Indian benchmark indices fell in early trade, with the Sensex declining 284.85 points to 77,717.05 and the Nifty slipping 69.25 points to 24,297.05. Rising crude oil prices and persistent geopolitical tensions in West Asia weighed on investor sentiment, with Brent crude trading 0.43% higher at $88.86 a barrel. Infosys, TCS, HCL Tech, Tech Mahindra, Hindustan Unilever and SBI were among the biggest Sensex laggards, while Bharat Electronics and Titan gained.