Standing Instruction
✓ Last verified 14 Sep 2026
The short version
A standing instruction is a one-time setup that tells your bank to automatically execute a recurring payment - a SIP debit, an EMI, a recurring deposit contribution - without you manually initiating it each time.
Once set up, a standing instruction executes automatically on its scheduled date, removing the need to remember and manually trigger a recurring payment each time - commonly used for SIP debits, loan EMIs, insurance premiums, and recurring deposit contributions. This is also the mechanism underlying the "pay yourself first" savings habit - automating a savings transfer via standing instruction removes the willpower requirement from the equation entirely.
Want this worked out for your own numbers?