India is the biggest motivation for the investments, followed by it being the most effective use of investments and a desire to promote positive change in their ancestral homeland.

However, when it comes to settling down post-retirement, 71 per cent of those surveyed said they will prefer to be in their country of residence and not look at coming to India.

Quality of life was the top reason for the decision to settle abroad post-retirement, with 47 per cent of the respondents preferring it, followed by safety, healthcare coverage and economic security. It can be noted that in the past, concerns have been expressed about law and order for senior citizens, social security in India.

The diaspora Indians living in Australia, Canada, Malaysia and the US are more likely to plan to retire there, while those in Hong Kong, Singapore and the UAE are less likely, the survey said.

Of those surveyed, only four per cent said they have never visited India but the diaspora is keen to visit or live, and not settle, in India.

The survey said 61 per cent of the respondents are planning to live in India in the future, while 39 per cent said they plan to live in India but retire in their country of residence.