Systematic Investment Plan (SIP) participation in West Bengal has continued to rise, with Union Mutual Fund highlighting growing investor engagement in the state and improved valuation comfort across several segments of the Indian equity market. At a media interaction in Kolkata, Rajkamal Tiwari, CEO, Union Asset Management Company Private Limited, and Harshad Patwardhan, Chief Investment Officer, discussed market conditions, emerging investment opportunities and changing investor behaviour.
The number of live SIPs in West Bengal increased from 69.87 lakh in March 2025 to 80.85 lakh in July 2026, a growth of 15.71%. The state recorded 4.06 lakh new SIP registrations in July, accounting for 7.59% of the industry’s 53.53 lakh registrations. Kolkata and the wider West Bengal market are also seeing deeper mutual fund penetration, with distributors increasing from 17,668 to 20,970 over the past year. Union MF’s assets under management in the state rose from around ₹697 crore in March 2025 to ₹868 crore in July 2026.
Patwardhan said earnings growth had outpaced market returns over the past year, improving valuation comfort in several segments. He identified financials, capital goods and industrials, consumer discretionary and healthcare as areas offering opportunities, while stressing diversification and appropriate asset allocation. Tiwari said investors were increasingly shifting from participation to more disciplined, long-term investing.