Best Manufacturing & Industrials Funds in India (2026)
Live · updated 2026-09-16 Ranked by data, refreshed from daily NAVs
Every manufacturing fund we track, ranked by long-term quality. SEBI files all sector and theme funds into one 'Sectoral/Thematic' bucket, which is why these are almost impossible to compare anywhere else - this page pulls them out and ranks them against each other on the same numbers, recomputed daily. This page is recomputed from NAV data every day, so it cannot go stale, and every fund on it links to a full research page with returns, risk, SIP outcomes, holdings and manager track record.
Tap any column heading to sort. Every fund name links to its full review.
| # | Fund | RS | King | 3M | 6M | 1Y | 3Y CAGR | 5Y CAGR | 10Y CAGR | Sharpe | Roll 3Y | Worst fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | HDFC Defence Fund | 87 | 83 | 3.6% | 21.2% | 20.6% | 36.0% | n/a | n/a | 1.06 | n/a | -34.5% |
| 2 | Kotak Manufacture in India Fund | 81 | 83 | 5.2% | 15.6% | 14.3% | 19.1% | n/a | n/a | 0.76 | 22.2% | -22.3% |
| 3 | BANK OF INDIA Manufacturing & Infrastructure Fund | 78 | 77 | 1.5% | 15.8% | 15.7% | 20.8% | 20.1% | 19.4% | 0.78 | 20.4% | -43.5% |
| 4 | ICICI Prudential Manufacturing Fund | 53 | 74 | -1.3% | 9.7% | 6.3% | 18.4% | 18.2% | n/a | 0.7 | 26.2% | -37.6% |
| 5 | Aditya Birla Sun Life Manufacturing Equity Fund | 90 | 71 | 6.9% | 19.3% | 19.7% | 20.0% | 14.5% | 13.9% | 0.81 | 15.2% | -39.2% |
| 6 | quant Manufacturing Fund | 82 | 51 | 2.2% | 24.2% | 11.9% | 15.6% | n/a | n/a | 0.47 | n/a | -29.6% |
| 7 | Axis India Manufacturing Fund | 79 | n/a | 4.3% | 16.0% | 12.2% | n/a | n/a | n/a | 0.74 | n/a | -23.0% |
| 8 | LIC MF Manufacturing Fund | 76 | n/a | 1.5% | 16.8% | 11.8% | n/a | n/a | n/a | 0.04 | n/a | -22.2% |
| 9 | Baroda BNP Paribas Manufacturing Fund | 60 | n/a | -0.3% | 8.3% | 9.4% | n/a | n/a | n/a | -0.14 | n/a | -22.0% |
| 10 | Mahindra Manulife Manufacturing Fund | 74 | n/a | 3.6% | 12.9% | 8.7% | n/a | n/a | n/a | -0.17 | n/a | -23.2% |
| 11 | Canara Robeco Manufacturing Fund | 72 | n/a | 0.6% | 17.0% | 8.3% | n/a | n/a | n/a | 0.49 | n/a | -24.2% |
| 12 | Canara Robeco Manufacturing Fund | 72 | n/a | 0.6% | 17.0% | 8.2% | n/a | n/a | n/a | 0.49 | n/a | -24.2% |
| 13 | HDFC Manufacturing fund | 66 | n/a | 2.7% | 10.9% | 5.1% | n/a | n/a | n/a | 0.04 | n/a | -21.5% |
| 14 | Motilal Oswal Manufacturing Fund | 33 | n/a | -1.0% | 7.4% | -4.3% | n/a | n/a | n/a | -0.01 | n/a | -26.2% |
This list returns: 1 month to 10 years𝕏 Share this statWhatsApp
Over the last 1 year, the funds on this list averaged 10.6% - the best, HDFC Defence Fund, returned 20.6% while the weakest managed -4.3%. That spread is why picking within the funds on this list matters.
