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Informist, Monday, Mar. 9, 2026

 

MUMBAI – Securities and Exchange Board of India Chairman Tuhin Kanta Pandey has asked market participants "not to panic at this moment, but to remain calm, amidst this storm", referring to the ongoing war between the US-Israel forces and Iran. Addressing guests at an event hosted by National Stock Exchange of India Ltd. to celebrate the 30th year of Nifty 50's launch, Pandey said though India is affected by global events, its economic fundamentals remain strong.

 

Global markets are experiencing turbulence and volatility because of the West Asia war, which has choked off vital shipping lines, triggering oil & gas supply and price shocks, and India too is deeply impacted by these developments, he said.

 

Speaking about the Nifty 50, Pandey said while it was originally introduced as a benchmark index, its role has expanded considerably over time. At present, the 50-stock index serves as a central reference point for institutional investors, mutual funds, and portfolio managers, he said.

 

He said the index reflects the expansion of the Indian economy over the years with rise of new industries. "The sectoral composition of the Nifty itself illustrates this transformation," Pandey said.

 

When the index was launched in 1995-96 (Apr-Mar), sectors such as information technology and communication services had virtually no presence in the index. Currently, both the sectors account for about 13.5% of the Nifty 50's weightage. "The financial sector has expanded significantly, with its weight increasing from around 21% at the time of launch to about 38% as at end of February 2025," Pandey said.

 

Since its inception, the Nifty 50 has risen around 25 times, delivering a compound annual growth rate of around 11%. Nifty 50 constituent companies currently account for around 44% of the total market capitalisation of all listed companies, emphasising their significance in India's corporate landscape. Simultaneously, derivative products based on the index have become important instruments for price discovery and risk management, Pandey said. 

 

Pandey said SEBI is strengthening its supervisory capabilities through internally developed tools such as SEBI Sudarshan, which is a real-time scanner for surveillance of unauthorised digital activity, and SEBI R(AI)DAR, an artificial intelligence-driven system for reviewing advertisements. "We are also deploying analytical tools to conduct sentiment analysis of corporate announcements," the SEBI chairman said.  End

 

Reported by Gopika Balasubramanium

Edited by Ashish Shirke

 

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