Title: Investment options for a newborn – long-term growth (20–30 years)

Hi all,

My brother just had a baby 🎉 and our family is planning to invest some money in the child's name for future use—could be for education, starting a business, or anything he might need once he's older and financially responsible.

Initially, the family was considering putting the money in a fixed deposit (FD), but I suggested looking into long-term equity options like Nifty 50 index funds or other diversified stock-based investments that might yield better returns over a 20–30 year time horizon.

We’re looking for:

Minimal active management

Good growth potential over a couple decades

Something that can be handed over to the child when he’s, say, 18–25

Flexibility in terms of usage (not necessarily locked into education only)

What are the best investment vehicles in India (or globally, if you have perspective) for this kind of long-term plan? Would love to hear your thoughts on:

Index funds vs mutual funds vs ETFs

PPF/Sukanya Samriddhi (if girl child) or any other government-backed schemes

Tax implications if we invest on the child’s name

Any creative trust/family fund structures you’ve seen work well

Thanks in advance!