Think pausing SIPs doesn't hurt? It cost this investor ₹17L

Summary: Three investors that began the same way, but only one stayed invested throughout 20 years. Another, who took a short pause, saw a nearly Rs 17-lakh hole in his investment. Here’s how Talk about a rough start. It’s only January and the Sensex is already down over 4,000 points from its December peak. Tariff wars, arms wars and geopolitical unease are souring sentiment and market confidence. And familiar questions are doing the rounds again. An investor’s query on Reddit reflects the mood: “Markets are listless month after month. Should I pause my SIPs, redirect or slow down until things are clear?” The anxiety is understandable. But it is precisely during such phases that the dull-sounding virtue of consistency, so beloved of finance gurus, is worth going back to. Because when you interrupt compounding by pausing even briefly, the cost is rarely obvious upfront. But it reveals itself years later when it’s too late to reverse. Pausing your investments can damage your long-term returns. To illustrate how, below’s an example of three investors—A, B and C—who all started from the same point but made slightly different choices along the way. Three investors, one crucial difference For all three investors, these were the same assumptions: Monthly SIP: Rs 10,000 Assumed long-term return (historically what markets have given): 12 per cent per annum Total investment horizon: 20 years Where they differed was in temperament and behaviour. Investor A: Staying the course A did the simplest and the hardest thing. He continued his SIP without interruption, ignoring mark

This article was originally published on January 27, 2026.