Best Momentum Funds in India (2026)
Live · updated 2026-09-16 Ranked by data, refreshed from daily NAVs
Every momentum-strategy fund in India in one place: the Nifty 200 Momentum 30 and Midcap 150 Momentum 50 index trackers, the Alpha 50 and Alpha Low-Volatility factor funds, and the new active momentum funds - ranked by their last 12 months, because recent strength is the entire premise of the strategy. This page exists because these funds are scattered across the official categories and impossible to compare anywhere else. 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 | Motilal Oswal Active Momentum Fund | 96 | n/a | 6.6% | 27.4% | 26.1% | n/a | n/a | n/a | 1.06 | n/a | -15.8% |
| 2 | Union Active Momentum Fund | 88 | n/a | 5.2% | 23.1% | 16.9% | n/a | n/a | n/a | -0.28 | n/a | -26.6% |
| 3 | Samco Active Momentum Fund | 91 | 56 | 8.5% | 25.8% | 13.3% | 14.9% | n/a | n/a | 0.48 | n/a | -24.7% |
| 4 | Nippon India Active Momentum Fund | 69 | n/a | 2.3% | 10.6% | 8.8% | n/a | n/a | n/a | 0.64 | n/a | -11.8% |
| 5 | quant Momentum Fund | 62 | n/a | -0.6% | 12.1% | 8.0% | n/a | n/a | n/a | 0.55 | n/a | -22.7% |
| 6 | Kotak Active Momentum Fund | 68 | n/a | 2.6% | 11.4% | 7.0% | n/a | n/a | n/a | n/a | n/a | -13.2% |
| 7 | Bandhan Nifty Alpha 50 Index Fund | 92 | n/a | 2.7% | 15.0% | 6.2% | n/a | n/a | n/a | 0.29 | n/a | -31.8% |
| 8 | ICICI Prudential Active Momentum Fund | 48 | n/a | -0.9% | 5.6% | 5.7% | n/a | n/a | n/a | n/a | n/a | -10.6% |
| 9 | Mirae Asset Nifty Smallcap 250 Momentum Quality 100 ETF Fund of Fund | 74 | n/a | 4.7% | 19.0% | 3.9% | n/a | n/a | n/a | -0.21 | n/a | -30.7% |
| 10 | Aditya Birla Sun Life BSE 500 Momentum 50 Index Fund | 77 | n/a | 1.0% | 7.2% | 2.8% | n/a | n/a | n/a | n/a | n/a | -15.0% |
| 11 | Mirae Asset Nifty MidSmallcap400 Momentum Quality 100 ETF Fund of Fund | 42 | n/a | -1.4% | 10.3% | 2.5% | n/a | n/a | n/a | -0.25 | n/a | -26.0% |
| 12 | Nippon India Nifty 500 Momentum 50 Index Fund | 56 | n/a | -1.1% | 7.8% | 2.4% | n/a | n/a | n/a | -0.71 | n/a | -31.7% |
| 13 | Axis Nifty500 Momentum 50 Index Fund | 54 | n/a | -1.6% | 8.9% | 1.9% | n/a | n/a | n/a | 0.08 | n/a | -16.9% |
| 14 | Motilal Oswal Nifty 500 Momentum 50 Index Fund | 48 | n/a | -1.7% | 7.1% | 1.4% | n/a | n/a | n/a | -0.71 | n/a | -31.6% |
| 15 | Edelweiss Nifty Midcap150 Momentum 50 Index Fund | 42 | 56 | -2.8% | 5.8% | 1.1% | 14.1% | n/a | n/a | 0.36 | 23.0% | -25.8% |
This list returns: 1 month to 10 years𝕏 Share this statWhatsApp
Over the last 1 year, the funds on this list averaged 3.1% - the best, Motilal Oswal Active Momentum Fund, returned 26.1% 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 | -3.3% | -3.6% | Samco Active Momentum Fund (1.5%) | -5.2% |
| 3 months | -0.4% | -1.0% | Samco Active Momentum Fund (8.5%) | -5.0% |
| 6 months | 8.9% | 7.2% | Motilal Oswal Active Momentum Fund (27.4%) | 1.1% |
| 1 year | 3.1% | 1.7% | Motilal Oswal Active Momentum Fund (26.1%) | -4.3% |
| 3 years (CAGR) | 10.9% | 9.5% | Samco Active Momentum Fund (14.9%) | 9.0% |
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 | 3.1% a year | ₹103,100 | ₹126,100 |
| 3 years | 10.9% a year | ₹136,400 | ₹151,700 |
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 | 26 |
| Combined assets | ₹22,968 Cr |
| Average 3-year return | 10.9% a year (best 14.9%, weakest 9.0%) |
| Average 5-year return | 8.7% a year |
| Average worst-ever fall | -24.8% (deepest: -31.9%) |
| Average expense ratio (Direct) | 0.58% |
| Largest fund by assets | UTI Nifty 200 Momentum 30 Index Fund (₹6,402 Cr) |
Put the risk number in rupees: at the average worst fall of -24.8%, ₹1 lakh temporarily becomes about ₹75,200. 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, 3 of the 26 funds here rate RS 90 or above (top-decile recent momentum versus peers). The strongest momentum belongs to Motilal Oswal Active Momentum Fund (RS 96/99). Average return over the last 3 months: -0.4%; over 6 months: 8.9%. 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 momentum fund: four checks
- Momentum is a cyclical factor - it leads for years, then gives back a chunk in weeks when the market turns. Size it as a satellite.
