Franklin India Banking & PSU Debt Fund Direct Growth Review 2026: NAV, Returns, Portfolio & Should You Invest?

Franklin India Banking & PSU Debt Fund Direct Growth Plan has an NAV of ₹25.3272 as of 10 Sep 2026 and manages ₹567 Cr. Its 1-year, 3-year and 5-year returns are 6.69%, 7.58% and 6.45%, and the scheme carries a Balanced Risk tag. Our view is that it fits investors looking for a debt allocation with a relatively steady return profile, but with exposure that can still move around when interest-rate expectations change.

The fund is not designed to look like a cash-like parking option. The portfolio leans heavily on banking, PSU and other high-quality debt instruments, so the return pattern has been stable rather than dramatic. That makes it more relevant for investors who want income-oriented debt exposure and can hold through shorter swings.

Quick facts

Particular	Details
NAV	₹25.3272 as of 10 Sep 2026
AUM	₹567 Cr
Expense Ratio	0.19%
Launch Date	25 Apr 2014
Min SIP	₹500
Risk Category	Balanced Risk
Benchmark	Nifty 50
Fund Category	Debt
Exit Load	No exit load
Fund Managers	Chandni Gupta, Anuj Tagra, Sandeep Manam

The fund is managed by Chandni Gupta, Anuj Tagra and Sandeep Manam.

Source data date: as of 10 Sep 2026

Performance

Period	Fund return	Benchmark return
1M	0.46%	-4.06%
3M	2.05%	1.37%
1Y	6.69%	-7.31%
3Y	7.58%	6.07%
5Y	6.45%	5.91%

The recent profile is better than the benchmark, especially over 1 month and 1 year. The 1-year gap is meaningful: the fund stayed positive while the benchmark was negative, which tells us the scheme has handled the recent environment better than the comparison index.

The 3-month figure also points to a modest improvement in short-term momentum. It is still a debt fund, so we do not read this as a high-beta recovery story, but as evidence of a relatively orderly return path with limited drawdowns compared with the benchmark’s weaker 1-year showing.

Looking further out, the 3-year and 5-year numbers stay consistently positive and remain ahead of the benchmark in both periods. That is important because it suggests the fund has not relied only on a single recent stretch; it has compounded at a steady pace across multiple cycles.

The daily pattern also looks smoother than an equity-like fund and does not show sharp jumps. For investors, that usually means the main question is not whether the fund can chase aggressive upside, but whether its steadier compounding and debt-oriented structure fit the role it is meant to play in a portfolio.

Source data date: as of 10 Sep 2026

Should you BUY or HOLD Franklin India Banking & PSU Debt?

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 Franklin India Banking & PSU Debt? Thinking of investing now?

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Peer comparison

Fund	1Y return	3Y return	5Y return
Franklin India Banking & PSU Debt Fund Direct Growth Plan	6.69%	7.58%	6.45%
TRUSTMF Banking & PSU Fund Direct Growth Plan	7.26%	7.52%	6.17%
UTI Banking & PSU Debt Fund Direct Growth Plan	6.27%	7.46%	7.72%
Bandhan Banking and PSU Debt Fund Direct Growth Plan	6.03%	7.21%	6.25%
ICICI Pru Banking and PSU Debt Fund Direct Growth Plan	6%	7.38%	6.7%

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

The fund’s 1-year return sits between the stronger short-term peer result and the weaker ones, so recent performance looks broadly competitive rather than exceptional. The 3-year number is also close to the peer cluster, which suggests the scheme has kept pace with this group over a medium horizon.

The main contrast appears at 5 years. The fund is ahead of some peers on the longer measure, but it trails UTI Banking & PSU Debt Fund Direct Growth Plan, which shows a stronger 5-year outcome. That means the longer record is solid, yet not the most powerful in this peer set.

Overall, the short-term and long-term comparisons tell a slightly different story: recent returns are good, while the longer record is steady but mixed relative to peers with available numbers.

