NASDAQ · ETF
Invest in VNQI ETF from India
Indian and foreign residents can buy Vanguard Global ex-U.S. Real Estate ETF (VNQI) units directly through Paasa.
By Paasa · Updated
VNQI at a glance
- Price
- $42.66-$0.27 (0.63%)
- Expense ratio
- 0.12%
- Day range
- $42.44 – $42.81
- Assets
- $3.8B
- Domicile
- the US
- Holdings
- 682
- Launched
- 2010
- Dividends
- Distributing
- 1 month
- -5.74%
- 6 months
- -1.39%
- YTD
- -7.24%
- 1 year
- -10.25%
- 5 years
- -24.24%
Price change, excluding dividends.
Top 10 holdings
- 1GOODMAN GROUP3.9%
- 2Mitsubishi Estate Co Ltd2.8%
- 3Mitsui Fudosan Co Ltd2.5%
- 4Sun Hung Kai Properties Ltd2.2%
- 5Sumitomo Realty & Development Co Ltd1.9%
- 6VONOVIA SE1.8%
- 7Emaar Properties PJSC1.7%
- 8Daiwa House Industry Co Ltd1.7%
- 9Segro PLC1.7%
- 10SLBBH11421.5%
VNQI holds 682 securities in total. These 10 are 21.7% of the fund.
Where the money is invested
Sectors
- Real Estate98.4%
- Industrials0.6%
- Consumer Cyclical0.6%
- Financial Services0.4%
- Technology0.0%
- Healthcare0.0%
Countries
- Japan21.4%
- Australia10.7%
- Hong Kong9.6%
- United Kingdom6.9%
- Singapore6.0%
- India3.8%
How to invest in VNQI from India
Step 1
Open your Paasa account
KYC takes a few minutes: PAN, Aadhaar and address proof. Your brokerage account is opened in your own name with Interactive Brokers.
Step 2
Add funds from your Indian bank account
Remit up to $250,000 a year under the RBI's Liberalised Remittance Scheme. Your bank converts the rupees to US dollars at its rate on the day you remit.
Step 3
Search VNQI and buy
Find the fund by its ticker, VNQI, on NASDAQ, and place your order. Fractional units are available and there is no minimum trade size, so you can buy by amount.
Why invest in VNQI from India
What VNQI holds
This ETF provides a straightforward way to gain comprehensive exposure to international real estate equity markets, specifically targeting companies included in the S&P Global ex-U.S. Property Index. This index represents real estate businesses across more than 30 countries.
Hold a dollar asset
VNQI is priced in US dollars, so a weaker rupee adds to what it's worth in rupees. The rupee depreciated over 85% against the dollar between 2010 and 2025.
Buy a fraction of a unit
Buy by amount, not by unit, and get the matching fraction of one VNQI unit. There is no minimum trade size.
Paasa handles the paperwork
Investing abroad brings paperwork with it: remittance filings, capital gains reporting, foreign asset disclosure. Paasa prepares all of it for you. Your India-ready tax reports arrive at year end, ready to file.
Planning to hold more than $60,000 in US ETFs? Here's what US estate tax means for you.
US-domiciled ETFs held in your own name fall under US estate tax rules. If your US holdings cross $60,000, the amount above that can be taxed at up to 40% when the account passes to your family.
A UCITS ETF tracking a similar market sits outside US estate tax.
Frequently asked questions
Can I buy VNQI from India?
Yes. Indian residents can buy Vanguard Global ex-U.S. Real Estate ETF (VNQI) through Paasa. It is listed on NASDAQ and trades in US dollars. Your money leaves India under the RBI's Liberalised Remittance Scheme, and the units are held in your own name at Interactive Brokers.
What does VNQI invest in?
Vanguard Global ex-U.S. Real Estate ETF holds 682 securities. Its largest holdings are GOODMAN GROUP (3.9%), Mitsubishi Estate Co Ltd (2.8%) and Mitsui Fudosan Co Ltd (2.5%). Real Estate is its largest sector at 98.4%. It is a distributing fund domiciled in the US.
What is the expense ratio of VNQI?
Vanguard Global ex-U.S. Real Estate ETF has an expense ratio of 0.12% a year, taken from the fund's assets rather than billed to you. The fund manages about $3.8B.
How are VNQI dividends taxed in India?
Vanguard Global ex-U.S. Real Estate ETF is a distributing fund. It pays the dividends from its holdings out to you in cash. The US withholds 25% tax on dividends before they reach you; Paasa files Form W-8BEN for you, and the tax withheld can generally be claimed as a credit when you file in India. Dividends are taxed at your slab rate in India. Paasa's dividend report lists the gross dividend and any tax withheld for each payment.
What tax do I pay in India when I sell VNQI?
The US does not levy capital gains tax on shares for Indian residents. In India, gains on foreign ETF units held for more than 24 months are long-term and taxed at 12.5% without indexation, and gains on units held for 24 months or less are short-term and taxed at your income-tax slab rate. Both are worked out in rupees at the USD/INR rate on the day you bought and the day you sold, so the currency move is part of the gain. Paasa's capital-gains statement gives you the figures for your return.
Can I buy a fraction of one VNQI unit?
Yes. You can buy by amount rather than by unit and add to your position over time. One unit is $42.66, and there is no minimum trade size.
What happens to my VNQI units if I pass away?
US-domiciled ETFs held in your own name fall under US estate tax rules. If your US holdings cross $60,000, the amount above that can be taxed at up to 40% when the account passes to your family. A UCITS ETF tracking a similar market sits outside US estate tax. Paasa's US estate tax calculator shows the exposure for a given portfolio value.