Indian equity benchmarks opened in negative territory on Monday, with the BSE Sensex and Nifty 50 dragged down by sharp selling in heavyweight banking stocks.
The decline in financials outweighed support from the pharmaceutical and information technology sectors, which provided some defensive cushioning for the broader market.
The BSE Sensex, which closed at 78,151.45 on Friday, faced immediate pressure as investors digested overnight developments.
The market's weakness reflects a continuation of the multi-day selloff that has plagued Indian equities.
Renewed military tensions between the United States and Iran in the Middle East have escalated geopolitical risks, pushing crude oil prices higher and weighing heavily on investor sentiment.
The energy spike exacerbates concerns over India's import bill and trade balance, adding to the pressure on domestic benchmarks.