By BullScreen Editorial Team 
India’s household savings are gradually shifting away from traditional bank deposits toward market-linked investment products such as mutual funds, portfolio management services (PMS), and alternative investment funds (AIFs), according to V. Vaidyanathan, Managing Director and CEO of IDFC FIRST Bank.
Speaking at Moneycontrol’s Global Wealth Summit, Vaidyanathan said India’s household financial asset base has grown significantly in recent years, reaching about $19.3 trillion as investors increasingly diversify their portfolios.
Despite this trend, bank deposits remain a dominant part of household savings. Vaidyanathan noted that around Rs 150 lakh crore is still held in household bank deposits, underlining the continued importance of the banking system. Over the past decade, total bank deposits have expanded 2.6 times to approximately Rs 240 lakh crore.
At the same time, investment products have seen rapid growth. Mutual fund investments have increased seven-fold in recent years to about Rs 80 lakh crore, reflecting rising retail participation in capital markets.
Other segments are also expanding quickly. PMS assets have grown from roughly Rs 1.5 lakh crore to around Rs 11 lakh crore, while the AIF market has surged from about Rs 1 lakh crore to nearly Rs 12 lakh crore.
Vaidyanathan said intergenerational wealth transfers and improving financial awareness are encouraging households to gradually shift from traditional savings toward diversified investment products.