Axis Strategic Bond Fund
Medium Duration Fund · Axis Asset Management Co. Ltd.
Among the 78 similar medium duration funds we track, this one has grown money faster than most. ₹1 lakh invested 5 years ago would be about ₹1.4 lakh today. Investing ₹10,000 every month for the last 10 years would have put in ₹12.1 lakh and grown it to about ₹18.1 lakh. Be warned: in its worst stretch, ₹1 lakh briefly shrank to about ₹92,670. Its ride has historically been comparatively steady.
New to fund research? Start with the 5-minute guide. The detailed numbers below back all of this up.Axis Strategic Bond Fund is a medium duration fund from Axis Asset Management Co. Ltd.. It has a track record of about 13.7 years. As of the latest data it carries an RS rating of 82/99 (its recent momentum versus category peers) and a King Score of 83/100 (a long-term quality composite). The current NAV is ₹33.34 (as of 2026-09-16).
Growth of ₹100 - last 5 years
Axis Strategic Bond Fund returns: last 1, 3, 5 and 10 years
| Period | This fund | Category average |
|---|---|---|
| 1 month | -0.2% | -0.28% |
| 3 months | 1.6% | 1.55% |
| 6 months | 3.4% | 3.17% |
| 1 year | 6.83% | 6.36% |
| 3 years (CAGR) | 8.34% | 8.0% |
| 5 years (CAGR) | 7.31% | 7.12% |
| 10 years (CAGR) | 7.88% | 6.7% |
The last 10 years return of Axis Strategic Bond Fund works out to 7.88% a year (CAGR) - ₹1 lakh invested 10 years ago would be about ₹2.1 lakh today. The last 5 years return is 7.31% a year (₹1 lakh → ₹1.4 lakh), and the last 3 years return is 8.34% - ahead of its category's 8.0% average by 0.3 points. Its trailing one-year return is 6.83%. Trailing returns flatter or disappoint depending on the end date you pick - the year-by-year and rolling-return sections below are a fairer read.
Year-by-year returns
| Year | Axis Strategic Bond Fu | Benchmark |
|---|---|---|
| 2018 | +7.4% | n/a |
| 2019 | +7.8% | n/a |
| 2020 | +11.3% | n/a |
| 2021 | +6.0% | n/a |
| 2022 | +4.5% | n/a |
| 2023 | +8.0% | n/a |
| 2024 | +9.4% | n/a |
| 2025 | +8.9% | n/a |
| 2026 | +4.5% | n/a |
Calendar-year returns show how bumpy the ride really was - an average hides the good years and the ugly ones.
What a monthly SIP in Axis Strategic Bond Fund would have made
A ₹10,000-a-month SIP, using this fund's actual NAV history. SIP returns (XIRR) differ from lumpsum CAGR because your money goes in gradually, averaging your entry price.
| SIP duration | You invested | It became | XIRR |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3 years | ₹370,000 | ₹416,806 | 7.89% |
| 5 years | ₹610,000 | ₹744,697 | 7.91% |
| 10 years | ₹1,210,000 | ₹1,806,285 | 7.77% |
Over 10 years, ₹1,210,000 invested in monthly instalments would have grown to about ₹1,806,285 - an XIRR of 7.77%. Figures are pre-tax and assume you stayed invested throughout.
Risk & drawdowns
| Measure | This fund | Category average |
|---|---|---|
| Worst drawdown (lifetime) | -7.33% | -9.52% |
| Worst drawdown (3Y) | -0.66% | -0.74% |
| Volatility (1Y) | 1.76% | 1.94% |
| Sharpe (3Y) | 1.41 | 0.93 |
| Bull-market return | 8.4% | 7.59% |
| Bear-market return | 8.8% | 5.82% |
Timing matters more than people admit: the best possible 1-year stretch in Axis Strategic Bond Fund (starting 2014-01-31) gained 17.9%, while the worst (starting 2021-06-14) still made 3.2%. The worst peak-to-bottom fall Axis Strategic Bond Fund has ever put investors through is -7.33% - the real test of whether you'd have stayed invested. In falling markets (Nifty below its 200-day average) it has returned about 8.8% annualised, versus 8.4% in rising markets.
How Axis Strategic Bond Fund behaves when markets fall
When the market is falling (the Nifty below its 200-day average), Axis Strategic Bond Fund has historically returned about 8.8% annualised, versus roughly 8.4% when the market is rising. Its deepest fall on record is -7.33%. Right now it sits about 0.2% below its all-time high (last hit 2026-08-14). The real question isn't the average year - it's whether you could hold on through the worst one.
How Axis Strategic Bond Fund ranks in its category
Percentile versus its ~78 category peers - 100th is best-in-class, 50th is average. This is the fairest apples-to-apples read.
