Indian equity markets opened lower on Monday, with the Sensex dropping 455 points and the Nifty falling 135 points. This decline is attributed to persistent foreign institutional investor (FII) outflows, concerns over potential US tariffs on Indian exports, and broader geopolitical uncertainties. While several major stocks like Bharat Electronics and Infosys lagged, gainers included Hindustan Unilever and State Bank of India. Domestic institutional investors, however, continued to invest, buying stocks worth over Rs 5,500 crore on Friday.