The Indian equity benchmarks are set to open lower as indicated by the Nifty Futures on Singapore Exchange amid weak cues from other Asian markets after Russian President Vladmir Putin dramatically escalated East-West tensions by ordering Russian nuclear forces put on high alert on Sunday. Markets across Asia were trading lower with Hong Kong's Hang Seng down 1.41 per cent, Singapore's Straits Times down 1.68 per cent and Japan's Nikkei fell 0.31 per cent.