Aditya Birla Sun Life Nifty India Defence Index Fund vs HDFC Defence Fund
Direct Plan, Growth option · Data as on 30-10-2026
Aditya Birla Sun Life Nifty India Defence Index Fund is an Index fund and HDFC Defence Fund is a Thematic fund. In the year to 30-10-2026, Aditya Birla Sun Life Nifty India Defence Index Fund (Direct) returned 8.2% and HDFC Defence Fund (Direct) returned 13.8%. Aditya Birla Sun Life Nifty India Defence Index Fund charges 0.46% a year and HDFC Defence Fund 0.90% (Direct plans). Their portfolios overlap 69.1%: they hold 13 of the same securities.
Aditya Birla Sun Life Nifty India Defence Index Fund
Index
- 1 year return
- 8.2%
- Expense ratio
- 0.46%
- NAV
- ₹12.46
Which is better, Aditya Birla Sun Life Nifty India Defence Index or HDFC Defence? Key differences
It depends on what you want from the fund. These are the differences in numbers, from the data on this page.
- HDFC Defence returned more over 1 year: 13.8% against 8.2%.
- Aditya Birla Sun Life Nifty India Defence Index costs less: 0.46% a year against 0.90% (Direct plans).
- Aditya Birla Sun Life Nifty India Defence Index fell less in its worst fall since 02-09-2024: −27.8% against −28.8%.
- HDFC Defence is the larger fund: ₹11,493 Cr against ₹1,409 Cr.
- Their portfolios overlap 69.1%: 13 of the same holdings.
Past returns do not promise future returns. This page is information, not investment advice.
Key facts
From each fund's scheme summary document and AMFI
| Fact | Aditya Birla Sun Life Nifty India Defence Index Fund | HDFC Defence Fund |
|---|---|---|
| Fund house | Aditya Birla Sun Life Mutual Fund | HDFC Mutual Fund |
| Category | Index | Thematic |
| AUM | ₹1,409 Cr (30-09-2026) | ₹11,493 Cr (30-09-2026) |
| NAV | ₹12.46 (Direct) | ₹28.86 (Direct) |
| Expense ratio (Direct) | 0.46% | 0.90% |
| Expense ratio (Regular) | 1.15% | 1.80% |
| Riskometer | Very High | Very High |
| Benchmark | Nifty India Defence TRI | Nifty India Defence TRI |
| Launch date | 30-08-2024 | 02-06-2023 |
| Minimum investment | ₹500 | ₹100 |
| Lock in | None | None |
| Fund managers | Priya Sridhar, Mehul Dama | Rahul Baijal, Priya Ranjan, Gopal Agrawal, Bhagyesh Kagalkar |
| Exit load | Exit load of 0.05%, if redeemed within 30 days. | In respect of each purchase/switch-in of units, an Exit load of 1% is payable if units are redeemed/switched-out within 1 yearfrom the date of allotment. No Exit Load is payable if units are redeemed / switched-out after 1 year from the date of allotment. In respect of Systematic Transactions such as SIP, Flex SIP,STP, Flex STP, Swing STP, Exit Load, if any, prevailing on the date of registration / enrolment shall be levied. |
Aditya Birla Sun Life Nifty India Defence Index vs HDFC Defence: Returns Comparison
Returns as on 30-10-2026. Up to one year they are absolute returns. Longer periods are a rate per year.
| Fund | 1M | 3M | 6M | 1Y | 3Y | 5Y | 10Y |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aditya Birla Sun Life Nifty India Defence Index Fund (Direct) | −6.22% | −5.24% | −2.98% | +8.20% | -- | -- | -- |
| HDFC Defence Fund (Direct) | −6.07% | −3.22% | +4.84% | +13.79% | +34.76% | -- | -- |
| Thematic average | −2.09% | −4.52% | +0.86% | −1.22% | +13.76% | -- | -- |
Category average: the average of the 235 Thematic funds, same plan type.
Aditya Birla Sun Life Nifty India Defence Index vs HDFC Defence: Year-wise Returns
| Year | Aditya Birla Sun Life Nifty India Defence IndexAditya Birla Sun Life Nifty India Defence Index | HDFC DefenceHDFC Defence | Nifty India Defence TRI |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026to date | +12.49% | +19.90% | +12.90% |
| 2025 | +19.16% | +10.75% | +19.98% |
| 2024 | -- | +41.88% | +56.50% |
Aditya Birla Sun Life Nifty India Defence Index vs HDFC Defence: Rolling Returns
Every holding period of both funds, against Nifty India Defence TRI, the benchmark of both
Rolling returns
Every 1-year holding period, 286 of them, one for each trading day from 02-09-2025 to 30-10-2026: the yearly return (CAGR) of each, plotted on the day it ended. One lucky or unlucky start day cannot flatter or hide a fund.
