Why Are India's Billionaires Leaving The Country? A Look At The Hidden Exodus
In 2025 alone, an estimated 3,500 Indian millionaires are expected to leave the country, according to the latest Henley Private Wealth Migration Report. In 2023, the figure was 5,100. In 2024, it dipped to 4,300.
But India still tops the global list when it comes to the number of high-net-worth individuals relocating.
Apart from being people, they are portable fortunes. About $26.2 billion worth of personal wealth is expected to be moved out of the country along with them.
A New Home in the Sands
Top destination? The United Arab Emirates (UAE). Nearly 9,800 millionaires from across the world are expected to move to the UAE this year alone. With zero income tax, luxurious lifestyle offerings and long-term visa perks, it has become the gold standard for wealth havens.
The rich from India, the United Kingdom, Russia, Southeast Asia and Africa are all finding a new address in the Emirates.
The United States, too, remains a popular magnet, expecting to draw 7,500 millionaires this year. Portugal, Singapore and Saudi Arabia are rising stars in this elite migration map.
Why Are India's Rich Fleeing?
The exodus of wealth is for merely for lifestyle upgrades. It is a complex blend of tax anxiety, regulatory heat and the lure of global mobility. Several factors are driving the trend:
1. The Tax Squeeze: India's tax net has tightened significantly. In just the first quarter of this year, the Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT) collected Rs 20,000 crore (nearly double last year's figure) in arrears. That includes Rs 17,244 crore in corporate tax and Rs 2,714 crore in personal income tax.
The target for the year? Rs 1.96 lakh crore. Back in 2019-20, the total outstanding demand was Rs 10 lakh crore. It now stands at Rs 42 lakh crore.
2. A Cleaner, Stricter Economy: India's informal economy is shrinking. Transactions once done in cash and outside scrutiny are now being dragged into the formal net. UPI has revolutionised payments.
In 2024-25, UPI clocked 185.8 billion transactions worth Rs 261 lakh crore – up 41% from last year.
3. Crackdown on Crypto: Crypto once offered a shadow zone for wealth. That is changing fast. India now treats cryptocurrencies as Virtual Digital Assets under strict financial laws.
They are taxed, tracked and monitored under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA). For India's ultra-rich, this means fewer loopholes and more reasons to shift their portfolios abroad.
4. Lifestyle, Education, Healthcare and Passport Power: Wealthy families, apart from low taxes, want better life, world-class education, top-tier healthcare and visa-free travel. These are on every millionaire's checklist.
Indian passports, though improving, still fall short of European or Caribbean ones. Many seek investment-based residency or citizenship programmes abroad.
Programmes such as the UAE's Golden Visa, Portugal's residency-to-citizenship plan and the US EB-5 route offer appealing pathways.
The Trump Card
Adding intrigue to this year's millionaire migration story is the controversial Trump Card. Priced at $5 million, it promises U.S. permanent residency as a 'premium' alternative to the Green Card. Though not officially approved, over 70,000 people have signed up at TrumpCard.gov.
Promoters claim it could inject $1 trillion into the U.S. economy if it takes off.
The card features President Donald Trump's image and signature. It is backed by conservative businessman John Lottnick and aims to appeal to global investors looking for elite American access.
Portugal's Golden Path
Portugal remains a steady favourite. Its Golden Visa programme offers access to the Schengen zone and a path to citizenship in just five years. Though direct real estate investment is now off the table, new routes remain open.
Indian millionaires with global plans find the programme flexible and appealing.
The Bigger Picture
Despite the outward flow, India's pool of millionaires is expanding. Between 2014 and 2024, their numbers grew by 72%, thanks to stock market gains, startup windfalls and generational wealth growth. But their outbound shift still signals a deeper concern.
A survey by Kotak Private and EY found that 22% of ultra-rich Indians are actively planning to relocate. Their reasons span wealth preservation, family safety, education and long-term planning. Estate structuring is easier abroad. So is tax optimisation.
UAE, Singapore and Portugal, they all have become quiet magnets. And India, while on the rise, continues to lose some of its richest minds and wallets to foreign shores.
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