Indian shares pared early gains, but ended higher for a third straight session on Monday, helped by a rally in IT and metal stocks, as sentiment remained buoyant on positive domestic cues.
Markets moved in to April following a best monthly performance in three years last month.
Hopes of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) retaining power in the upcoming elections, foreign inflows and a possibility of a repo rate cut by the Reserve Bank ofIndia also whet risk appetite.
The benchmark BSE Sensex closed up 0.51 percent at 38,871.87, after touching a record 39,115.57 in morning trade.
The broader NSE Nifty ended 0.39 percent higher at 11,669.15.
Tata Motors Ltd surged 7.5 percent, while Hindalco Ltd closed 5 percent higher. Software services company Wipro Ltd ended up 2.7 percent.