Aditya Birla Sun Life Nifty India Defence Index Fund (Direct)
HDFC Defence Fund (Direct)
Nifty India Defence TRI
to
Oct 2025Dec 2024
to
Dec 2025Feb 2025
to
Feb 2026May 2025
to
May 2026Jul 2025
to
Jul 2026Sept 2025
to
Sept 2026
How the periods spread
| Fund | Below 0% | 0-5% | 5-10% | 10-15% | 15-20% | 20-25% | Above 25% | Mean | Median | Lowest | Highest | Beat benchmark |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aditya Birla Sun Life Nifty India Defence Index | 1.0 | 4.2 | 14.0 | 13.6 | 16.4 | 11.9 | 38.8 | 22.0% | 20.4% | −0.1% | 59.3% | 0% |
| HDFC Defence | 0.4 | 4.2 | 7.0 | 16.5 | 22.5 | 16.5 | 33.0 | 21.6% | 19.9% | −0.0% | 54.2% | 44% |
| Nifty India Defence TRI | 0.0 | 4.5 | 13.3 | 12.2 | 15.0 | 12.6 | 42.3 | 22.8% | 21.3% | 0.4% | 60.3% | -- |
The table shows the % of periods in each return band; a darker cell holds more of them. Lumpsum: the yearly rate (CAGR) from a period's first NAV to its last. SIP: the XIRR of the monthly instalments. The benchmark is Nifty India Defence TRI, over the same periods. "Beat benchmark" counts the periods in which the fund did better. Every fund is measured over the days all of them have, from 02-09-2024. Past returns do not promise future returns.
Aditya Birla Sun Life Nifty India Defence Index vs HDFC Defence: SIP and Lumpsum Returns
What the same monthly or one-time investment would be worth in each fund today, from their own NAV history
Growth of an investment
₹10,000 on the first trading day of every month, from 02-09-2024 to 30-10-2026: 26 instalments, ₹2,60,000 in all.
| Investment | Invested | Value now | Gain | Return a year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aditya Birla Sun Life Nifty India Defence IndexAditya Birla Sun Life Nifty India Defence Index Fund (Direct) | ₹2,60,000 | ₹2,99,326 | ₹39,326 | 13.1% |
| HDFC DefenceHDFC Defence Fund (Direct) | ₹2,60,000 | ₹3,13,295 | ₹53,295 | 17.6% |
Aditya Birla Sun Life Nifty India Defence IndexAditya Birla Sun Life Nifty India Defence Index Fund (Direct)
HDFC DefenceHDFC Defence Fund (Direct)
Amount invested
From each plan's published NAV (Growth option), over the same days. Return a year: XIRR for a SIP, CAGR for a lumpsum, shown for a year or more. It does not include exit load, stamp duty or tax. Past returns do not promise future returns.
Aditya Birla Sun Life Nifty India Defence Index vs HDFC Defence: Risk and Drawdowns
How much each fund swings, and the worst fall over the same days
Risk and return
| Measure | Aditya Birla Sun Life Nifty India Defence Index Fund (Direct) | HDFC Defence Fund (Direct) |
|---|---|---|
| Return (CAGR) | +8.20% | +13.79% |
| Standard deviation | 24.61% | 22.90% |
| Sharpe ratio | 0.12 | 0.37 |
| Sortino ratio | 0.17 | 0.52 |
| Maximum drawdown | −15.4% (31-03-2026) | −14.3% (31-03-2026) |
| Beta | 1.00 | 0.92 |
| Alpha | −0.46% | +5.40% |
From daily NAVs, 30-10-2025 to 30-10-2026. Standard deviation: how much the daily value swings, scaled to a year. Sharpe: return above the risk-free rate (NSE's overnight rate index) per unit of swing. Sortino: the same, counting only the falls. Beta and alpha compare each fund with its own benchmark's TRI.
| Measure | Aditya Birla Sun Life Nifty India Defence Index Fund (Direct) | HDFC Defence Fund (Direct) |
|---|---|---|
| Return (CAGR) | +11.08% | +36.39% |
| Standard deviation | 27.48% | 24.68% |
| Sharpe ratio | 0.20 | 1.23 |
| Sortino ratio | 0.28 | 1.69 |
| Maximum drawdown | −27.8% (18-02-2025) | −34.5% (28-02-2025) |
| Beta | 1.00 | 0.81 |
| Alpha | −0.73% | −1.99% |
From daily NAVs, 02-09-2024 to 30-10-2026. Standard deviation: how much the daily value swings, scaled to a year. Sharpe: return above the risk-free rate (NSE's overnight rate index) per unit of swing. Sortino: the same, counting only the falls. Beta and alpha compare each fund with its own benchmark's TRI.