| Period | Average | Median | Best fund | Weakest |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 month | -3.9% | -3.7% | Kotak Manufacture in India Fund (-2.3%) | -6.1% |
| 3 months | 2.2% | 1.9% | Aditya Birla Sun Life Manufacturing Equity Fund (6.9%) | -1.3% |
| 6 months | 15.2% | 15.9% | quant Manufacturing Fund (24.2%) | 7.4% |
| 1 year | 10.6% | 10.6% | HDFC Defence Fund (20.6%) | -4.3% |
| 3 years (CAGR) | 21.7% | 19.6% | HDFC Defence Fund (36.0%) | 15.6% |
| 5 years (CAGR) | 17.6% | 18.2% | BANK OF INDIA Manufacturing & Infrastructure Fund (20.1%) | 14.5% |
Averages across every qualifying fund, refreshed daily. Best-fund links open that fund's full review.
What ₹1 lakh became
The same returns, translated into money - at the average pace and at the best fund's pace:
| Held for | Average pace | ₹1 lakh → (average) | ₹1 lakh → (best fund) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 year | 10.6% a year | ₹110,600 | ₹120,600 |
| 3 years | 21.7% a year | ₹180,200 | ₹251,500 |
| 5 years | 17.6% a year | ₹224,900 | ₹249,900 |
Pre-tax, from historical returns. The averages smooth over a very bumpy ride - see the worst-fall column in the ranking above for what the journey involved.
This list by the numbers
| Funds that qualify | 14 |
| Combined assets | ₹43,924 Cr |
| Average 3-year return | 21.7% a year (best 36.0%, weakest 15.6%) |
| Average 5-year return | 17.6% a year |
| Average worst-ever fall | -28.1% (deepest: -43.5%) |
| Average expense ratio (Direct) | 0.82% |
| Largest fund by assets | HDFC Manufacturing fund (₹10,338 Cr) |
Put the risk number in rupees: at the average worst fall of -28.1%, ₹1 lakh temporarily becomes about ₹71,900. That is the stretch every ranked fund's investors had to sit through at some point - the ranking rewards the funds that made that wait worthwhile.
Momentum check: what is hot right now
As of 2026-09-16, 1 of the 14 funds here rate RS 90 or above (top-decile recent momentum versus peers). The strongest momentum belongs to Aditya Birla Sun Life Manufacturing Equity Fund (RS 90/99). Average return over the last 3 months: 2.2%; over 6 months: 15.2%. Momentum is a snapshot, not a ranking criterion here - but it tells you whether this corner of the market is currently in favour.
Before you pick a manufacturing fund: four checks
- Size it as a satellite, not a core - one theme failing should not decide your year.
- Check the worst-fall column against a diversified fund before you buy the returns column.
- Ask whether you are early or late in the theme - a sector at the top of the 1-year table has usually already run.
- Watch overlap: a banking fund and a large-cap fund can hold many of the same names.
20 years of NAV history in weekly candles, with EMAs, RSI, MACD, Bollinger bands and a drawdown view - on every one of 8,000+ funds. Nobody else in Indian mutual funds draws these.
How to read the table
RS (1-99) is recent momentum versus category peers - 99 is the hottest right now. King (0-100) is the long-term quality composite this list is ranked by. 3M/6M are recent returns; 3Y and 5Y CAGR are annualised longer records. Sharpe is return earned per unit of volatility - higher means smoother compounding. Roll 3Y is the median of every 3-year holding period in the fund's history, the fairest single return number a fund has. Worst fall is the deepest peak-to-bottom loss ever - the number that tests whether you would have stayed invested. Missing values show as n/a, usually because the fund is too young for that measurement.
The top 10, decoded𝕏 Share this statWhatsApp
- HDFC Defence Fund (Sectoral/ Thematic) - King Score 83/100, RS 87/99 right now. 3-year return 36.0% a year, against a worst-ever fall of 34.5% (₹1 lakh briefly ₹65,500). Sharpe 1.06.
- Kotak Manufacture in India Fund (Sectoral/ Thematic) - King Score 83/100, RS 81/99 right now. 3-year return 19.1% a year, against a worst-ever fall of 22.3% (₹1 lakh briefly ₹77,700). Median 3-year rolling return 22.2%, sharpe 0.76.
