India's bond market is witnessing substantial fundraising activity as multiple corporations across sectors plan significant issuances through non-convertible debentures (NCDs) and private placement bonds. The market activity spans various sectors including financial services, steel, pharmaceuticals, and infrastructure, indicating robust corporate funding requirements.

Major NCD Issuances Drive Market Activity

Large corporations are leading the fundraising drive with substantial NCD programs. The scale of these issuances reflects strong corporate expansion plans and refinancing needs across key sectors.

Financial Services Sector Shows Strong Participation

Financial services companies are actively participating in the bond market with varied tenure structures. These issuances demonstrate the sector's focus on maintaining adequate liquidity and supporting business growth initiatives.

Infrastructure and Real Estate Sectors Participate

Bank of Maharashtra's infrastructure bond issuance of ₹100.00 billion highlights continued focus on infrastructure financing. The bank has previously utilized this funding route, indicating established market presence in infrastructure bonds. Prestige Estates Projects' ₹20.00 billion NCD program represents significant real estate sector participation in the bond market.

Corporate Approvals Support Fundraising Plans

Several companies have secured board approvals for their respective bond programs, providing necessary corporate governance clearance for market execution. Muthoot Finance and JSW Steel have obtained board approvals for their ₹3.00 billion and ₹50.00 billion programs respectively, enabling them to proceed with market issuances based on favorable conditions.

The diverse range of issuers, tenure structures, and funding amounts reflects the Indian bond market's capacity to accommodate varied corporate financing requirements across multiple sectors and risk profiles.

India's bond market is experiencing a significant transformation as individual investors increasingly participate in what was once an institution-dominated space. The market, valued at approximately $2.81 trillion as of September 30, 2025, according to SEBI and Clearing Corporation of India data, now matches equities in its capital-raising role while attracting a broader investor base.

Surge in Trading Activity

The corporate bond market has witnessed remarkable growth in secondary market trading activity. Recent data reveals substantial momentum in transaction volumes:

This trading surge reflects not just increased market activity but a fundamental shift in participant composition. The market has expanded beyond large institutions to include individuals, family offices, and smaller companies seeking portfolio diversification amid volatile equity markets.

Regulatory Reforms Drive Accessibility

Significant regulatory changes have democratized bond market access for individual investors. Key reforms include:

• Reduced minimum investments: From ₹10 lakh to as low as ₹10,000
• Enhanced disclosure standards for better transparency
• Electronic trading platforms improving price discovery and execution
• Improved credit rating accessibility for risk assessment

These changes have addressed traditional barriers that kept individual investors away from direct bond ownership, despite fixed income assets dominating household savings through bank deposits and conventional instruments.

Educational Initiative Launches

Recognizing the growing investor interest and need for market education, CNBC-TV18, along with CNBC Awaaz and CNBC Bajar, has partnered with IndiaBonds to launch Bond Street. This dedicated initiative aims to demystify India's fixed income market through comprehensive coverage.

Vishal Goenka, co-founder of IndiaBonds, explains the market evolution: "As household wealth has grown, the focus is shifting from only creating wealth to preserving it via effective portfolio diversification with fixed income. Bonds offer stability, regular income, and a clear risk framework, which makes them increasingly relevant in today's market environment."

Market Dynamics and Investment Appeal

Bonds provide distinct advantages for wealth preservation and portfolio stability. As government and corporate debt instruments, they offer regular income streams, defined maturities, and clearer risk profiles through credit ratings. Compared to equities, bonds typically demonstrate lower volatility and greater predictability, making them suitable for both income generation and long-term wealth strategy stability.

The initiative addresses the critical need for investor education as market participation expands. Investors require consistent information to evaluate credit quality, monitor rating changes, interpret yields, and appropriately position bonds within their portfolios.

Future Market Integration

Bond Street represents a strategic effort to integrate fixed income discussions into mainstream financial conversations rather than treating bonds as niche allocations discussed only during market stress periods. By combining market data, expert commentary, and accessible explanations, the platform aims to bridge the gap between the bond market's expanding scale and the understanding required for meaningful participation.