Drawdowns
How far below its previous high each one was on every day: the falls an investor had to sit through. 0% means it was at a new high.
Aditya Birla Sun Life Nifty India Defence Index Fund (Direct)
HDFC Defence Fund (Direct)
Nifty India Defence TRI
| Fund | Worst fall | High before it | Bottom | Back at the high | Time to climb back | Below its high today |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aditya Birla Sun Life Nifty India Defence Index Fund (Direct) | −27.8% | 04-09-2024 | 18-02-2025 | 29-04-2025 | 2 months | −13.0% |
| HDFC Defence Fund (Direct) | −28.8% | 16-12-2024 | 28-02-2025 | 15-05-2025 | 2 months | −11.4% |
| Nifty India Defence TRI | −27.4% | 04-09-2024 | 18-02-2025 | 29-04-2025 | 2 months | −12.9% |
From daily values since 02-09-2024, the first day every fund has.
Rolling standard deviation
Whether the swings have grown or calmed over time: the standard deviation of daily changes over every 1-year window, scaled to a year, plotted on the window's last day. Higher means a bumpier ride.
Aditya Birla Sun Life Nifty India Defence Index Fund (Direct)
HDFC Defence Fund (Direct)
Nifty India Defence TRI
Against Nifty India Defence TRI
| Fund | Up capture | Down capture | Tracking error |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aditya Birla Sun Life Nifty India Defence Index Fund (Direct) | 99% | 101% | 0.16% |
| HDFC Defence Fund (Direct) | 93% | 93% | 8.21% |
From month-end values since 02-09-2024. Up capture: a fund's average month when the benchmark rose, as % of the benchmark's; above 100% it gained more. Down capture: the same for months the benchmark fell; below 100% it fell less. Tracking error: how far the monthly returns strayed from the benchmark's, a year; an index fund aims near 0.
Aditya Birla Sun Life Nifty India Defence Index vs HDFC Defence: Portfolio Overlap
From each fund's latest monthly portfolio: Aditya Birla Sun Life Nifty India Defence Index Fund, September 2026; HDFC Defence Fund, September 2026
Holdings in common
- Overlap
- 69.1%
- Held by both
- 13
- Only in Aditya Birla Sun Life Nifty India Defence Index
- 9
- Only in HDFC Defence
- 11
| Security | % of Aditya Birla Sun Life Nifty India Defence Index | % of HDFC Defence |
|---|---|---|
| Bharat Electronics Ltd. | 19.96% | 14.87% |
| Bharat Forge Ltd. | 13.28% | 12.91% |
| Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd. | 19.68% | 12.61% |
| Solar Industries India Ltd. | 11.91% | 10.28% |
| MTAR technologies Ltd. | 4.00% | 5.09% |
| Astra Microwave Products Ltd. | 3.44% | 6.44% |
| Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders Ltd. | 3.98% | 3.17% |
| Bharat Dynamics Ltd. | 2.54% | 3.19% |
| Data Patterns (India) Ltd. | 3.23% | 1.98% |
| BEML Ltd. | 1.89% | 5.11% |
| Centum Electronics Ltd. | 0.92% | 2.95% |
| Cochin Shipyard Ltd. | 3.16% | 0.34% |
| Aequs Ltd. | 1.14% | 0.12% |
Overlap: for each holding both funds own, the smaller of its two weights, added up. 69.1% means 69.1% of each fund's money sits in positions the other also holds. Matched by ISIN. Cash and hedged positions are left out.
Largest holdings only in Aditya Birla Sun Life Nifty India Defence Index Fund
| Security | % of fund |
|---|---|
| Zen Technologies Ltd. | 1.84% |
| Apollo Micro Systems Ltd. | 1.64% |
| Garden Reach Shipbuilders & Engineers Ltd. | 1.59% |
| Dynamatic Technologies Ltd. | 1.33% |
| Paras Defence And Space Technologies Ltd. | 1.16% |
Largest holdings only in HDFC Defence Fund
| Security | % of fund |
|---|---|
| Eicher Motors Ltd. | 4.67% |
| Bosch Limited | 4.10% |
| Cyient DLM Limited | 3.18% |
| Premier Explosives Ltd. | 2.77% |
| Sedemac Mechatronics Limited | 1.21% |
Asset and sector split
Share of each fund, from its latest monthly portfolio
Asset allocation
| Asset | Aditya Birla Sun Life Nifty India Defence Index | HDFC Defence |
|---|---|---|
| Equity | 99.0% | 98.3% |
| Debt | 0.0% | 0.0% |
| Cash and others | 1.0% | 1.7% |
Market cap of stocks
| Market cap | Aditya Birla Sun Life Nifty India Defence Index | HDFC Defence |
|---|---|---|
| Large Cap | 51.5% | 43.5% |
| Mid Cap | 23.0% | 23.7% |
| Small Cap | 24.4% | 30.7% |
| Not on AMFI's list | 0.0% | 0.4% |
Share of the whole fund. Groups follow AMFI's latest list: Large Cap is the 100 largest companies, Mid Cap the next 150, Small Cap the rest.
