Axis BSE India Sector Leaders Index Fund Direct Growth Review 2026: NAV, Returns, Portfolio & Should You Invest?

Axis BSE India Sector Leaders Index Fund Direct Growth Plan had a NAV of ₹9.241 as of 16 Sep 2026 and a scheme AUM of ₹30 Cr. Its 1-year, 3-year and 5-year returns are 0%, 0% and 0%, and the fund sits in the High Risk category. In our view, this is a young index fund that still has too little return history to judge on longer-term compounding, so the main question is whether an investor is comfortable with a High Risk equity allocation while the track record is still building.

The fund’s current size, low expense ratio and broad sector-leader approach make it easy to understand, but recent performance has been weak versus its benchmark. That makes it more suitable for investors who want an index-style equity exposure and are willing to accept short-term swings while waiting for a longer history to develop.

Quick facts

Particular	Details
NAV	₹9.241 as of 16 Sep 2026
AUM	₹30 Cr
Expense Ratio	0.0%
Launch Date	11 Feb 2026
Min SIP	₹100
Risk Category	High Risk
Benchmark	Nifty 50
Fund Category	Index Funds
Exit Load	0.25% on or before 15D, Nil after 15D
Fund Managers	Nandik Mallik, Rohit Gautam

The fund is managed by Nandik Mallik and Rohit Gautam.

Source data date: as of 16 Sep 2026

Performance

Period	Fund return	Benchmark return
1M	-5.4%	-4.41%
3M	-2.68%	-3.6%
1Y	Data not available	Data not available
3Y	Data not available	Data not available
5Y	Data not available	Data not available

The short-term pattern is mixed. The fund lagged the benchmark over 1 month, but it was slightly ahead over 3 months, which tells us the recent path has not been smooth even within a very short window. That kind of back-and-forth is not unusual for a new equity index fund, but it does mean the current record is more useful for judging early volatility than for judging long-run consistency.

Because the scheme launched only in February 2026, there is no meaningful 1-year, 3-year or 5-year performance history yet. We therefore place more weight on the available short-window numbers and on the portfolio design. On that basis, the fund has not yet shown a clear edge over the benchmark, and the recent drawdown in the 1-month period is a reminder that index funds can still move sharply when the underlying market weakens.

The benchmark has been weak too, which helps explain why the fund’s short-term figures are negative. Even so, the fund’s 3-month result sits ahead of the benchmark, while the 1-month result sits behind it. For us, that says the fund is still in the phase where small swings can change the comparison quickly, and investors should treat the current record as preliminary rather than settled.

Source data date: as of 16 Sep 2026

Should you BUY or HOLD Axis BSE India Sector Leaders Index?

A fund's past returns alone don't tell you whether you should buy it today or continue holding it.

The right decision depends on factors such as your current allocation, purchase price, risk profile, investment horizon and the role this fund plays in your overall portfolio.

Already holding Axis BSE India Sector Leaders Index? Thinking of investing now?

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Peer comparison

Fund	1Y return	3Y return	5Y return
Axis BSE India Sector Leaders Index Fund Direct Growth Plan	Data not available	Data not available	Data not available
ICICI Pru NASDAQ 100 Index Fund Direct Growth Plan	29.31%	30.01%	Data not available
Tata Nifty Capital Markets Index Fund Direct Growth Plan	21.45%	Data not available	Data not available
Motilal Oswal Nifty Capital Market Index Fund Direct Growth Plan	21.13%	Data not available	Data not available
Motilal Oswal Nifty MidSmall Financial Services Index Fund Direct Growth Plan	20.68%	Data not available	Data not available
ICICI Pru Nifty Pharma Index Fund Direct Growth Plan	17.57%	18.84%	Data not available

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

Compared with the peer set, the fund’s available recent numbers are much softer because its own 1-year, 3-year and 5-year figures are not yet meaningful. The peer list shows several established index strategies with positive 1-year and, in some cases, 3-year records, while this fund is still too new for a fair long-horizon comparison. For that reason, the short-term peer gap is less about underperformance versus mature peers and more about the fund not yet having a comparable history.

That said, the peer table does help frame expectations. Funds in the comparison set have already demonstrated sustained return histories in select periods, while this scheme is still building its own record. So the comparison tells two different stories: peers with longer track records have shown stronger completed-period returns, but this fund’s current evidence base is limited to its early behaviour, which remains mixed.