Source data date: as of 10 Sep 2026

Portfolio: where your money goes

Holding	Sector	Weight
7.66% Maharashtra SDL (04-Mar-2047)	Government Securities	5.65%
7.56% India Infrastructure Finance Co Ltd (20-Mar-2028) **	Corporate Debt	5.51%
7.70% National Bank for Agriculture & Rural Development (30-Sep-2027) **	Corporate Debt	4.73%
7.65% Axis Bank Ltd (30-Jan-2027) **	Corporate Debt	4.61%
Mahindra & Mahindra Financial Services Ltd (3M Tbill + 210BPS) (18-May-2029) ** $	Corporate Debt	4.49%
HDFC Bank Ltd (19-Nov-2026) **	Certificate of Deposit	4.35%
Indian Bank (04-Dec-2026)	Certificate of Deposit	4.34%
Small Industries Development Bank of India (04-Dec-2026) **	Certificate of Deposit	4.34%
Bank of Baroda (06-Jan-2027) **	Certificate of Deposit	4.31%
Kotak Mahindra Bank Ltd (08-Jan-2027)	Certificate of Deposit	4.31%

The top 10 holdings account for approximately 46.64% of the portfolio.

To see all holdings, visit the Franklin India Banking & PSU Debt Fund Direct Growth Plan page

The largest holding is 7.66% Maharashtra SDL (04-Mar-2047) at 5.65%, which is sizeable but not dominant. The tenth holding is still 4.31%, so the drop from the first to the tenth position is moderate rather than steep.

That shape suggests a portfolio that spreads risk across multiple debt instruments instead of leaning heavily on one name. With 31 disclosed holdings and 46.64% represented by the top 10, the visible book may still have a meaningful tail beyond the largest positions.

For investors, this structure could mean the fund’s return pattern is influenced by several holdings rather than a single security. That usually supports a more balanced credit and rate profile, although the fund can still move with changes in bond-market conditions.

Source data date: as of 10 Sep 2026

Who should invest

This fund suits investors who are comfortable with debt-fund fluctuations and want a return profile that has stayed positive across 1-year, 3-year and 5-year periods. The Balanced Risk tag fits someone seeking a measured allocation rather than a very conservative parking place.

Our view is that the fund is more appropriate for a medium- to long-term horizon, where its steadier compounding can matter more than short-term month-to-month movement. The key trade-off is that you get a relatively orderly debt-style return path, but you must accept that performance can still diverge from a simple benchmark when rates and credit conditions shift.

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 10 Sep 2026

Frequently asked questions

What is the current NAV of Franklin India Banking & PSU Debt Fund Direct Growth Plan?
Its NAV is ₹25.3272 as of 10 Sep 2026.

What are the fund’s 1-year, 3-year and 5-year returns?
The returns are 6.69% for 1 year, 7.58% for 3 years and 6.45% for 5 years.

How has it done versus the benchmark?
It has outperformed the benchmark across 1 month, 3 months, 1 year, 3 years and 5 years. The clearest gap is at 1 year, where the fund stayed positive while the benchmark was negative.

How does it compare with peer funds on return data?
Its 1-year and 3-year returns are broadly competitive with the peer group, while its 5-year result is solid but not the strongest among the available peer figures. The comparison is therefore mixed rather than one-sided.

What is the minimum SIP amount?
The minimum SIP amount is ₹500.

Who manages the fund and what is the exit load?
The fund is managed by Chandni Gupta, Anuj Tagra and Sandeep Manam. There is no exit load.

Bottom line

Franklin India Banking & PSU Debt Fund Direct Growth Plan has combined a steadier long-term record with a respectable recent showing, and its returns have stayed ahead of the benchmark across all the periods shown. Its peer comparison is more balanced: recent results are competitive, while the longer record is good but not uniformly superior. The portfolio is spread across government securities, corporate debt and certificates of deposit, which may support a more measured risk profile for debt investors who want a moderate horizon and can accept market-linked movement.

Published on 11 September 2026 at 1:53 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.