Axis CRISIL-IBX AAA Bond Financial Services - Sep 2027 Index Fund Direct Growth Review 2026: NAV, Returns, Portfolio & Should You Invest?

Axis CRISIL-IBX AAA Bond Financial Services – Sep 2027 Index Fund Direct Growth Plan has a NAV of ₹11.3365 as of 28 Aug 2026 and a scheme AUM of ₹5 Cr. Its 1-year, 3-year and 5-year returns are 5.89%, Data not available and Data not available, and it sits in the Balanced Risk category. Our view is that this is a short-horizon bond index fund with limited live track record, so the current picture is more about steady fixed-income behaviour than a long record of compounding.

With a low expense ratio of 0.15%, a minimum SIP of ₹1000 and no exit load, the fund looks operationally simple. The portfolio is concentrated in corporate debt and cash-like holdings, so investors looking for debt exposure tied to a defined maturity window may find the structure easier to understand than broader, more active fixed-income strategies.

Quick facts

Metric	Value
NAV	₹11.3365
AUM	₹5 Cr
Expense Ratio	0.15%
Launch Date	22 Nov 2024
Min SIP	₹1000
Risk Category	Balanced Risk
Benchmark	Nifty 50
Fund Category	Index Funds
Exit Load	No exit load
Fund Managers	Aditya Pagaria

The fund is managed by Aditya Pagaria.

Source data date: as of 28 Aug 2026

Performance

Period	Fund return	Benchmark return
1M	0.4%	-0.85%
3M	1.96%	3.39%
1Y	5.89%	-2.29%
3Y	Data not available	Data not available
5Y	Data not available	Data not available

The fund has been steadier than the benchmark over the most recent month, where it held a small gain while the benchmark was negative. That is useful for investors who want a calmer debt-oriented pattern rather than equity-style swings, even though the short window is too brief to draw hard conclusions.

Over three months, the benchmark has outpaced the fund, which tells us that the recent stretch has not been uniformly in the fund’s favour. Even so, the fund’s own 3-month return remains positive and consistent with a cautious fixed-income profile rather than a high-variance return path.

The one-year picture is much stronger for the fund. Its 5.89% return is clearly ahead of the benchmark’s -2.29%, and that gap suggests the fund has handled the broader environment better over the last year. Because the fund was launched in late 2024, we do not yet have a 3-year or 5-year record to judge multi-cycle consistency. For that reason, our view is that the available history supports caution and patience more than broad extrapolation.

Source data date: as of 28 Aug 2026

Should you BUY or HOLD Axis CRISIL-IBX AAA Bond Financial Services – Sep 2027 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.

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Peer comparison

Fund	1Y return	3Y return	5Y return
Axis CRISIL-IBX AAA Bond Financial Services – Sep 2027 Index Fund Direct Growth Plan	5.89%	Data not available	Data not available
ICICI Pru NASDAQ 100 Index Fund Direct Growth Plan	35.235%	31.2535%	Data not available
Motilal Oswal Nifty Capital Market Index Fund Direct Growth Plan	32.3519%	Data not available	Data not available
Tata Nifty Capital Markets Index Fund Direct Growth Plan	32.0816%	Data not available	Data not available
Motilal Oswal Nifty India Defence Index Fund Direct Growth Plan	31.9037%	Data not available	Data not available
Aditya Birla SL Nifty India Defence Index Fund Direct Growth Plan	31.8928%	Data not available	Data not available

This assessment is prepared by Uniapps Investment Adviser Pvt. Ltd. under SEBI Registered Investment Adviser registration INA000017639. On recent numbers, the fund trails the faster-growing peer group in one-year return terms by a wide margin, but that comparison is not an apples-to-apples one because those peers sit in very different market segments. Within the available peer set, the fund’s lack of 3-year and 5-year history also stands out, so longer-term comparison is limited.

What the peer table does show is that the fund’s return profile is far more modest than the equity-oriented peers listed here, while its role is also different. We read that as evidence of a debt-style holding where stability and defined credit exposure matter more than chasing aggressive return numbers. The short-term and longer-term comparisons therefore tell different stories: the fund is not competing on raw upside, but on a narrower fixed-income mandate.

Source data date: as of 28 Aug 2026

Portfolio: where your money goes

Market-cap distribution

Segment	Weight
Large Cap	0%
Mid Cap	0%
Small Cap	0%
Other Cap	100%

Sector and holding mix

Sector	Weight	Top holdings
CORPORATE DEBT	94.36%	7.90% MAHINDRA & MAHINDRA FINANCIAL SERVICES LIMITED (30/08/2027) ** — 9.33%; 7.9265% LIC HOUSING FINANCE LIMITED (14/07/2027) ** — 8.81%
CASH & CASH EQUIVALENTS AND NET ASSETS	5.64%	NET RECEIVABLES / (PAYABLES) — 3.85%; CLEARING CORPORATION OF INDIA LTD — 1.79%

The portfolio is entirely in the “Other Cap” bucket, which fits a bond-oriented structure rather than an equity market-cap allocation. That means equity-style diversification across large, mid and small companies is not the right lens here; the fund is doing a credit-focused job instead.

Corporate debt at 94.36% is materially larger than the cash and cash-equivalent sleeve at 5.64%, so the debt bucket is likely to have the greater influence on day-to-day portfolio behaviour. Within that, two named corporate debt holdings account for the main visible exposures, and both are dated around 2027, which aligns with the scheme’s target window.

Because the portfolio is dominated by a single sector, movements in that credit segment may matter more than broad market moves. The cash and receivables portion can add a small buffer, but it is not large enough to change the overall character of the fund. Our view is that this is a compact, focused portfolio that should behave more like a targeted fixed-income allocation than a diversified multi-sector debt fund.

Source data date: as of 28 Aug 2026

Who should invest

This fund may suit investors who are comfortable with a Balanced Risk label and who want a debt-oriented scheme with a defined maturity feel rather than a broad market portfolio. The one-year return is positive and better than the benchmark, but the shorter 3-month reading is less supportive, so the return pattern is not perfectly smooth.

The cleaner fit is for investors with a medium-term horizon who can accept that the fund is still young and does not yet have a 3-year or 5-year record. The main trade-off is between a relatively simple corporate-debt structure and the limited history available for judging how it behaves across different rate and credit conditions.

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

No exit load.

Source data date: as of 28 Aug 2026

Frequently asked questions

What is the current NAV of Axis CRISIL-IBX AAA Bond Financial Services – Sep 2027 Index Fund Direct Growth Plan?
The current NAV is ₹11.3365 as of 28 Aug 2026.

What are the fund’s 1-year, 3-year and 5-year returns?
Its 1-year return is 5.89%, while the 3-year and 5-year returns are Data not available.

How has the fund done against the benchmark?
Over 1 year, the fund has returned 5.89% versus -2.29% for the benchmark. Over 3 months, the benchmark has done better, with 3.39% versus 1.96% for the fund.

What is the minimum SIP amount?
The minimum SIP amount is ₹1000.

Who manages the fund?
The fund is managed by Aditya Pagaria.

Is there an exit load?
No exit load applies. That means redemptions are not subject to an exit-load charge.

Bottom line

This fund’s recent performance is mixed but not weak: the one-year return is positive and ahead of the benchmark, while the 3-month period has been less favourable. Against the peer set shown here, the fund’s return profile is much more subdued, but that reflects a different fixed-income role rather than a like-for-like contest. The portfolio is highly concentrated in corporate debt, with a small cash buffer, so it suits investors who want a focused debt allocation and can accept limited track record.

Published on 31 August 2026 at 5:38 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.