Fri May 09 09:50:00 UTC 2025: ## Indian Stocks Show Resilience Amid India-Pakistan Tensions; Experts Recommend Value Picks

**MUMBAI** – Despite escalating tensions between India and Pakistan, the Indian stock market has demonstrated surprising resilience, according to market analysts. While the Pakistani KSE 100 index plummeted over 7% on Thursday, India’s Nifty 50 index held above crucial support levels. Although experts at SMC Global Securities predict a potential 5-10% correction in the Indian market, they anticipate a swift recovery once tensions ease.

Seema Srivastava, Senior Research Analyst at SMC Global Securities, advised investors to capitalize on this situation by identifying “value picks” within specific sectors. She highlighted defense, FMCG, banking, telecom, agrochemicals, and capital goods as particularly resilient sectors offering long-term value.

Within the **defense sector**, Srivastava recommends Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd. (HAL), Bharat Electronics Ltd. (BEL), Bharat Dynamics Ltd. (BDL), and Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders Ltd., citing increased government spending and strong investor confidence.

In the **banking sector**, large-cap private banks like HDFC Bank, Axis Bank, and ICICI Bank are deemed stable due to their robust balance sheets. The **FMCG sector**, with companies like ITC Ltd. and Hindustan Unilever Ltd. (HUL), offers defensive strength thanks to consistent domestic consumption.

Srivastava also pointed to the **agrochemical sector** (UPL Ltd., PI Industries Ltd., Bayer CropScience Ltd.) and **telecom** (Bharti Airtel Ltd. and Reliance Industries Ltd.) as resilient areas, emphasizing their domestic focus and importance to national infrastructure. Finally, the **capital goods** sector, with companies like Larsen & Toubro Ltd. (L&T), Kec International, and Siemens Ltd., benefits from India’s ongoing infrastructure development.

Ganesh Dongre, Senior Manager of Technical Research at Anand Rathi, added that seven of these recommended stocks – HAL, BEL, Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders, ICICI Bank, ITC, Bharti Airtel, and Reliance Industries – show strong technical chart patterns.

While acknowledging the risks associated with escalating conflicts, analysts encourage investors to focus on large-cap stocks, diversify across resilient sectors, and avoid panic selling. The overall message is one of cautious optimism, suggesting that the current geopolitical climate presents opportunities for strategic investors to build strong, diversified portfolios. *Disclaimer: This article presents analyst opinions and should not be considered investment advice.*

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