Bandhan CRISIL-IBX Financial Services 3-6 Months Debt Index Fund Direct Growth Review 2026: NAV, Returns, Portfolio & Should You Invest?

Bandhan CRISIL-IBX Financial Services 3-6 Months Debt Index Fund Direct Growth Plan is a short-duration debt index fund with a current NAV of ₹11.1102 as of 15 September 2026 and scheme AUM of ₹353 Cr. Its 1-year, 3-year and 5-year returns are 6.97%, 0% and 0%, and the risk category is Balanced Risk. Our view is that this is a niche debt option for investors who want short-tenure exposure and can accept that the fund’s recent gains are modest rather than steady multi-period compounding.

The fund has a low expense ratio of 0.11% and a portfolio built around certificates of deposit, corporate debt and commercial paper. That mix may suit investors looking for a relatively contained credit profile within the debt universe, but the benchmark behaviour and the short performance record suggest that expectations should stay measured.

Quick facts

Particular	Details
NAV	₹11.1102 as of 15 Sep 2026
AUM	₹353 Cr
Expense Ratio	0.11%
Launch Date	13 Mar 2025
Min SIP	₹100
Risk Category	Balanced Risk
Benchmark	Nifty 50
Fund Category	Index Funds
Exit Load	No exit load
Fund Managers	Brijesh Shah, Harshal Joshi

The fund is managed by Brijesh Shah and Harshal Joshi.

Source data date: as of 15 Sep 2026

Performance

Period	Fund return	Benchmark return
1M	0.53%	-4.81%
3M	1.9%	-3.63%
1Y	6.97%	-8.27%
3Y	Data not available	Data not available
5Y	Data not available	Data not available

The recent pattern is constructive. Over 1 month and 3 months, the fund stayed in positive territory while the benchmark was negative, which points to a clearer short-term edge in preservation of value than in aggressive upside.

Over 1 year, the fund has also remained positive at 6.97%, while the benchmark was down 8.27%. That gap matters because it shows the fund behaving differently from the benchmark across a full year rather than only in a brief window. For an index fund, that kind of divergence can be useful when investors want short-duration stability, but it also means the benchmark is not acting as a simple mirror of the fund’s path.

There is not enough longer-horizon return history here to build a 3-year or 5-year compounding story. Even so, the shorter time series suggests a gradual upward drift with limited volatility rather than sharp swings, and that fits the debt-oriented structure of the portfolio. Our reading is that the fund has been more about controlled progression than about strong absolute return generation.

The main takeaway is that the fund’s near-term behaviour is ahead of the benchmark, but the return profile remains modest. Investors should read that as a signal of steadier short-duration exposure, not as evidence of powerful long-run compounding.

Source data date: as of 15 Sep 2026

Should you BUY or HOLD Bandhan CRISIL-IBX Financial Services 3-6 Months Debt 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 Bandhan CRISIL-IBX Financial Services 3-6 Months Debt Index? Thinking of investing now?

Get your portfolio analysed for FREE by SEBI-registered Investment Adviser (RIA) through Univest MF Premium

Peer comparison

Fund	1Y return	3Y return	5Y return
Bandhan CRISIL-IBX Financial Services 3-6 Months Debt Index Fund Direct Growth Plan	6.97%	Data not available	Data not available
ICICI Pru NASDAQ 100 Index Fund Direct Growth Plan	32.61%	29.92%	Data not available
Tata Nifty Capital Markets Index Fund Direct Growth Plan	25.91%	Data not available	Data not available
Motilal Oswal Nifty Capital Market Index Fund Direct Growth Plan	21.71%	Data not available	Data not available
Motilal Oswal Nifty MidSmall Financial Services Index Fund Direct Growth Plan	20.15%	Data not available	Data not available
ICICI Pru Nifty Pharma Index Fund Direct Growth Plan	18.11%	18.92%	Data not available

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

On 1-year performance, the fund trails the stronger equity-oriented peer returns in this set, but that comparison should be read carefully because those peers are from different market segments. Within this table, the fund’s appeal is less about chasing headline upside and more about delivering a steadier debt-style return profile.

