IPO Rush Returns...Investors on Edge

India's primary market is witnessing renewed activity as mega IPOs from Jio Platforms and NSE are set to hit the market. Jio has filed papers to raise around ₹37,000 crore, while NSE is preparing a ₹30,000 crore public issue. Jio plans to issue 27 crore fresh shares, and analysts estimate its market valuation at nearly ₹13 lakh crore. NSE's valuation is expected to be around ₹5 lakh crore.

Other companies such as Zepto and PhonePe are also planning billion dollar fundraises. Together, these four major issues could attract nearly ₹1 lakh crore from investors. Last year, 104 companies raised more than ₹1.76 lakh crore through IPOs, whereas only 23 companies have raised around ₹27,000 crore so far this year. SEBI has already approved 163 companies, while another 73 are awaiting clearance.

However, investors remain cautious because several large IPOs in the past delivered disappointing returns. Hyundai India's ₹27,859 crore IPO failed to impress, while LIC and Paytm also generated losses for investors. Paytm is still trading nearly 50 percent below its issue price, and LIC remains around 7 percent below its offer price. Experts advise retail investors to focus on long term potential rather than listing gains.