Indian benchmark indices dropped sharply in early trading on Wednesday, with the BSE Sensex (India's 30-share blue-chip index) falling roughly 494 points to 78,779 and the NSE Nifty 50 shedding 142 points to 24,434, snapping a three-session winning streak. Heavy selling in information technology stocks led the decline, compounded by fresh outflows from foreign institutional investors. Renewed fears over prolonged instability in West Asia further dampened investor sentiment across Mumbai's financial markets.