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

HDFC BSE India Sector Leaders Index Fund Direct Growth Plan currently has a NAV of ₹9.1405 as of 16 Sep 2026 and an AUM of ₹173 Cr. Its 1-year, 3-year and 5-year returns are 0%, 0% and 0%, and it sits in the High Risk category. Our view is that this is a new index strategy with limited live history, so the available numbers matter more than long-run assumptions.

The fund is best seen as a high-volatility equity option for investors who want sector-leader exposure and can wait through periods when performance does not yet separate clearly from the benchmark.

Quick facts

Particular	Details
NAV	₹9.1405 as of 16 Sep 2026
AUM	₹173 Cr
Expense Ratio	0.0%
Launch Date	26 Nov 2025
Min SIP	₹100
Risk Category	High Risk
Benchmark	Nifty 50
Exit Load	No exit load
Fund Managers	Arun Agarwal, Nandita Menezes

The fund is managed by Arun Agarwal and Nandita Menezes.

Source data date: as of 16 Sep 2026

Performance

Period	Fund return	Benchmark return
1M	-5.4%	-4.41%
3M	-2.69%	-3.6%
1Y	0%	Data not available
3Y	Data not available	Data not available
5Y	Data not available	Data not available

Recent performance has been choppy, with the fund trailing the benchmark over 1 month but doing better over 3 months. That mixed short-term pattern suggests the portfolio can move sharply with market conditions, which is consistent with a fresh sector-leader index strategy still finding its rhythm.

Because the fund was launched only in late 2025, the longer-dated return rows do not yet tell an operating history story. The 1-year figure is still effectively a placeholder for a fund that has not built a full public track record, so it is better to rely on the shorter windows and the portfolio structure when assessing fit.

Against the benchmark, the fund has been slightly weaker in the latest month but somewhat steadier over three months. That tells us the gap between the fund and the index is currently modest, yet it is not smooth enough to frame as a consistently defensive outcome.

For investors, the main takeaway is that this is a high-risk equity fund where the recent pattern matters more than any long-run compounding claim. The available history points to a strategy that can participate in market moves but may also experience quick reversals, so patience and volatility tolerance matter more than chasing a neat performance line.

Source data date: as of 16 Sep 2026

Should you BUY or HOLD HDFC 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.

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Peer comparison

Fund	1Y return	3Y return	5Y return
HDFC BSE India Sector Leaders Index Fund Direct Growth Plan	0%	Data not available	Data not available
Baroda BNP Paribas Gold ETF FoF Direct Growth Plan	34.39%	Data not available	Data not available
HDFC Innovation Fund Direct Growth Plan	14.3%	Data not available	Data not available
Bajaj Finserv Small Cap Fund Direct Growth Plan	13.33%	Data not available	Data not available
Quant Equity Savings Fund Direct Growth Plan	8.75%	Data not available	Data not available
Kotak Active Momentum Fund Direct Growth Plan	6.31%	Data not available	Data not available

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

The current fund’s 1-year figure is far below the strongest recent peer numbers in this set, although the comparison is not apples-to-apples because the peer list includes funds with very different mandates. What matters more is that the fund’s own short track record is still thin, so peers with published one-year figures provide a clearer picture of how varied recent equity outcomes have been.

On the longer side, the table does not yet provide usable 3-year or 5-year peer data for this group, which keeps the focus on short-horizon behaviour. That means the current fund is not being judged against long compounding records here; it is being judged on how much evidence it has built so far, and the evidence remains limited.

Source data date: as of 16 Sep 2026

Portfolio: where your money goes

Holding	Sector	Weight
ICICI Bank Ltd.	Bank	5.35%
Bharti Airtel Ltd.	Telecom	4.91%
Reliance Industries Ltd.	Crude Oil	4.86%
Larsen and Toubro Ltd.	Infrastructure	4.82%
HDFC Bank Ltd.£	Bank	4.53%
State Bank of India	Bank	4.5%
Infosys Limited	IT	4.02%
Mahindra & Mahindra Ltd.	Automobile & Ancillaries	3.04%
ITC Limited	FMCG	2.53%
Tata Consultancy Services Ltd.	IT	2.45%

The top 10 holdings account for approximately 41.01% of the portfolio.

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

The largest holding, ICICI Bank Ltd., carries a 5.35% weight, which is meaningful but not overpowering for a single stock. The drop from the first holding to the tenth is fairly gradual, moving from 5.35% to 2.45%, so the disclosed book does not look dominated by one outsized position.

The top 10 positions together account for 41.01% of the portfolio, while 60 holdings are disclosed overall. That combination suggests a spread-out structure with a long tail rather than a tightly concentrated portfolio, although the leading names may still have greater influence on short-term moves.

Several banks appear among the largest positions, alongside telecom, infrastructure, IT, consumer and industrial names. That mix may help diversify company-specific risk, but it also means the fund’s sector-leader approach can still be affected by shifts in a few large market themes.

Source data date: as of 16 Sep 2026

Who should invest

This fund suits investors who are comfortable with High Risk exposure and who can stay invested through uneven short-term performance. The limited live history means it is more suitable for people who want to follow the strategy over a longer horizon rather than judge it on a few months of movement.

The trade-off is straightforward: you get a diversified basket of sector leaders, but you also accept that the fund can lag the benchmark in some short windows and still not yet have a full multi-year record to lean on. Investors who want a steadier outcome profile may find that uncomfortable, while those who can tolerate volatility may view it as a structured equity exposure.

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 16 Sep 2026

Frequently asked questions

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

The current NAV is ₹9.1405 as of 16 Sep 2026.

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

Its 1-year, 3-year and 5-year returns are 0%, 0% and 0%.

How does the fund compare with its benchmark recently?

It has trailed the benchmark over 1 month but done better over 3 months. That points to mixed short-term behaviour rather than a steady lead over the index.

What are the top peer return figures available for comparison?

Among the peer funds listed, Baroda BNP Paribas Gold ETF FoF Direct Growth Plan shows 34.39% for 1 year, HDFC Innovation Fund Direct Growth Plan shows 14.3%, Bajaj Finserv Small Cap Fund Direct Growth Plan shows 13.33%, Quant Equity Savings Fund Direct Growth Plan shows 8.75% and Kotak Active Momentum Fund Direct Growth Plan shows 6.31%.

Is there a minimum SIP for this fund?

Yes, the minimum SIP is ₹100.

Who manages the fund and what is the exit load?

The fund is managed by Arun Agarwal and Nandita Menezes. It has no exit load.

Bottom line

This fund has a very short live record, so the recent return pattern matters more than any long-term impression. The latest month was weaker than the benchmark, while the three-month window was slightly better, which makes the early behaviour look uneven rather than decisive. The portfolio is spread across 60 holdings, with the top 10 accounting for 41.01%, so it does not rely on one dominant stock. For investors who can accept High Risk equity exposure and wait through noise, it offers a clear sector-leader framework, but not yet a deep performance history.

Published on 17 September 2026 at 12:42 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.