New Delhi, Sept. 1 -- Indian investors seeking regular income have traditionally relied on bank deposits, bonds and dividend-paying stocks. But the income-investment landscape is expanding. Investors now have a wider range of listed options, including dividend-paying companies, Real Estate Investment Trusts (Reits) and Infrastructure Investment Trusts (InvITs).

A high payout can be attractive, but it can also be misleading. The better questions are: Where does the money come from? How reliable is it? Can it grow? And what happens to the original investment?

Consider dividend-paying shares. A high dividend yield may look attractive, but it could simply reflect a falling share price or an unusually large one-time dividend. Sustainable div...