HDFC Gilt Fund Direct Growth Review 2026: NAV, Returns, Portfolio & Should You Invest?

HDFC Gilt Fund Direct Growth Plan has a current NAV of ₹60.3769 as of 03 Sep 2026 and a scheme AUM of ₹2,016 Cr. Its 1-year, 3-year and 5-year returns are 4.48%, 6.49% and 5.51%, and the risk category is Medium Risk.

Our view is that this is a fairly steady gilt fund for conservative debt allocation, but recent returns have softened versus its longer trend and versus the benchmark on the latest 1-year reading. The portfolio is anchored in government securities, which supports its role as a relatively defensive fixed-income option, though it still carries interest-rate sensitivity.

Quick facts

The fund is managed by Anil Bamboli.

Source data date: as of 03 Sep 2026

Performance

The fund’s short-term pattern has been choppy rather than one-way. The 1-month return was slightly negative, but it still held up better than the benchmark over the same period, and the 3-month return was ahead of the benchmark as well.

The more important contrast is at the 1-year mark. The fund posted a positive 4.48% return while the benchmark was negative, which shows better capital preservation over that period. That said, the 1-year figure is still lower than the fund’s 3-year return, so the recent run has been softer than the medium-term trend.

Over 3 years, the fund’s 6.49% return has stayed ahead of the benchmark and indicates a decent compounding run for a gilt strategy. Over 5 years, the picture is a little less favourable because the benchmark’s 6.27% is ahead of the fund’s 5.51%, suggesting the fund has not kept pace over the full cycle even though it remains reasonably steady for a debt-oriented portfolio.

Source data date: as of 03 Sep 2026

Peer comparison

This assessment is prepared by Uniapps Investment Adviser Pvt. Ltd. under SEBI Registered Investment Adviser registration INA000017639.

The fund’s 1-year return trails the stronger peer readings on the table, while its 3-year figure sits in the middle of the group and its 5-year return is below several peers with available data. That split matters: the recent stretch looks softer than the better medium-term record, but the longer horizon still shows a fund that has delivered a reasonable, if not standout, gilt outcome.

Compared with peers, the fund appears more moderate on longer-term returns than the better-performing names in this group, especially on 1-year and 5-year figures. The short-term and longer-term comparisons do not tell the same story, which suggests investors should judge it more as a steady duration-oriented debt holding than as a recent return leader.

Source data date: as of 03 Sep 2026

Portfolio: where your money goes

The top 10 holdings account for approximately 76.92% of the portfolio.

To see all holdings, visit the HDFC Gilt Fund Direct Growth Plan page

The largest holding, 6.9% GOI MAT 150465, carries a 15.98% weight and is likely to have the most noticeable influence on the fund’s day-to-day behaviour among the disclosed positions. After that, weights step down fairly quickly, with a cluster of government securities around the 11% to 10% area before the list tapers into mid- and low-single-digit positions.

This pattern suggests the portfolio is not dominated by one extreme position alone, but by a set of large sovereign exposures that may move together when interest-rate expectations change. With 25 disclosed holdings and 76.92% of the portfolio in the top 10, the fund looks meaningfully concentrated in its larger positions while still retaining a longer tail of smaller holdings.

That balance can support stability in a gilt mandate, but it also means the top securities could contribute more to results than the smaller tail. For investors, the key point is that this is still a government-securities-led portfolio, so duration and yield movements are likely to matter more than equity-style stock selection effects.

Source data date: as of 03 Sep 2026

Who should invest

This fund may suit investors who want a debt allocation anchored in government securities and can tolerate medium interest-rate risk. The return pattern shows a decent 3-year run, a softer 5-year outcome versus the benchmark, and a recent 1-year period that stayed positive even when the benchmark was negative.

That makes the fund more appropriate for a moderate to long investment horizon rather than a very short holding period. The main trade-off is that the portfolio may offer steadier behaviour than many riskier assets, but it does not guarantee that it will lead the benchmark or peers across every time frame.

Tax and exit load

Exit load: No exit load after holding period.

Source data date: as of 03 Sep 2026

Frequently asked questions

What is the current NAV of HDFC Gilt Fund Direct Growth Plan?
Its current NAV is ₹60.3769 as of 03 Sep 2026.

What are the 1-year, 3-year and 5-year returns?
The fund’s 1-year return is 4.48%, its 3-year return is 6.49%, and its 5-year return is 5.51%.

How has it performed versus the benchmark?
It has done better than the benchmark over 1 month, 3 months, 1 year and 3 years, but the benchmark has a higher 5-year return.

How does it compare with peer gilt funds?
Its 1-year and 5-year returns are below several peers listed here, while its 3-year return is more in the middle of the group.

Is there a minimum SIP amount?
Yes, the minimum SIP amount is ₹100.

Who manages the fund and what is the exit load?
The fund is managed by Anil Bamboli. There is no exit load after the holding period.

Bottom line

HDFC Gilt Fund Direct Growth Plan looks steadier over the medium term than in the most recent 5-year comparison against the benchmark, and its latest 1-year return also trails several peer gilt funds. The portfolio remains firmly rooted in government securities, which supports its defensive debt profile, but the concentrated weight in the larger holdings means duration moves can matter. For investors who want a government-bond-led allocation and can accept medium risk, it remains a reasonable gilt option rather than a clear return leader.

Published on 4 September 2026 at 10:53 AM IST