5 IPOs, ₹2,581 Crore: Which IPO Is Best to Buy Today in India?

Five companies want ₹2,581 crore from investors this week. The Economic Times says only ₹808 crore of that is fresh money for the companies. The other ₹1,773 crore goes to existing shareholders who are selling. So before you ask which IPO is best to buy today in India, ask a simpler question: who actually gets your money?

New to IPOs? Start with our full guide: How to invest in IPO in India: allotment, GMP and tax. More in IPO investing in India: all guides.

This is general education, not investment advice and not a recommendation to apply for any IPO. Check the RHP and consult a SEBI-registered adviser before you invest.

Quick answer

• Five mainboard IPOs open between October 26 and October 29: EAAA India Alternatives, SFC Environmental Technologies, BLS Polymers, MK Sons Fine Jewels and Bombay Coated and Special Steels.
• A minimum retail bid costs roughly ₹14,850 to ₹15,000 in the three issues where lot sizes are reported.
• EAAA is a pure offer for sale, while BLS Polymers and Bombay Coated are entirely fresh issues.
• Grey market premium (GMP) numbers are unofficial and keep moving, so treat them as noise, not a buy signal.

Why this IPO week matters

Short answer: These five IPOs follow Jio's ₹30,213 crore issue, which drew over 1.25 crore applications.

The week comes right after a record run for India's primary market. Jio Platforms' ₹30,213 crore IPO, the country's biggest ever, drew bids worth more than Rs 4.5 lakh crore and over 1.25 crore applications, ET reports, citing data compiled by Safal Capital.

The Hindu adds that 104 companies have raised over ₹1.4 lakh crore through IPOs in 2026 so far.

That kind of excitement spills over. When a giant issue gets lapped up, retail investors often rush into whatever opens next. That is exactly when it pays to slow down and read the basics of each issue.

Jio Platforms and Paras Healthcare are also set to list on October 28, so this week brings both new bids and fresh listing results.

The five IPOs at a glance

Short answer: Together the five companies want ₹2,581 crore, of which only ₹808 crore is fresh money.

Here is what each company is raising, based on ET, The Hindu and Mint.

EAAA India Alternatives: ₹1,200 crore, open October 26 to October 28, price band ₹1,585 to ₹1,665. It is entirely an offer for sale (OFS) by the Edelweiss Group, so the company gets no proceeds. One lot is nine shares, costing ₹14,985 at the upper band.

SFC Environmental Technologies: ₹667.53 crore, open October 27 to October 29, price band ₹313 to ₹330. It has a fresh issue of ₹150 crore and an OFS of ₹517.53 crore. Retail investors need at least 45 shares, or ₹14,850.

BLS Polymers: ₹255 crore, open October 27 to October 29, price band ₹142 to ₹150. It is an entirely fresh issue. The minimum bid is 100 shares, costing ₹15,000.

MK Sons Fine Jewels: ₹275 crore, open October 28 to October 30, price band ₹153 to ₹162. The Hindu says it combines a fresh issue of 1.36 crore shares with an OFS of 34 lakh shares by the promoter.

Bombay Coated and Special Steels: ₹183.06 crore, open October 29 to November 2, price band ₹78 to ₹82. It is entirely fresh equity.

Issue sizes of the five IPOs: EAAA ₹1,200 crore, SFC ₹667.53 crore, MK Sons ₹275 crore, BLS Polymers ₹255 crore, Bombay Coated ₹183.06 crore

Source: The Economic Times

Fresh issue vs OFS: where your money goes

Short answer: Check the fresh issue vs OFS split first: OFS money goes to selling shareholders, not the company.

This is the single most useful filter for a beginner.

In a fresh issue, the company prints new shares and keeps the money. It can use it to grow, pay off loans or fund daily operations.

In an offer for sale, existing owners sell their shares to you. The company's bank balance does not change at all.

Neither is good or bad on its own. But it tells you what story the IPO is really telling.