Consistency (rolling returns)
| Measure | Value |
|---|---|
| Median 3Y rolling CAGR | 8.44% |
| 3Y windows positive | 100.0% |
| Worst 3Y window | 6.01% |
| Median 5Y rolling CAGR | 7.91% |
| Median 10Y rolling CAGR | 8.46% |
Instead of one lucky start date, rolling returns test every start date. Across all 3-year windows in its history, Axis Strategic Bond Fund returned a median of 8.44% a year, and 100.0% of those windows were positive.
Cost & fund basics
| Detail | Value |
|---|---|
| Exit load | ≈1% if redeemed within 1 year (typical) |
| Minimum investment | ₹100 |
| Fund size (AUM) | ₹1,131 Cr |
| Age | 13.7 years |
| Plan / Option | Direct · Growth |
How Axis Strategic Bond Fund compares to peers
| Fund | RS | King | 3Y CAGR |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kotak Medium Term Fund | 95 | 91 | 8.9% |
| ICICI Prudential Medium Term Bond Fund | 96 | 90 | 8.4% |
| HDFC Medium Term Debt Fund | 84 | 87 | 7.8% |
| HSBC Medium Duration Fund | 65 | 84 | 7.7% |
| Aditya Birla Sun Life Medium Term | 99 | 82 | 10.5% |
| Bandhan Medium Duration Fund | 81 | 80 | 7.5% |
Overlap warning: funds in the same category often own many of the same stocks - holding several rarely adds the diversification people expect.
What these numbers mean
RS rating (1-99) ranks a fund's recent momentum against its category - higher is stronger right now. King Score (0-100) is a long-term quality composite (returns, consistency, drawdown, risk-adjusted return) versus peers. Max drawdown is the worst peak-to-bottom fall the fund has ever experienced. Rolling returns test every possible start date, so one lucky (or unlucky) entry point can't distort the picture. Every formula behind this page is public - see how we calculate every number.
Axis Strategic Bond Fund review: the bottom line
Related
Frequently asked questions
Is Axis Strategic Bond Fund a good mutual fund?
That depends on your goals and risk tolerance - this is descriptive research, not advice. On the numbers, Axis Strategic Bond Fund scores 83/100 on our King Score and RS 82/99 within its category, has compounded 8.34% a year over three years, and its worst drawdown was -7.33%. Compare those against your needs and the peer table above.
What is the NAV of Axis Strategic Bond Fund today?
The latest NAV is ₹33.34 (as of 2026-09-16). NAV (net asset value) is the per-unit price of the fund, published every business day by the AMC.
What is the last 10 years return of Axis Strategic Bond Fund?
Over the last 10 years Axis Strategic Bond Fund has returned about 7.88% a year (CAGR). In rupees: ₹1 lakh invested 10 years ago would be roughly ₹2.1 lakh today, before tax. See the year-by-year table above for how uneven the ride was.
Is Axis Strategic Bond Fund safe? How risky is it?
No market-linked fund is 'safe' in the fixed-deposit sense - the honest question is how deep its falls get. Its worst historical drawdown was -7.33% - ₹1 lakh briefly becoming about ₹92,670. As a debt fund, its risk profile is typical of that category. Look at the drawdown, volatility and bear-market figures above and ask whether you could stay invested through the bad stretches.
Is Axis Strategic Bond Fund good for SIP?
We can't tell you what to do, but here is what actually happened: a ₹10,000 monthly SIP over the last 10 years grew ₹12.1 lakh into about ₹18.1 lakh (XIRR 7.77%). SIPs average your entry price, which helps most in funds that swing hard - check the crash-behaviour section above to see how it treats investors in bad markets.
What are the SIP returns of Axis Strategic Bond Fund?
A ₹10,000/month SIP over 10 years would have grown to about ₹1,806,285 (an XIRR of 7.77%) on ₹1,210,000 invested, using the fund's actual NAV history. See the SIP table above for other durations.
How does Axis Strategic Bond Fund rank among similar funds?
On 3-year returns it sits around the 90th percentile of its category, and its consistency ranks 79th percentile. 100th is best-in-class, 50th is average. See the category-ranking section above.
Is Axis Strategic Bond Fund tax-efficient / what about capital gains?
As a debt fund, gains follow the rules for its asset class - equity-oriented funds are taxed differently from debt. All returns on this page are pre-tax; your actual post-tax return depends on your holding period and slab. This is descriptive information, not tax advice.
Direct or Regular plan - which is shown here?
All figures on this page are for the Direct-Growth plan (no distributor commission, lower cost). Returns are pre-tax; capital-gains tax depends on your own holding period and slab.
See Axis Strategic Bond Fund live in the MF Terminal
Everything above is a static snapshot. The terminal is where you actually research it:
- Interactive price chart with EMAs & RSI
- The RS line plotted against its benchmark
- Full holdings, sector mix & portfolio overlap
- Point-in-time backtester & portfolio doctor
- Compare it side-by-side with any peer
- Screen 1,600+ funds on the same metrics
Data: AMFI NAV history, NSE indices, BSE StAR and monthly disclosures. All figures are pre-tax. Descriptive research and education only - nothing here is investment advice or a recommendation to buy, sell or hold any fund. Past performance does not guarantee future returns.