HDFC Mutual Fund · Direct Growth · SEBI Category: Equity
HDFC Defence Fund is India's largest dedicated defence sector fund — investing in companies directly involved in India's defence ecosystem. The fund covers defence PSUs (HAL, BEL, BDL, BEML, Bharat Forge, Cochin Shipyard, Mazagon Dock), private sector defence companies (L&T Defence, Data Patterns, Paras Defence) and defence-adjacent companies benefiting from indigenisation (electronics, materials, testing). The government's Make in India defence mandate provides structural multi-decade tailwind.
India's defence budget has crossed ₹6 lakh crore — with 75% mandated for domestic procurement. HAL is ramping up aircraft production, BEL is winning large electronic warfare contracts, and Mazagon Dock is one of the few shipyards globally capable of building advanced submarines. HDFC Defence Fund provides direct access to these companies through India's most trusted AMC framework.
Abhishek Poddar is Fund Manager at HDFC Mutual Fund and manages HDFC Defence Fund — one of India's first and largest dedicated defence sector funds. He brings sector-specific research expertise in defence — covering Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL), Bharat Electronics Limited (BEL), Bharat Dynamics Limited (BDL), Cochin Shipyard, Mazagon Dock and private sector defence companies like L&T and Paras Defence.
For current co-manager details and full biography, refer to the latest HDFC Mutual Fund factsheet on AMFI or the AMC website.
Informational points to help you form your own view — not judgements or recommendations.
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| Fund | NAV | AAUM | 1Y Return | 3Y CAGR | 5Y CAGR | Sharpe (3Y) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| HDFC Defence Fund ▲ | ₹28.71 | ₹7.7K Cr Jan–Mar 2026 | +11.2% | +41.6% p.a. | — | — |
| SBI PSU Fund | ₹38.58 | ₹6.0K Cr Jan–Mar 2026 | +8.8% | +30.5% p.a. | +24.7% p.a. | 1.14 |
| Aditya Birla Sun Life PSU Equity Fund | ₹39.62 | ₹5.7K Cr Jan–Mar 2026 | +9.2% | +27.8% p.a. | +24.7% p.a. | 1.03 |
| Axis India Manufacturing Fund | ₹15.49 | ₹5.0K Cr Jan–Mar 2026 | +12.1% | — | — | — |
| ICICI Prudential PSU Equity Fund | ₹22.89 | ₹1.9K Cr Jan–Mar 2026 | +5.9% | +26.3% p.a. | — | 1.10 |
Calculated from 738 daily NAV records in RightAdvise DB. Last calculated: Jun 2026.
1M / 3M / 6M / 1Y — simple point-to-point return · 3Y / 5Y / 10Y — CAGR (compounded annual growth rate)
Based on all rolling windows in full NAV history. Dates show the start and end of each period.
Jan 1 to Dec 31 each year. Simple point-to-point — not CAGR.
Rolling returns show performance across every possible investment start date — not one cherry-picked number. Learn more →
How much the fund fell from its peak NAV — what investors actually experience during crashes. Calculated from full NAV history.
Calculated from actual NAV data. "Pre-inception" means the fund didn't exist during that period.
Calculated from 3 years of daily NAV — industry standard. Risk-free rate: 6.5% p.a. Last updated: Jun 2026. What do these mean? →
Our portfolio holdings page shows every stock the fund owns, sector allocation, and month-over-month changes — from official AMC disclosures.
See how HDFC Defence FundOption ranks against other Equity funds on returns, drawdown, Sharpe ratio and AAUM — side by side.
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