• EAAA India Alternatives is fully OFS. Mint notes the size was cut to ₹1,200 crore from ₹1,500 crore proposed in the draft prospectus. The Hindu says it had already raised around ₹360 crore from anchor investors.
• SFC Environmental is mostly OFS. Fresh money will go to repaying borrowings and working capital.
• BLS Polymers is all fresh money. It plans to use ₹77.56 crore to expand its Goa plant and ₹89.5 crore for working capital. It makes polymer compounds used in power cables, telecom networks, railways and underground pipelines.
• Bombay Coated is all fresh money too, but most of it is for debt. It plans to use ₹125 crore to repay or prepay borrowings and ₹15.7 crore to buy capital equipment under existing lease arrangements with Siemens Financial Services.
• MK Sons Fine Jewels wants money for inventory for a new showroom in Maharashtra, an expanded showroom in Gujarat, and to repay some borrowings.

A company raising money to expand capacity is a different bet from one using IPO cash mainly to clear loans. Read the "objects of the issue" section in each prospectus before you bid.

What about GMP?

Short answer: Weekend GMPs ranged from +7 (MK Sons) to +38 (BLS Polymers), but GMP is unofficial and changes daily.

Mint reported these grey market premiums over the weekend: BLS Polymers +38, SFC Environmental +32, EAAA +36, Bombay Coated +8 and MK Sons +7.

Look closer and you see how fast GMP moves. Mint says EAAA's GMP fell from ₹121 to ₹36 over just 3 sessions. ET puts it plainly: grey market premiums are unofficial and may change before listing.

So GMP can tell you what speculators feel this week. It cannot tell you what a business is worth, or what the stock will do after listing day.

How to choose, step by step

Short answer: There is no single best IPO; pick based on the business, the use of money and the valuation.

There is no single best IPO for everyone. Here is a simple way to decide for yourself.

1. Decide your goal. Are you hoping for a quick listing gain or planning to hold for years? These need very different checks.
2. Check where the money goes. Fresh issue for growth, fresh issue for debt, or pure OFS. Write it down for each IPO.
3. Understand the business in one line. Wastewater treatment, polymer compounds, steel processing, jewellery retail, alternative investments. Skip anything you cannot explain to a friend.
4. Look at the price you pay. At the upper band, The Hindu values EAAA at ₹10,765 crore and SFC at around ₹3,233 crore. Compare these with the profits in the prospectus.
5. Keep it small. One lot costs about ₹15,000. Only bid with money you will not need soon.
6. Apply only through your bank's ASBA or UPI on your own broker app. Never pay anyone who promises "guaranteed allotment".

Mistakes to avoid

Short answer: Do not apply to all five just because Jio did well; each business is different.

• Applying to all five IPOs only because Jio did well. Each business is different.
• Treating GMP as a promise. It moved sharply in a few sessions this very week.
• Borrowing money to bid. A weak listing can turn a small loss into a stressful one.
• Ignoring the closing date. Bombay Coated stays open until November 2, but the others close earlier.

FAQs

Which IPO is best to buy today in India? No source can honestly name one. It depends on your goal and risk appetite. Start by checking fresh issue vs OFS and what each company does.

How much money do I need to apply? About ₹14,850 to ₹15,000 for one lot in SFC Environmental, EAAA and BLS Polymers, at the upper price band.

Does the company get my money in an OFS? No. In an offer for sale, the money goes to the selling shareholders. EAAA's issue is entirely OFS, so the company gets nothing from it.

Are there SME IPOs this week too? Yes. ET says four SME issues, including Wiscon Industries' ₹110 crore IPO, are seeking nearly Rs 200 crore together. SME IPOs are usually riskier and less liquid.

This article is for education only and is not investment, tax or legal advice.

Related reading

• How to invest in IPO in India: allotment, GMP and tax
• Special Steels IPO GMP and lot size
• MK Sons Fine Jewels IPO review
• IPO investing in India: all guides

This is general education, not investment advice and not a recommendation to apply for any IPO. Check the RHP and consult a SEBI-registered adviser before you invest.

Sources

• The Economic Times: Post Jio boost: 5 IPOs to raise Rs 2,581 crore next week alongside India's biggest listing
• The Hindu: Five IPOs to open next week; companies eye close to ₹2,600 crore
• Mint: Upcoming IPO GMP: EAAA India vs SFC Environmental vs BLS Polymers vs MK Sons Fine Jewels vs Bombay Coated Special Steels