Government Security
A debt instrument issued by the central government, carrying sovereign credit and used as the benchmark for all other rates.
How it is identified
Test: the issuer is the Government of India and the obligation is in rupees
Unit
qualitative
In depth
Government securities carry no meaningful default risk in domestic currency, since the sovereign can always create the rupees to pay — which is why their yields define the risk-free curve every other borrower is priced against. They are not risk-free in every sense: their prices move with rates, and a long-dated G-sec can lose 10% or more in a year of rising yields. The ten-year yield is the reference rate for the whole economy and appears in every discounted valuation. Retail investors can buy them directly through the RBI Retail Direct platform or through gilt funds.
Worked example
A ten-year government security yielding 7.1% with a modified duration near 7 loses roughly 7% of its price if yields rise one point — a full year of coupon erased, with no credit risk involved at all.
Illustrative figures, chosen so the arithmetic is easy to follow. Not a live price and not a valuation of any company.
Educational reference only
This entry explains what “Government Security” means. It is not investment advice and not a recommendation to buy or sell any security. Any numbers above are illustrative, not live prices, and nothing here predicts price direction or rates a stock. Consider your own circumstances and consult a SEBI-registered investment adviser before acting.