The Public Provident Fund (PPF) is a government savings scheme with a 15-year tenure (extendable in blocks of 5 years). Interest is set quarterly (historically ~7–7.5%) and is fully tax-free. Contributions qualify for 80C deduction.

Key Features

• EEE — Exempt on contribution (80C), exempt on interest, exempt on withdrawal
• Limit — ₹1.5 lakh per financial year
• Liquidity — Partial withdrawal from year 7; loans available
• Safety — Government-backed; no default risk

Role in FIRE

PPF is ideal for the debt portion of your portfolio—safe, tax-free, and useful as an emergency buffer or post-60 income. It cannot be your only investment (equity needed for growth), but it is a core building block for Indian FIRE.

Compare with NPS and EPF for your situation.