Top Mutual Funds in India by 10-Year CAGR
India’s mutual fund industry has grown sharply over the past decade, with AUM rising from ₹12.75 lakh cr in 2015 to ₹81.92 lakh cr as of April 2026. The industry also had 27.53 cr folios, reflecting wider investor participation. This article covers the top mutual funds sorted by 10-year CAGR, along with their features, risks, taxation, and key factors to consider.
List of Top Performing Equity Mutual Funds in India
Here’s the list of the top 10 highest return mutual fund in last 10 years.
| Fund Name | AUM | CAGR 3Y | CAGR 10Y | Expense Ratio | Alpha | Volatility | NAV | Exit Load |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| DSP World Mining Overseas Equity Omni FoF | 153.76 | 21.77 | 22.87 | 1.67 | 0 | 26.98 | 34.39 | 0 |
| DSP World Gold Mining Overseas Equity Omni FoF | 1,756.31 | 52.40 | 22.70 | 1.7 | 0 | 36.29 | 65.87 | 0 |
| Nippon India Small Cap Fund | 68,287.15 | 22.14 | 21.29 | 0.64 | 7.71 | 14.89 | 179.18 | 1 |
| Quant ELSS Tax Saver Fund | 12,402.81 | 17.08 | 20.96 | 0.68 | 2.99 | 15.20 | 401.24 | 0 |
| DSP Natural Res & New Energy Fund | 1,572.72 | 23.78 | 20.76 | 0.88 | 0 | 17.74 | 118.58 | 0 |
| Invesco India Gold ETF FoF | 340.85 | 38.89 | 20.46 | 0.1 | 0 | 25.97 | 46.45 | 1 |
| Edelweiss Mid Cap Fund | 13,650.47 | 28.27 | 20.38 | 0.4 | 9.65 | 14.98 | 119.96 | 1 |
| Franklin Build India Fund | 3,035.67 | 28.06 | 19.83 | 0.99 | 3.57 | 14.08 | 163.79 | 1 |
| HDFC Mid Cap Fund | 92,641.55 | 26.92 | 19.76 | 0.71 | 9.42 | 13.19 | 221.44 | 1 |
| Kotak Midcap Fund | 60,479.65 | 22.74 | 19.72 | 0.37 | 8.38 | 14.86 | 153.61 | 1 |
Note: The data for the list of the best mutual funds in India is as of 14th May 2026. This data is derived from the Tickertape Mutual Funds Screener.
Selection Criteria:
- Plan: Growth
- Category: Equity
- 10Y CAGR: Sort from Highest to Lowest
🚀 Pro Tip: You can use Tickertape’s Mutual Fund Screener to research and evaluate funds with over 50+ pre-loaded filters and parameters.
Overview of Best Mutual Funds For Next 10 Years
Here are brief overviews of the top 10 high return mutual funds in India in the last 10 years:
Nippon India Small Cap Fund
Nippon India Small Cap Fund invests mainly in small-cap companies across sectors. These businesses may offer higher growth potential, but they can also carry higher volatility, liquidity risk, and sensitivity to economic and market conditions compared to large-cap companies.
Quant Infrastructure Fund
Quant Infrastructure Fund focuses on infrastructure-linked sectors such as construction, capital goods, power, transportation, and utilities. The fund’s performance depends on government spending, project execution, economic activity, and sector-specific investment cycles within India’s infrastructure ecosystem.
DSP Natural Res & New Energy Fund
DSP Natural Resources & New Energy Fund invests in companies linked to commodities, energy, utilities, mining, and renewable energy themes. Its performance depends on global commodity cycles, energy demand, raw material prices, and policy support for clean energy.
Quant ELSS Tax Saver Fund
Quant ELSS Tax Saver Fund is an equity-linked savings scheme that offers tax deduction benefits under Section 80C. The fund follows an active equity strategy and comes with a mandatory three-year lock-in period.