Source data date: as of 16 Sep 2026

Portfolio: where your money goes

Holding	Sector	Weight
ICICI Bank Limited	Bank	5.36%
Bharti Airtel Limited	Telecom	4.93%
Reliance Industries Limited	Crude Oil	4.88%
Larsen & Toubro Limited	Infrastructure	4.83%
HDFC Bank Limited	Bank	4.54%
State Bank of India	Bank	4.51%
Infosys Limited	IT	4.03%
Mahindra & Mahindra Limited	Automobile & Ancillaries	3.05%
ITC Limited	FMCG	2.53%
Tata Consultancy Services Limited	IT	2.45%

The largest holding is ICICI Bank Limited at 5.36%, which is sizeable but not extreme for a diversified equity index portfolio. The weight then steps down gradually through the next names, with the tenth holding still at 2.45%. That pattern suggests the portfolio is not dominated by a single position, even though the leading names can still have a noticeable effect on short-term returns.

The top 10 holdings together account for approximately 41.11% of the portfolio, and the scheme discloses 60 holdings in total. That combination points to a portfolio that is spread across a broad tail rather than concentrated in only a handful of stocks. Even so, the largest positions may still influence the fund more than the smaller names because the weights are clearly higher at the top of the list.

For investors, the important point is balance rather than concentration alone. The fund appears to combine a set of large, well-known companies with a longer tail of additional holdings, so the portfolio may move with the broader market while still reflecting the performance of its heaviest positions.

To see all holdings, visit the Axis BSE India Sector Leaders Index Fund Direct Growth Plan page

Source data date: as of 16 Sep 2026

Who should invest

This fund suits investors who can tolerate High Risk equity exposure and who are comfortable with a new index strategy that has only a short live history. The available return pattern is mixed over the short term, and the benchmark comparison is also inconsistent across recent windows, so the fund is better viewed as a market-linked holding than as a steady short-term parking option.

An investment horizon of several years makes more sense than a brief holding period, mainly because the fund still lacks completed 1-year, 3-year and 5-year records. The main trade-off is simple: investors get a low-expense, rule-based equity structure, but they must accept that early results can look uneven and may not yet tell the full story.

Tax and exit load

Holding period	Tax rate	Description
Units held less than 1 year	20%	Short-term capital gains tax
Units held more than 1 year	12.5%	Long-term capital gains tax

Exit load: 0.25% if units are sold on or before 15 days; nil after 15 days.

Source data date: as of 16 Sep 2026

Frequently asked questions

What is the current NAV of Axis BSE India Sector Leaders Index Fund Direct Growth Plan?

The current NAV is ₹9.241 as of 16 Sep 2026.

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

The fund’s 1-year, 3-year and 5-year returns are not yet available as completed long-term figures. The scheme launched in February 2026, so the track record is still very short.

How has the fund performed versus Nifty 50 recently?

The fund lagged Nifty 50 over 1 month but was slightly ahead over 3 months. That mixed pattern suggests the early record is still developing.

How does it compare with peer funds on available return data?

Its available long-term comparison is limited because the fund is very new, while several peers have positive 1-year and some 3-year records. The peer table therefore offers a stronger history for comparison than this scheme can currently provide.

What is the minimum SIP amount?

₹100.

Who manages the fund and what is the exit load?

The fund is managed by Nandik Mallik and Rohit Gautam. The exit load is 0.25% if units are sold on or before 15 days, and nil after 15 days.

Bottom line

This is a new High Risk index fund with a short live record, so its current performance picture is still incomplete. The recent short-window numbers are mixed, and the peer set includes several funds with stronger completed-period records, but those comparisons are not fully like-for-like because this scheme has only just begun. The portfolio is broad rather than narrowly concentrated, which may help dilute single-stock dependence, yet the fund still needs time before its longer-term behaviour becomes clearer.

Published on 17 September 2026 at 2:42 PM IST

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RIA disclosure

Mutual fund investments are subject to market risks. Read all scheme-related documents carefully before investing. This review is prepared by Uniapps Investment Adviser Pvt. Ltd. (earlier known as Uniapps Global Research Pvt. Ltd.) under SEBI Registered Investment Adviser registration INA000017639 for general informational purposes and is not personalized investment advice.