New Delhi: Indian mutual fund investors today face a key decision — should they rely more on low-cost passive funds or choose actively managed funds that aim to beat the market? With the industry growing rapidly and investor participation at record highs, understanding this choice has become more important than ever.

A Fast-Expanding Mutual Fund Market

India’s mutual fund industry has seen extraordinary growth. As of October 2025, the total assets under management (AUM) crossed Rs 79.88 lakh crore, a massive jump from 2015 levels. This rise is driven mainly by retail investors through SIPs, increased financial awareness, and better access to investment platforms.

One major trend shaping the market is the rapid rise of passive investing. Passive funds — especially index funds and ETFs — now account for nearly 17 percent of total AUM, highlighting a clear shift in investor behavior. Many first-time investors prefer simpler, low-cost funds rather than relying on fund managers to outperform the market.

Why Passive Funds Are Becoming Popular

Passive mutual funds track a market index such as the Nifty 50 or Sensex. Their rules are simple: follow the index, do not try to beat it. This simplicity brings several advantages:

Low costs: Passive funds have far lower expense ratios because they require minimal management. Even a small difference in cost can significantly impact long-term returns.

Consistency: Since they mirror the index, they deliver stable, market-linked returns without depending on a fund manager’s skill.

Transparency: Investors always know exactly what they are investing in, as the fund replicates the index holdings.

Ease of understanding: For beginners, passive funds offer a stress-free entry into equity investing.

Because of these benefits, passive funds have become the preferred “core” holding for many new investors seeking steady, long-term wealth creation.

Where Active Funds Still Make Sense

Despite the rapid rise of passive investing, active funds continue to play an important role — especially in segments where markets are less efficient. Areas such as mid-cap, small-cap, and sector-specific funds often allow skilled managers to generate higher returns than index funds.

Active funds offer:

Potential for outperformance (alpha): Experienced managers can pick high-growth stocks and avoid poor-performing ones.

Flexibility during volatility: Unlike passive funds, active managers can shift allocations based on market conditions, potentially reducing losses during downturns.

Tactical opportunities: Certain sectors — like manufacturing, banking, or technology — can perform differently at different times. Active funds can capture these opportunities.

For investors willing to take a bit more risk for potentially higher rewards, selective active funds remain valuable.

The Best Strategy: Combine Both Approaches

Many financial advisors now recommend a “core-satellite” approach:

Core portfolio (50 percent–80 percent): Passive index funds + debt funds

These provide stability, lower cost, and long-term growth.

Satellite portfolio (20 percent–40 percent): Select active funds

Mainly mid-cap, small-cap, or flexi-cap funds aimed at generating superior returns.

This balanced strategy reduces overall risk, keeps costs low, and still allows room for growth.

Conclusion

There is no one “right choice” between passive and active funds. Passive funds are ideal for steady, low-cost wealth building, while active funds offer the chance for higher returns in certain market segments. For most Indian retail investors in 2025, combining both — with passive funds as the foundation and active funds as boosters — may be the smartest way to build long-term wealth.