- BANK OF INDIA Manufacturing & Infrastructure Fund (Sectoral/ Thematic) - King Score 77/100, RS 78/99 right now. 3-year return 20.8% a year, against a worst-ever fall of 43.5% (₹1 lakh briefly ₹56,500). 5-year pace 20.1% a year, median 3-year rolling return 20.4%, sharpe 0.78.
- ICICI Prudential Manufacturing Fund (Sectoral/ Thematic) - King Score 74/100, RS 53/99 right now. 3-year return 18.4% a year, against a worst-ever fall of 37.6% (₹1 lakh briefly ₹62,400). 5-year pace 18.2% a year, median 3-year rolling return 26.2%, sharpe 0.7.
- Aditya Birla Sun Life Manufacturing Equity Fund (Sectoral/ Thematic) - King Score 71/100, RS 90/99 right now. 3-year return 20.0% a year, against a worst-ever fall of 39.2% (₹1 lakh briefly ₹60,800). 5-year pace 14.5% a year, median 3-year rolling return 15.2%, sharpe 0.81.
- quant Manufacturing Fund (Sectoral/ Thematic) - King Score 51/100, RS 82/99 right now. 3-year return 15.6% a year, against a worst-ever fall of 29.6% (₹1 lakh briefly ₹70,400). Sharpe 0.47.
- Axis India Manufacturing Fund (Sectoral/ Thematic) - RS 79/99 right now. Sharpe 0.74.
- LIC MF Manufacturing Fund (Sectoral/ Thematic) - RS 76/99 right now. Sharpe 0.04.
- Baroda BNP Paribas Manufacturing Fund (Sectoral/ Thematic) - RS 60/99 right now. Sharpe -0.14.
- Mahindra Manulife Manufacturing Fund (Sectoral/ Thematic) - RS 74/99 right now. Sharpe -0.17.
Frequently asked questions
Which is the best manufacturing fund right now?
On our data-driven ranking as of 2026-09-16, HDFC Defence Fund scores highest (King Score 83/100). That is a description of its record versus peers, not a recommendation - rankings move as NAVs update, and the right fund depends on your goals and risk tolerance.
Should a sector fund be a core holding?
The data says treat it as a satellite. A sector fund concentrates into one slice of the economy, so it can lead for years and then lag for years - the drawdown column on this page is usually deeper than a diversified fund's. Most investors who use these size them small beside a diversified core.
Sector funds top the 1-year charts - why not just buy the leader?
Because that is usually when the cycle is mature. A sector's best 12 months are often the 12 months before its worst. That is exactly why this page ranks on King Score - long-term quality including drawdown and consistency - rather than on the last year alone.
Do these funds have higher risk than diversified funds?
Structurally yes: fewer stocks, one economic driver, no mandate to rotate away when the theme turns. Check the worst-fall column against a flexi cap fund's and the difference is usually plain.
What is the average 1-year return of manufacturing funds right now?
As of 2026-09-16, the 14 qualifying funds averaged 10.6% over the last year (median 10.6%). The best, HDFC Defence Fund, returned 20.6%; the weakest returned -4.3%. One year is weather, not climate - check the 5 and 10 year columns before drawing conclusions.
How is this list ranked?
Direct-Growth sector and theme schemes matched on mandate, AUM above Rs 50 crore, ranked by King Score (3Y return, consistency, drawdown and Sharpe percentiles within category), then by 1-year return where a fund is too young to score. The full formulas are public - see our methodology page. No fund pays to be here and rankings cannot be bought.
Should I invest in the #1 fund on this list?
We cannot tell you that - MF Terminal is descriptive research, not investment advice. A top rank says the past record was strong versus peers. Read the fund's full page, check the drawdowns you would have to sit through, and decide against your own horizon.
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All figures pre-tax, from AMFI NAV history. Rankings are descriptive and change with the data. Nothing here is investment advice or a recommendation to buy, sell or hold any fund. Past performance does not guarantee future returns.