The smallest amount you can start with

One of the most common reasons people delay starting is a belief that you need a large sum to begin. For a SIP, that is usually not true. The minimum monthly amount is typically small — often a few hundred rupees, though it varies — and it is set by each scheme, not by a single rule across the market.

Minimums are set per scheme

There is no one legal minimum for all SIPs. Each scheme states its own smallest monthly amount in its documents, and they differ from one scheme to another. So the honest answer to “what is the minimum?” is “it depends on the scheme” — but across the market the minimums are low enough that they rarely stand between someone and starting.

Why they are kept low

Low minimums exist on purpose: they make investing accessible to people at the start of their earning life, and they let someone test the habit without committing much. Pooled investing means a small amount still buys a proportional slice of everything the scheme holds, so a modest monthly sum is a perfectly real investment, not a token one.

The minimum is a floor, not a target

Here is the part worth pausing on: the scheme’s minimum is the smallest amount it accepts, not a suggested amount. The right amount for you comes from your goal and what you can sustain, not from the scheme’s floor. Starting at the minimum is fine as a way to begin, but the amount that actually reaches your goal is usually higher, and worth working out rather than defaulting to the smallest allowed.

Where to find a scheme’s minimum

A scheme’s minimum SIP amount is stated in its Key Information Memorandum, along with its minimum for a one-off investment, which is often different. Check it there rather than assuming, since it varies by scheme.

Start small, then step up

If the amount your goal needs feels out of reach today, starting small and raising the instalment over time is a sound way in — a step-up SIP automates exactly that. Beginning at a modest amount and letting it grow with your income beats waiting until you can afford the “right” number, because the early years are the ones with the most time to compound. The SIP calculator lets you see how different monthly amounts add up.