Largest sectors
| Sector | Aditya Birla Sun Life Nifty India Defence Index | HDFC Defence |
|---|---|---|
| Aerospace & Defense | 59.4% | 46.1% |
| Auto Components | 13.3% | 18.2% |
| Chemicals & Petrochemicals | 11.9% | 13.1% |
| Industrial Manufacturing | 8.5% | 4.1% |
| Agricultural, Commercial & Construction Vehicles | 1.9% | 6.2% |
| Electrical Equipment | 4.0% | 5.1% |
| Automobiles | 0.0% | 4.7% |
The six largest sectors of each fund's stocks, % of the fund.
Aditya Birla Sun Life Nifty India Defence Index vs HDFC Defence: Expense Ratio
What each plan charges a year, from AMFI's expense ratio file
| Charge | Aditya Birla Sun Life Nifty India Defence Index Fund | HDFC Defence Fund |
|---|---|---|
| Total expense ratio (Direct) | 0.46% | 0.90% |
| Base expense ratio (Direct) | 0.28% | 0.72% |
| Total expense ratio (Regular) | 1.15% | 1.80% |
| Base expense ratio (Regular) | 0.89% | 1.49% |
The expense ratio comes out of the fund's assets every day, so every return on this page is already after it. Base expense ratio: the fund house's own fee. The total adds brokerage, transaction costs, and levies with GST.
More comparisons
Each fund against the others of its category
Aditya Birla Sun Life Nifty India Defence Index Fund vs HDFC Defence Fund: Frequently Asked Questions
What is the difference between Aditya Birla Sun Life Nifty India Defence Index Fund and HDFC Defence Fund?
Aditya Birla Sun Life Nifty India Defence Index Fund is an Index fund, HDFC Defence Fund is a Thematic fund, run by Aditya Birla Sun Life Mutual Fund and HDFC Mutual Fund. Their portfolios overlap 69.1%. Aditya Birla Sun Life Nifty India Defence Index Fund charges 0.46% a year and HDFC Defence Fund 0.90%.
Which has given higher returns, Aditya Birla Sun Life Nifty India Defence Index Fund or HDFC Defence Fund?
Over 1 year: Aditya Birla Sun Life Nifty India Defence Index Fund +8.20%, HDFC Defence Fund +13.79%. As on 30-10-2026. Past returns do not promise future returns.
Which has the lower expense ratio, Aditya Birla Sun Life Nifty India Defence Index Fund or HDFC Defence Fund?
Aditya Birla Sun Life Nifty India Defence Index Fund charges less: 0.46% a year against 0.90%. These are the Direct plans' total expense ratios reported to AMFI.
How much do Aditya Birla Sun Life Nifty India Defence Index Fund and HDFC Defence Fund overlap?
69.1%. They hold 13 of the same securities, the largest shared ones being BEL, BHARATFORG, HAL. From each fund's latest monthly portfolio.
Which is riskier, Aditya Birla Sun Life Nifty India Defence Index Fund or HDFC Defence Fund?
On SEBI's riskometer, Aditya Birla Sun Life Nifty India Defence Index Fund is rated Very High and HDFC Defence Fund Very High. Over 1 years, the standard deviation of daily returns was 24.61% and 22.90% a year.
Can I invest in both Aditya Birla Sun Life Nifty India Defence Index Fund and HDFC Defence Fund?
Yes. 69.1% of each fund's money sits in the same holdings, so a large part of the two investments would move together.
Who manages Aditya Birla Sun Life Nifty India Defence Index Fund and HDFC Defence Fund?
Aditya Birla Sun Life Nifty India Defence Index Fund: Priya Sridhar, Mehul Dama. HDFC Defence Fund: Rahul Baijal, Priya Ranjan, Gopal Agrawal, Bhagyesh Kagalkar.
Sources: NAV and expense ratio from AMFI. Holdings from each fund house's monthly portfolio statement. Fund facts from each scheme summary document.
This page is information, not investment advice. Mutual fund investments are subject to market risks; read all scheme related documents carefully. Past returns do not promise future returns. Figures come from AMFI, NSE, BSE and each fund house's own documents.