How Much SIP for ₹1 Crore? India Guide

Reaching the first ₹1 crore is the most-asked SIP question in India. Here’s exactly what monthly amount you need across different tenures and returns.

Abishek · Founder, TheCalculatorHubs

Solo developer building free India-focused finance and utility tools. Last updated: May 2026.

The short answer

To accumulate ₹1 crore in India through a flat SIP at a 12% expected return, you need roughly:

15 years → ₹19,800 per month
20 years → ₹10,000 per month
25 years → ₹5,300 per month
30 years → ₹2,800 per month
35 years → ₹1,500 per month

If those numbers look strange, look again. The 35-year SIP needs less than ₹1 lakh per year — and still ends in a crore. That’s the magic of starting in your twenties.

The same goal at different return assumptions

Returns matter, but less than time. Here’s the same ₹1 crore target over 20 years at three return levels:

10% return: ₹13,200 per month
12% return: ₹10,000 per month
15% return: ₹6,400 per month

Don’t bank on 15% — Indian equity index funds have averaged 11–13% over long rolling windows. Plan with 10–12% and treat anything higher as a bonus.

Step-up SIPs change the math dramatically

A flat ₹10,000 SIP over 20 years at 12% reaches ₹1 crore. But salary grows; rents grow; everything else grows. Most Indian financial planners now recommend a 10% annual step-up. Here’s how step-ups change what you need to start with:

Flat SIP, 20 years, 12%: ₹10,000/month from day 1
10% step-up SIP, 20 years, 12%: ₹5,200/month starting amount → ends at about ₹32,000/month
10% step-up SIP, 25 years, 12%: ₹2,400/month starting amount → ends at about ₹23,000/month

For most salaried beginners in India, a step-up SIP is the realistic path. You start small while still on entry-level salary and let the increases happen as your career grows.

What ₹1 crore actually buys you 20 years from now

Inflation is the silent disease in long-horizon planning. India has averaged 5–6% retail inflation over the last decade. At 6%, ₹1 crore in 20 years buys what about ₹31 lakh buys today. So when planning for retirement specifically, treat ₹1 crore as a milestone, not a destination — most Indian retirement targets now sit between ₹3-5 crore for comfortable urban retirements.

Practical setup for a 25-year-old aiming at ₹1 crore

Start a ₹5,000 monthly SIP in a Nifty 50 index fund, set a 10% annual step-up, and don’t touch it for 25 years. Total contribution over the period: ₹39 lakh. Expected corpus at 12%: roughly ₹1.6 crore — comfortably past ₹1 crore even if returns disappoint by a couple of percentage points.

Frequently asked questions

What if I can only afford ₹1,000 per month right now?

Start. Rupee amount matters less than starting date. A ₹1,000 SIP at age 22 with a 10% step-up reaches over ₹50 lakh by age 50 — and once your salary grows you can always add a parallel SIP.

Should I lump-sum invest if I have a bonus?

Yes — a one-time lump-sum of ₹1 lakh added to a 20-year SIP at 12% adds about ₹9.6 lakh to your final corpus on its own. Don’t leave bonus money in your savings account.

Are these numbers post-tax?

No. Indian equity LTCG tax is 12.5% on gains above ₹1.25 lakh per financial year. On a ₹1 crore corpus from ₹24 lakh contributed, the gains are ₹76 lakh and the tax bill comes to roughly ₹9.5 lakh — leaving about ₹90.5 lakh in hand.

Try the matching calculator

Run your own scenarios with the SIP Calculator — adjust the tenure or return to see how the required monthly amount changes. New to SIPs? Read what is SIP? first.