The Indian equity benchmark indices opened higher on Thursday led by buying in auto stocks and gains in broader markets amid positive global cues.

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At 9:15 am, the Sensex opened 79.77 points, or 0.20 percent, higher at 39,165.80, while the Nifty50 index opened at 11,566.20, up 31.20 points, or 0.27 percent.

Broader markets Nifty Smallcap100 and Nifty Midcap100 indices traded higher by 0.71 percent and 0.47 percent, respectively.

Among sectoral indices, Nifty Auto, Nifty IT, Nifty Pharma and Nifty FMCG index traded with gains, while Nifty Private Bank, Nifty Realty and Nifty Metal were under pressure.

ZEEL, M&M, Tata Motors, Bharti Infratel and Adani Ports & SEZ led the gains among Nifty50 constituents while Bajaj Auto, Asian Paints, Hero MotoCorp, Nestle India and Sun Pharmaceuticals Industries were the top index losers.

Aviation stocks rallied after the government allowed airlines to operate with 60 percent capacity. Both SpiceJet and IndiGo's shares rose over 4 percent each.

Globally, Asian equities started strong on Thursday as a sustained recovery in China's services sector and the prospect of additional U.S. stimulus whetted risk appetite, while the dollar pared gains, Reuters reported.

MSCI's broadest index of Asia-Pacific shares outside of Japan climbed 0.5 percent, clocking its third straight session of gains to hover near a recent 2-1/2-year high.

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