Beyond the headline number: What India’s Rs 1.3 lakh crore MTF book really tells us

India’s MTF book has surged nearly five-fold to over Rs 1.3 lakh crore, reflecting rising retail participation and deeper cash-market activity. Unlike leverage-driven volatility overseas, India’s regulatory safeguards, margin requirements, position limits and broker-level controls keep leverage collateralised and dispersed. These measures reduce systemic risks and support market resilience.