विदेश में रहते हैं?
NRI buying property in Indore: what FEMA allows
What an NRI or OCI may buy in Indore, how the money has to move, how a loan here works, and what can be taken back abroad when you sell.
On this page
An NRI or OCI cardholder can buy flats, houses, residential plots, shops and offices in Indore, any number, without RBI approval. Agricultural land, farm houses and plantation property are closed, by purchase or gift. Pay through a bank and keep the record: it decides what you can take back.
What FEMA allows, and what it closes
The Foreign Exchange Management Act and its Non-debt Instruments Rules sort property into three groups.
Open, no approval needed. A flat or house; a residential plot, meaning land that is not agricultural; a shop, office or other commercial property. Any of these may also come as a gift from a relative, resident, NRI or OCI.
Closed. Agricultural land, a farm house and plantation property. Not by purchase and not by gift.
Farmland you already have. You may keep farmland inherited from someone who held it lawfully, or held before you became non-resident, and may sell or gift it only to a person resident in India.
There is no cap on the number of flats, houses or shops, and nothing to file with the RBI after a purchase.
Who the rules are for
| Who | What they are | Can they buy? |
|---|---|---|
| NRI | An Indian citizen resident outside India | Yes, except farmland, farm houses and plantations |
| OCI cardholder | A foreign citizen registered as an Overseas Citizen of India | On a par with an NRI, with the same exceptions |
| Old PIO card | Merged into the OCI card on 9 January 2015 | The OCI rules now apply |
| A foreign spouse who is neither | Married to an NRI or OCI | One property, jointly with the NRI or OCI spouse, on conditions in the rules; never farmland |
पासपोर्ट किसी भी देश का हो — घर और दुकान हाँ, खेत नहीं।
Passport kisi bhi desh ka ho — ghar aur dukaan haan, khet nahin.
How the money moves
Payment must reach the seller in India through a bank: an inward remittance, or from your NRE, FCNR(B) or NRO account. Foreign-currency notes and traveller's cheques are not allowed.
The route you pay by stays in your bank's records, and decides how much you may send back abroad when you sell.
Cannot be in Indore to sign? A power of attorney signed abroad can be used for registration once executed before, and authenticated by, a notary or an Indian consul.
A home loan from a bank in India
A bank, or a housing finance company approved by the National Housing Bank, may lend to an NRI for a home in India, on the same amount, margin and tenure as a resident, secured by a mortgage of the property.
EMIs go through a bank: by remittance, from NRE, FCNR(B) or NRO, from the property's rent, or from a relative in India. Lenders ask for salary proof from abroad, bank statements and your job contract; SBI lends to NRIs for up to 30 years.
The farmland trap
On a growing city's edge, farmland is often sold in small pieces under a new name: farmhouse plot, weekend plot. If the land is still agricultural, an NRI or OCI cannot buy it, whatever it is called and however small. A farm house is on the same list.
Whether land is agricultural is a question of its record and zone, not its fence. See land diversion explained.
काग़ज़ में खेत है, तो नाम बदलने से प्लॉट नहीं बनता।
Kaagaz mein khet hai, to naam badalne se plot nahin banta.
Selling later, and taking the money back
What you may send abroad depends on how you paid.
| Route A: paid in foreign exchange | Route B: rupee funds, or inherited | |
|---|---|---|
| Bought with | Inward remittance, or NRE / FCNR(B) | Rupee funds, or inherited |
| On sale | Up to the amount you originally paid in foreign exchange can go abroad; any balance goes through the NRO account, as in Route B | Proceeds go to your NRO account |
| Limit | For residential property, at most two homes on this route | Up to USD 1 million a financial year (April to March), with a chartered accountant's certificate and your undertaking |
First, the buyer deducts tax: TDS under section 393(2) of the Income-tax Act, 2025 (section 195 under the 1961 Act), at a higher rate than on a resident's sale. From 1 October 2026 a resident individual buyer can report it on Form 141 with a PAN, without a TAN. Remitting the money needs Form 146 with Form 145 (15CB and 15CA under the 1961 Act). See also TDS on property.
Check the land before you send the money
Find the plot on the master plan: residential, commercial or agricultural zone? Match it with the land record and the colony's layout. If it is still agricultural, stop.
See it for yourself on the map — boundaries, plans and paperwork on one screen.
Find the plot's zone on the master plan before any token →Questions people ask
Can an NRI buy a residential plot in Indore?
Yes, if the land is not agricultural. An NRI or OCI can buy residential and commercial property without RBI approval, but not agricultural land, a farm house or plantation property.
Can an OCI cardholder buy agricultural land in India?
No, not by purchase and not by gift. Farmland can be held only if it was inherited or held before becoming non-resident, and may be sold or gifted only to a person resident in India.
How many properties can an NRI buy in India?
There is no cap on flats, houses or shops. When selling, sale money paid in foreign exchange can be repatriated for at most two residential properties.
Can an NRI pay for property in cash or foreign currency?
No. Payment must come through a bank, by inward remittance or from an NRE, FCNR(B) or NRO account. Foreign-currency notes and traveller's cheques are not allowed.
Does the buyer need a TAN to buy property from an NRI?
From 1 October 2026 a resident individual buyer can deposit and report the TDS on Form 141 using a PAN, without a TAN.
Where the facts come from. The facts and figures in this post come from verified government sources and verified RERA-registered brokers.
Indori Zameen is a private platform. It is not a government body and is not affiliated with one — always confirm a record with the concerned authority before you commit money.
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Read it. Then check it on the map.
Every colony's boundary, its approved layout, its zoning and its paperwork — on one screen. Signing in is free.