If you are a senior citizen, then you are likely to be wary of using apps for investment as you may not be well conversant with modern tech. Second, you would prefer to invest in debt instruments, such as government bonds, fixed deposits and so on, with offerings of guaranteed return over something like equity or equity-oriented instruments, which are likely to give higher returns, but are risky and volatile.

Well, now, you can invest in government securities (G-secs) right from the comfort of your home, and not through any third party app, but with Reserve Bank of India’s (RBI’s) own mobile app.

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The RBI on May 28, 2024 launched a mobile application for its RBI Retail Direct Portal.

The RBI Retail Direct Web portal was launched in 2021 to make investing in G-secs more accessible to retail investors. While the Web portal has attracted individual investors towards sovereign securities, the mobile app is a step ahead in making the investing process smoother and more hassle-free for investors.

Previously, RBI had said in a statement in April 2024: “The RBI Retail Direct Scheme, launched in November 2021, gives access to individual investors to maintain gilt accounts with RBI and invest in government securities. The scheme enables investors to buy securities in primary auctions as well as buy/sell securities through the NDS-OM platform. To further improve ease of access, a mobile application of the Retail Direct portal is being developed. The app will enable investors to buy and sell instruments on the go, at their convenience. The app will be available for use shortly.”

Now, this app has been officially launched for retail investors to invest in G-secs.

RBI’s Retail Direct Mobile Application

The Retail Direct Mobile App provides a simple platform to investors to buy and sell their G-secs directly from their mobile, without having the need to navigate through a Web browser. Investors can use the app to buy and/or invest in different government securities, including treasury bills, central and state government bonds, and so on.

The Centre as well as the different state governments issue bonds from time to time, which are sold through RBI. The government securities offer guaranteed return and liquidity, but can also be sold before maturity in the secondary market. As such, they are often preferred by the risk-averse and senior citizens who want to invest in products with a guaranteed return, while also ensuring liquidity in case of emergency.

An investor can also use the app to buy G-secs from the primary action and sell in the secondary market or buy and sell both from the secondary market. The features are allowed on both the Web portal and the app.

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How Does The App Work?

Retail investors will have to open their Retail Direct Gilt (RDG) account with RBI to proceed with their G-sec transactions through the Web portal or the app. They will have to register on the app in compliance with the Know Your Customer (KYC) rules, and then invest by making payment through Net banking, Unified Payment Interface (UPI) or other modes.

Android mobile phone users can download the app from the Play Store, and iOS users can use the App Store. The app is simple to use. It shows all the G-secs currently open for investment in the primary market as well as those traded in the secondary market. One can check them tenure-wise based on one’s investment time horizon. One can also invest in sovereign gold bonds (SGBs) through the same.