

Sebi's new rules push AMCs to innovate: Is this the golden age for passive funds in India?
₹5.24 trillion as of January, according to data from the Association of Mutual Funds of India (Amfi). Over the past year, there were 37 new fund offers in these categories, compared with 19 across the broader equity segment.While Sebi permits only one scheme per category in most equity segments, there is currently no limit on the number of sectoral and thematic funds that an AMC can launch. This had led to a surge in offerings built around similar stocks packaged under different narratives.With the 50% cap in place, maintaining multiple differentiated active strategies within a constrained universe may prove difficult.
Passive funds, by contrast, offer a clearer template. They can be launched in three categories—index funds, exchange-traded funds (ETFs) and Fund of Funds (FoFs).Index funds construct a portfolio that replicates a market index by holding the same securities in the same weights, without the fund manager actively rebalancing them based on market or sector views. ETFs can be launched in equity, debt and commodity variants.
FoFs invest in a portfolio of other funds rather than directly in stocks, bonds or other securities.“Ideation is more open in passives. Categorization has restricted fund launches. But mutual funds can innovate in passives.
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