Can an NRI buy agricultural land in India?

Generally, no — under foreign exchange regulations, NRIs (and foreign nationals more broadly) are typically not permitted to purchase agricultural land, plantation property, or farmhouses in India, though they can acquire other categories of immovable property like residential and commercial property without similar restriction.

An important exception exists for inheritance — an NRI can inherit agricultural land from a resident Indian relative, even though they couldn't have purchased it directly, since inheritance is treated differently from a voluntary purchase transaction under these regulations.

Some NRIs explore holding agricultural land through family members who are resident Indians, but this needs to be approached carefully to avoid falling foul of benami property restrictions, which generally prohibit holding property in someone else's name while retaining actual beneficial ownership yourself. Given the restrictions and potential complications involved, it would be worth consulting a lawyer familiar with NRI property matters before pursuing any arrangement involving agricultural land.