Indian benchmark indices ended in the red zone on Wednesday, weighed down by declines in consumer stocks following weak earnings. Investor sentiment stayed cautious ahead of the Reserve Bank of India's upcoming bi-monthly policy announcement on Friday.

After a prolonged absence, foreign institutional investors (FIIs) returned as net buyers on Tuesday, acquiring Indian equities worth Rs 809 crore

Broader markets outperformed the benchmarks, with small-cap shares leading the charge, as the Nifty Smallcap100 index ended higher by 1.85 per cent