The 3-year and 5-year comparison is less informative because the fund does not yet have those records, while only some peers do. That means the short-term comparison tells a more complete story than the longer-horizon view. For readers, the important distinction is that this fund has shown modest positive returns, while several peers have produced much higher one-year numbers in stronger growth-oriented categories.

Our view is that the peer table reinforces the same message as the performance section: this is not a return-leader by design, but a more defensive short-duration debt allocation with limited history and a lower-variance profile.

Source data date: as of 15 Sep 2026

Portfolio: where your money goes

Holding	Sector	Weight
Bank of Baroda	Certificate of Deposit	8.34%
7.905% Tata Capital Limited **	Corporate Debt	7.08%
7.55% REC Limited **	Corporate Debt	7.07%
6.4% LIC Housing Finance Limited	Corporate Debt	7.06%
Indian Bank **	Certificate of Deposit	7%
Small Industries Dev Bank of India **	Certificate of Deposit	6.98%
Bajaj Finance Limited **	Commercial Paper	6.97%
HDFC Bank Limited **	Certificate of Deposit	6.97%
Axis Bank Limited **	Certificate of Deposit	6.95%
Punjab National Bank	Certificate of Deposit	6.94%

The largest holding is Bank of Baroda at 8.34%, and the rest of the top ten sits in a narrow band just below that level. The drop from the largest holding to the tenth is only 1.40 percentage points, so the top slice is spread fairly evenly rather than dominated by a single oversized position.

That balance may help keep any one security from exerting too much influence on the portfolio’s day-to-day movement. At the same time, the disclosed holdings still look focused: the top ten account for approximately 71.36% of the portfolio, and the fund shows 18 disclosed holdings in total. In our view, that points to a meaningful degree of concentration despite the fairly even weights within the top group.

Because the disclosed book is centred on certificates of deposit, corporate debt and commercial paper, the portfolio may behave more like a short-tenure credit allocation than a broad market proxy. To see all holdings, visit the Bandhan CRISIL-IBX Financial Services 3-6 Months Debt Index Fund Direct Growth Plan page

Source data date: as of 15 Sep 2026

Who should invest

This fund may suit investors with a moderate tolerance for debt-market movement who want short-duration exposure rather than high-return pursuit. The Balanced Risk label suggests that the portfolio is not designed for extreme swings, but the return profile also shows that gains have been modest.

The better fit is likely to be an investor with a short to medium horizon who values stability and a controlled credit mix. The key trade-off is simple: you may accept lower upside in exchange for a steadier path that has recently held up better than the benchmark.

Because the fund has a limited history, the 1-year record matters more than the unavailable longer record. That makes it more suitable as a measured debt allocation than as a core return engine.

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 15 Sep 2026

Frequently asked questions

What is the current NAV of Bandhan CRISIL-IBX Financial Services 3-6 Months Debt Index Fund Direct Growth Plan?

The current NAV is ₹11.1102 as of 15 September 2026.

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

The 1-year return is 6.97%. The 3-year and 5-year returns are not available.

How has the fund performed versus the benchmark?

It has done better than the benchmark across the available periods. For example, the fund is up 6.97% over 1 year while the benchmark is down 8.27%.

How does it compare with the peer funds listed here?

Its 1-year return is lower than the stronger equity-oriented peer returns shown in the comparison table, while the fund does not yet have 3-year or 5-year figures. That makes the comparison useful for context, but not as a like-for-like measure across different fund categories.

Is there a minimum SIP requirement?

Yes. The minimum SIP amount is ₹100.

Who manages the fund and what is the exit load?

The fund is managed by Brijesh Shah and Harshal Joshi. The exit load is nil, so no exit charge applies when units are sold.

Bottom line

This fund’s short-term return profile is more encouraging than its longer-horizon record, which is still unavailable. It has also stayed ahead of the benchmark on the periods we can compare, but the absolute return level remains modest. The portfolio is built around debt instruments and has a fairly even spread across the largest holdings, even though the disclosed book is still reasonably concentrated. Our view is that this suits investors looking for controlled short-duration debt exposure rather than strong upside.

Published on 16 September 2026 at 2:45 PM IST

Explore mutual funds with Univest

Review mutual fund data, compare performance and explore fund insights on Univest.

Explore Univest

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.