How much do you need to retire? Affluent Indians now say Rs 3.5 cr

Rising costs and financial goals prompt the wealthy to raise the bar, according to HSBC's Affluent Investor Snapshot 2025

A typical affluent Indian investor believes they need Rs 3.5 crore (around $401,000) to retire comfortably, according to an HSBC survey of more than a thousand such people.

 

The number has slightly increased from the previous year and reflects the rising cost of living and desire for financial independence. HSBC’s Affluent Investor Snapshot 2025 surveyed 1,006 affluent investors in India as part of a global study covering 10,797 respondents in 12 countries. Among Indians, “preparing for retirement” emerged as a top long-term financial priority, alongside investing in property and supporting family members.

 

This focus on retirement comes amid widespread economic concerns. About nine in ten affluent Indians cited high inflation and economic uncertainty as key factors influencing their investment behaviour.

 

Yet, confidence levels are high:

 

• 92 per cent feel confident about meeting their short-term financial goals (up to 3 years) 
• 83 per cent about medium-term (3 to 5 years), 
• 86 per cent about long-term (more than 5 years).

 

From cash to gold and alternatives

Indian investors have become more active in reallocating their wealth. The proportion of portfolios held in cash has dropped to 15 per cent, down 10 percentage points from last year. In turn, they’re leaning towards more inflation-resilient assets:

 

Gold holdings rose by 7 percentage points

 

-Alternatives (such as private equity and hedge funds) climbed by 4 percentage points.

 

Investment patterns: what India’s affluent are doing

 

What Indian investors currently own or plan to add to their portfolios:

 

Most owned: mutual funds (53 per cent), direct stocks (50 per cent), and physical gold (39 per cent),

 

High interest: private market funds (42 per cent), and multi-asset solutions (37 per cent).

 

For financial insights, Indian investors rely heavily on social media (66 per cent) and online videos (50 per cent), but when it comes to actual decisions, 66 per cent turn to professional wealth advisers or relationship managers while 41 per cent rely on social media influencers.

 

The takeaway

A Rs 3.5 crore retirement fund is becoming the new benchmark for affluent Indians. With rising costs and global uncertainty, individuals are taking a more strategic, diversified approach to retirement, shifting away from idle cash and towards long-term resilience.