SEBI Proposes Digital NRI Onboarding to Cut Weeks-Long Account Opening Delays

India's markets regulator SEBI has put forward a proposal to make the investment account opening process fully digital for non-resident Indians. The move would remove the requirement for overseas Indians to be physically present in India to complete onboarding. It is also expected to significantly cut down on paperwork and eliminate courier-related delays. Account opening timelines could shrink from weeks or even months to just a few days under the new framework. The change is anticipated to attract greater foreign capital into Indian financial markets, and has drawn praise from industry figures including Zerodha CEO Nithin Kamath.