Working in UAE, NRI beginner wanting to start mutual funds in India – need advice

Hi everyone,
I’m working in the UAE and it’s been around a year now. I want to start investing a small part of my salary, mainly for the long term, but I’m a complete beginner when it comes to mutual funds.

I have NRE and NRO accounts with Federal Bank in India, and the bank rep told me my KYC is already completed. I’ve transferred some money to my NRE account as well. One of my coworkers here invests through SBI, so I was initially planning to visit SBI when I go to India in June and talk to them directly. But now I’m not sure if that’s the best or easiest way.

I wanted to understand whether it’s fine to start mutual fund investments through Federal Bank itself since I already have accounts there, or if SBI Mutual Fund is better for beginners. I also keep hearing about online platforms like Groww or Zerodha, and I’m confused whether those are suitable for an NRI beginner or if it’s safer to stick with a bank initially.

Since I’m working in the UAE, I also wanted to confirm whether investing through an NRE account is better than NRO. I’m planning to start small, most likely through SIP, and I’m not trying to chase high returns or take big risks. I just want to start properly and learn slowly.

Would really appreciate advice from anyone in the UAE who’s investing in Indian mutual funds or has gone through a similar process.