Axis CRISIL-IBX AAA Bond NBFC – Jun 2027 Index Fund Direct Growth Review 2026: NAV, Returns, Portfolio & Should You Invest?

Axis CRISIL-IBX AAA Bond NBFC – Jun 2027 Index Fund Direct Growth Plan has a NAV of ₹11.5383 as of 28 Aug 2026 and an AUM of ₹2,173 Cr. Its 1-year, 3-year and 5-year returns are 6.4222%, 0%, and 0% respectively, and it sits in the Balanced Risk category.

Our view is that this is a relatively focused debt-oriented index fund with modest recent return visibility and a portfolio concentrated in corporate debt. The short-term pattern has been steadier than the benchmark, but the available longer-horizon figures are still limited, so the fund looks more suited to investors who want a defined-maturity-style exposure with a moderate risk budget than to those seeking a broad market return engine.

Quick facts

The fund is managed by Aditya Pagaria.

Source data date: as of 28 Aug 2026

Performance

The most useful takeaway from the short-end numbers is that the fund has held up better than the benchmark over 1 month and 1 year, while trailing it over 3 months. That mix suggests the recent path has not been perfectly smooth, but the fund has still preserved a positive annual trend while the benchmark has been weaker over the same 1-year window.

Because the scheme launched in September 2024, the 3-year and 5-year figures are not yet available for either the fund or the benchmark in a meaningful way. That makes the 1-year return the main guide for judging current behaviour, and it points to a fund that has produced modest positive compounding rather than sharp gains.

The time pattern also looks relatively contained, which fits a debt index strategy tied to a specific maturity profile rather than a high-volatility market fund. For investors, that usually means the central question is less about chasing growth and more about whether the expected holding period and credit quality profile match their cash-flow and stability needs.

Source data date: as of 28 Aug 2026

Peer comparison

This assessment is prepared by Uniapps Investment Adviser Pvt. Ltd. under SEBI Registered Investment Adviser registration INA000017639. On the available 1-year figures, this fund’s 6.4222% return is far lower than the equity-oriented peer returns listed here, which is consistent with its debt-focused profile rather than a growth-heavy one. The 3-year and 5-year columns do not yet add a deeper comparison for this scheme, so the peer picture remains largely a short-term one.

That said, the gap between the fund and the other returns in this peer set does not by itself make the fund weaker in its own category context; it simply shows that the fund is playing a different role. For investors comparing across different types of index funds, the more relevant point is that this fund has delivered a much calmer return path than the equity peers in the table.

Source data date: as of 28 Aug 2026

Portfolio: where your money goes

Market-cap distribution

The portfolio is entirely mapped to the “Other” bucket, which is consistent with a debt-index structure rather than an equity allocation. That means the market-cap labels do not tell a stock-style story here; the more important picture comes from the debt sectors and the individual issuers inside them.

Corporate debt at 93.47% is materially larger than the rest of the portfolio, so it is likely to have the greatest influence on the fund’s behaviour. Cash and cash equivalents, at 4.84%, provide a smaller buffer, while commercial paper is only 1.68%, so the overall shape remains heavily concentrated in debt instruments tied to the NBFC segment.

Within that structure, the two largest named holdings each carry meaningful but not dominant weights, which suggests the portfolio is still spread across multiple instruments rather than relying on a single issuer. In practical terms, that can keep the fund’s outcome closely aligned with the maturity and credit profile of the underlying debt basket.

Source data date: as of 28 Aug 2026

Who should invest

This fund fits investors who are comfortable with a Balanced Risk profile and want a debt-oriented index strategy that aims for steadier movement than equity funds. The 1-year return is positive, but the available longer-horizon figures are not yet meaningful, so the investment case is built more on portfolio structure and maturity profile than on a long performance record.

It may suit an investor with a medium-term holding horizon who values predictable exposure to AAA corporate debt over aggressive growth. The main trade-off is that the fund can offer a calmer path, but that also means it is unlikely to behave like higher-growth index funds that appear in the peer set.

Tax and exit load

Exit load

• NIL.
• No exit load after holding period.

Source data date: as of 28 Aug 2026

Frequently asked questions

What is the current NAV of Axis CRISIL-IBX AAA Bond NBFC – Jun 2027 Index Fund Direct Growth Plan?

The current NAV is ₹11.5383 as of 28 Aug 2026.

What are the fund’s 1-year, 3-year and 5-year returns?

The fund’s 1-year return is 6.4222%, while the 3-year and 5-year returns are Data not available in a meaningful way for this scheme’s current track record.

How has the fund performed versus the benchmark?

Over 1 year, the fund returned 6.42% compared with -2.29% for the benchmark. Over 3 months, the fund returned 2.14% versus 3.39% for the benchmark, so the short-term comparison has been mixed.

How does it compare with the peer funds listed here?

Its 1-year return of 6.4222% is much lower than the 1-year returns shown for the equity-oriented peer funds in the table. The comparison is useful mainly as a reminder that this fund plays a different role with a debt-focused profile.

What is the minimum SIP amount?

The minimum SIP amount is ₹1000.

What is the risk category and exit load?

The fund is in the Balanced Risk category. The exit load is NIL, and there is no exit load after the holding period.

Bottom line

This fund’s recent return pattern is steadier than the benchmark over 1 year, but the shorter 3-month comparison is less strong, so the near-term picture is mixed. Against the peer returns shown here, it sits in a very different return band because of its debt-focused mandate. The portfolio is heavily concentrated in corporate debt, which is likely to shape outcomes more than the smaller cash and commercial paper pockets. That makes the fund more relevant for investors seeking a measured, debt-led exposure than for those looking for equity-style upside.

Published on 31 August 2026 at 5:41 PM IST