Paused Your SIP In A Downturn? You Just Disrupted A System Built For Chaos

Every time markets wobble, WhatsApp groups light up with worry. "Should I pause my SIPs?" one investor asked after Trump's latest tariff threats sent the Sensex sliding. "Maybe wait and watch?" suggested another.

- DHIRENDRA KUMAR

The pattern is as predictable as it is self-defeating: the moment volatility sets in, systematic investment plans (SIPs) start to feel optional.

This week's jitters over US trade policy offer a case in point. Trump's move to impose a 50% tariff on Indian goods has triggered the kind of uncertainty that makes investors want to hit pause. With the Sensex down by over 4,000 points from recent highs, many feel exposed to further declines. But this impulse to pause SIPs during market swings reflects a basic misunderstanding of how they're meant to work.