- Compare the index versions first: same factor, known rules, lower cost. An active momentum fund must beat them to justify its fee.
- Watch the 1-year column against the Nifty: when most of this page trails the index, the factor is in a winter - that is information, not noise.
- Check fund age - most of these launched after 2021 and have never lived through a full momentum crash.
Every fund carries a 1-99 momentum rank against its own category, recomputed daily - plus an RS line charting the fund against its benchmark, so you can see leadership starting or fading.
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, decoded
- Motilal Oswal Active Momentum Fund (Sectoral/ Thematic) - RS 96/99 right now. Sharpe 1.06.
- Union Active Momentum Fund (Sectoral/ Thematic) - RS 88/99 right now. Sharpe -0.28.
- Samco Active Momentum Fund (Sectoral/ Thematic) - King Score 56/100, RS 91/99 right now. 3-year return 14.9% a year, against a worst-ever fall of 24.7% (₹1 lakh briefly ₹75,300). Sharpe 0.48.
- Nippon India Active Momentum Fund (Sectoral/ Thematic) - RS 69/99 right now. Sharpe 0.64.
- quant Momentum Fund (Sectoral/ Thematic) - RS 62/99 right now. Sharpe 0.55.
- Kotak Active Momentum Fund (Sectoral/ Thematic) - RS 68/99 right now.
- Bandhan Nifty Alpha 50 Index Fund (Index Funds) - RS 92/99 right now. Sharpe 0.29.
- ICICI Prudential Active Momentum Fund (Sectoral/ Thematic) - RS 48/99 right now.
- Mirae Asset Nifty Smallcap 250 Momentum Quality 100 ETF Fund of Fund (FoF Domestic) - RS 74/99 right now. Sharpe -0.21.
- Aditya Birla Sun Life BSE 500 Momentum 50 Index Fund (Equity Funds) - RS 77/99 right now.
Frequently asked questions
Which is the best momentum fund right now?
On our data-driven ranking as of 2026-09-16, Motilal Oswal Active Momentum Fund scores highest. 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.
What is a momentum fund?
A fund that buys what has been going up. Index versions track rule-based baskets like the Nifty 200 Momentum 30 (the 30 strongest large caps by 6- and 12-month risk-adjusted returns, rebalanced twice a year); active versions let a manager run the same idea with discretion. The strategy has a long academic record and a brutal weakness: momentum crashes, when the factor reverses violently after market bottoms.
Are momentum funds good for SIP?
They are volatile, high-turnover strategies whose factor goes through multi-year winters - a SIP smooths the entry but not the strategy risk. The data-honest framing: treat momentum funds as a satellite allocation beside a core fund, not as the core itself.
Momentum index fund vs our RS Rating - same thing?
Same family. The index funds BUY high-momentum stocks; our RS Rating MEASURES which funds currently have high momentum. A momentum index fund with a low RS Rating means the momentum factor itself is out of favour right now - which this page makes visible.
What is the average 1-year return of momentum funds right now?
As of 2026-09-16, the 26 qualifying funds averaged 3.1% over the last year (median 1.7%). The best, Motilal Oswal Active Momentum Fund, returned 26.1%; 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 schemes whose mandate is a momentum or alpha factor (by index or active strategy), AUM above Rs 50 crore, ordered by 1-year return - the factor's own yardstick. 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.
More rankings
See which funds are leading right now
Every fund carries a 1-99 momentum rank against its own category, recomputed daily - plus an RS line charting the fund against its benchmark, so you can see leadership starting or fading.
- 8,000+ funds, updated daily
- Candlestick charts & RS Rating
- Point-in-time backtesting
- Portfolio Doctor on your CAS
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.