RBI Retail Direct

Invest Directly in India's Government Securities — Simple, Transparent, Government-Backed

Looking for an investment that adds stability and predictability to your portfolio? With RBI Retail Direct, you can invest directly in Government Securities — no broker, no middleman — through an online platform run by the Reserve Bank of India itself.

Explore RBI Retail Direct ➔

The scheme is administered by the RBI. This page is for information only — account opening happens on the official RBI Retail Direct portal.

What Is RBI Retail Direct?

Think of it as a direct gateway to Government Securities.

Traditionally, buying Government bonds meant going through a bank, broker, or mutual fund. RBI Retail Direct removes that layer. Individual investors open a Retail Direct Gilt (RDG) Account directly with the RBI and invest straight into the market.

How it works, in one line:

Open an RDG account → Choose a security → Invest directly → Receive interest & maturity proceeds in your linked bank account.

RBI RDG is Retail Direct Account.

You get access to both primary auctions (new issuances) and the secondary market (buying/selling existing securities) — all from one online account.

What Can You Invest In?

Investment	What It Means	Best Suited For
Treasury Bills (T-Bills)	Short-term Government securities	Parking money for shorter time horizons
Government Securities (G-Secs)	Bonds issued by the Government of India	Regular interest income + longer-term exposure
State Development Loans (SDLs)	Bonds issued by State Governments	Diversifying within Government securities
Sovereign Gold Bonds (SGBs)	Gold Bonds linked to gold value	Gold exposure without holding physical gold
RBI Bonds	Bonds Issued by RBI	Long term with fixed Maturity

Why Consider RBI Retail Direct?

Direct & Sovereign-Backed: Every security is issued by the Central or State Government — as safe an asset class as they come, with no credit risk.
Fully Digital: Open your RDG account online, complete KYC digitally, and manage everything from one portal.
Predictable, Regular Income: Most G-Secs and SDLs pay periodic interest directly into your linked bank account. T-Bills are issued and redeemed at their fixed structure.
Zero Account Charges: The RBI does not charge for opening or maintaining an RDG account. Only applicable payment gateway charges (if any) are borne by the investor.
Liquidity & Growth Potential: Government securities carry reasonable secondary-market liquidity and, depending on interest rate movements, the potential for capital gains.

Am I Eligible?

You can open an RDG Account if you're a resident individual investor with:

A Rupee Savings Bank Account in India
A valid PAN (Permanent Account Number)
Any Officially Valid Document (OVD) for KYC
A valid mobile number
A valid email address

Non-resident investors eligible under FEMA, 1999 may also invest through the scheme, subject to applicable RBI guidelines.

How Does It Work? — 5 Simple Steps

Step 1 — Open an RDG Account Register on the RBI Retail Direct portal and complete verification.
Step 2 — Link Your Bank Account Provide your bank details and complete KYC.
Step 3 — Explore Available Securities Browse Government Securities available in primary auctions or the secondary market.
Step 4 — Select Your Investment Pick a security based on your investment horizon and goals.
Step 5 — Invest & Track Your holdings are maintained electronically.

Investment Limits at a Glance

Category	Minimum	Maximum
T-Bills	₹10,000	Up to 5% of the notified issue amount (non-competitive segment)
G-Secs	₹10,000	₹2 crore (face value) per security, per auction
SDLs	₹10,000	1% of the notified amount, per auction
Sovereign Gold Bonds	As per tranche	4 kg of gold per fiscal year, per individual
RBI Bonds	₹1,000	No upper limit

RBI Bonds can be applied for on any day of the week via the RDG account; a Certificate of Holding is mailed post payment.

Good to Know: Additional information

Secondary-market trades in G-Secs, T-Bills, SDLs & SGBs happen via NDS-OM (Negotiated Dealing System – Order Matching) — RBI's own trading platform.
Key features: Direct Market access, anonymous order matching, Live pricing, T+1 settlement.
No brokerage or intermediary fee — Trades settle straight against your linked bank account and RDG account.
Bids can also be placed via RFQ (Request for Quote), sent directly to Primary Dealers, banks, etc.
Trading window: 9:00 AM – 5:00 PM. Clearing & settlement is handled by CCIL.
For primary auctions, non-competitive bids are allotted at the weighted average rate that emerges from competitive bidding — the RBI allots to the bank/PD, who then allocates to individual bidders.

Ready to Get Started?

Visit the Official RBI Retail Direct Portal ➔

This content is for general information only. RBI Retail Direct is a scheme launched and administered by the Reserve Bank of India. Account opening, terms, and operations are governed entirely by RBI's guidelines. Please refer to the official RBI portal for the most current terms, eligibility criteria, and procedures before investing.