Indian shares plunged more than 3% on Thursday, as investors fled risk assets after Russian President Vladimir Putin authorised a special military operation in Ukraine's Donbass region.
The blue-chip NSE Nifty 50 index .NSEI was down 2.45% at 16,644.40 by 0346 GMT and the S&P BSE Sensex .BSESNwas 2.55% lower at 55,773.81. Both indexes opened more than 3% lower and were headed for their longest losing run since March 2020, down for a seventh straight session.
Explosions rocked the breakaway eastern Ukrainian city of Donetsk after Russian President Vladimir Putin authorised a military operation on Thursday in what could be the start of war in Europe over Russia's demands for an end to NATO's eastward expansion.
In Mumbai, the Nifty Realty index .NIFTYREAL and the Nifty public sector bank index .NIFTYPSU were the top losers, shedding more than 3% each.