The report from the bank found that a clear majority of women expecting to inherit have started to plan for succession, but only a minority have fully structured plans in place.

The private bank has examined the scale of intergenerational wealth transfer in India, a country with a fast-rising and affluent middle class. It examines where women stand in relation to a trend playing out across the world. 

Barclays Private Bank has launched a new report estimating that women in Indian families are set to inherit at least INR73 trillion (around $763 billion) over the next 10 years. The bank describes the move as one of the most significant intergenerational wealth transfers in the country's history.

The Ownership Shift: Perspectives from Women Pioneers Leading India's Intergenerational Wealth Transfer, published on Friday, was developed with Encubay and combines quantitative analysis with insights from 22 women leaders, including entrepreneurs, investors, fund managers and stewards of family wealth. 

Some 77 per cent of women expecting to inherit wealth have begun succession planning, but only 23 per cent of those who have already inherited have structured plans in place. Financial engagement is high: 72 per cent of women review portfolios once a month or quarter.

The study examines eight questions shaping women's relationship with wealth, from wealth creation and investment decision-making to succession planning, philanthropy and long-term stewardship.

“The findings show that women are already active participants in India’s wealth landscape, with 86 per cent prioritising long-term wealth creation and 66 per cent actively involved in investment decisions,” Adrish Ghosh, head of private bank, India, said. “Growing interest in private markets and gaps in investment knowledge and succession planning highlight the growing importance of trusted advice in helping families navigate increasingly complex wealth decisions and prepare for the next generation.”

The report points to a gap between intent and allocation in private markets: 40 per cent plan to prioritise private equity, venture capital and startup investments over the next three to five years, but only 13 per cent are currently invested in the asset class. The report sees this disparity as an opportunity for wealth advisors.

Professional advice remains important, with 77 per cent relying on advisors and 85 per cent citing trust and transparency as the attributes that matter most in an advisory relationship. 

This news service recently reported on how intergenerational wealth transfer will affect topics such as asset allocation and the sort of investments that fall into favour and out of it.