Why this matters
Witnessing exists to provide independent evidence that the will-maker signed the document freely. Someone who stands to inherit is not independent, so the law removes the incentive: the gift to an attesting witness, or to their spouse, is void.
The consequence catches families out. The will is not thrown away — everything else in it still operates. It is precisely the inheritance you meant for that person that disappears.
What NRIs should consider
Exclude spouses of beneficiaries too
The rule extends to the husband or wife of a person who attests. Check both sides before asking someone to sign.
Executors are a different question
An executor who receives nothing under the will is not a beneficiary. Still, using a genuinely uninvolved witness avoids any argument.
Good witness choices
Colleagues, neighbours, friends, or a family friend who inherits nothing. They must be adults capable of understanding what they are witnessing.
Record their details
Full name and address for each witness. Years later, someone may need to contact them to prove the will.
When professional legal advice may be appropriate
Consider speaking with a lawyer qualified in India if your estate spans several countries in a complicated way, if significant tax planning is involved, if a family dispute or contested estate is likely, if a business, trust or unusual ownership structure is part of the estate, or if you are unsure how a Will made where you live interacts with one covering Indian assets.