Quant Flexi Cap Fund
Quant Flexi Cap Fund invests across large-cap, mid-cap, and small-cap companies based on the fund manager’s allocation strategy. Its portfolio can shift across sectors and market capitalisations depending on changing market conditions and investment opportunities.
Edelweiss Mid Cap Fund
Edelweiss Mid Cap Fund invests mainly in mid-cap companies. These businesses may provide higher growth opportunities than large caps, but they can also experience sharper volatility and liquidity risk during market fluctuations.
Bank of India Mfg & Infra Fund
Bank of India Manufacturing & Infrastructure Fund focuses on companies linked to manufacturing, industrials, capital goods, construction, and infrastructure development. The fund’s performance depends on economic growth, industrial activity, and capital expenditure cycles.
Quant Small Cap Fund
Quant Small Cap Fund invests predominantly in small-cap companies across sectors. Small-cap stocks can deliver high growth potential, but they may also remain highly volatile and sensitive to broader market movements and liquidity conditions.
Invesco India Midcap Fund
Invesco India Midcap Fund focuses on mid-cap companies with growth potential across sectors. Mid-cap stocks may benefit from business expansion opportunities, though they can also experience higher volatility than large-cap stocks.
Nippon India Growth Mid Cap Fund
Nippon India Growth Mid Cap Fund invests mainly in mid-cap companies across industries. The fund aims to capture growth opportunities in emerging businesses while remaining exposed to market and sector-specific volatility.
What are the Best Mutual Funds in India?
Mutual funds with high returns over the past decade may attract attention based on factors such as historical performance and growth potential. Funds that have delivered consistent returns may be viewed as stable. Some equity funds are known for their ability to grow steadily while navigating market fluctuations. Mutual funds with a strong Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) over the last 10 years have typically endured through various market cycles. Index funds that track broad market indices like the Nifty are another option for investors seeking long-term exposure.
Taxation on Best Mutual Funds in India
Taxation depends on the mutual fund category and equity allocation. The rates below reflect the applicable mutual fund taxation structure as per the Union Budget 2026-27.
| Mutual Fund Type | STCG Tax | LTCG Tax |
| Equity Mutual Funds | 20% on gains if sold within 12 months | 12.5% on gains above ₹1.25 lakh after 12 months |
| Debt Mutual Funds | Taxed as per income tax slab | Taxed as per income tax slab |
| Gold & International Mutual Funds | Taxed as per income tax slab | Taxed as per income tax slab |
How to Invest in the Best Mutual Funds in India?
You can easily start to invest in mutual funds in India by following these steps:
- To invest in the best performing mutual funds, you can visit a mutual fund investment platform such as smallcase.
- The next step is to research and identify the best mutual funds for the next 10 years that match your financial goals. Tools like the Tickertape Mutual Fund Screener can help you filter and compare mutual funds investment plans for beginners based on parameters such as returns, expense ratio, and fund size.
- Once you shortlist the funds, visit smallcase, log in, and search for the best mutual fund in India by name. You can then choose the investment mode, either a one-time lump sum or a mutual fund SIP, and complete the process.
However, if you’re confused about which stocks to pick, you can explore smallcases:
- smallcases are readymade model portfolios of stocks/ETFs, that are based on a theme idea or strategy
- They’re created and managed by SEBI-registered investment experts (also known as smallcase managers)
- smallcase offers over 500+ stock portfolios, created by 200+ managers
Here are a few popular smallcases among new investors:
Disclosures for aforementioned smallcases
Advantages of Investing in the Best Mutual Funds in India
- Diversified Market Exposure: Mutual funds provide exposure across sectors, companies, and asset classes through a single investment product, reducing dependence on one stock or sector.
- Professional Fund Management: Fund managers actively monitor portfolio allocation, liquidity, risk, and market conditions while managing mutual fund schemes.
- Access to Different Asset Classes: Investors can access equity, debt, gold, hybrid, index, and international funds depending on the fund category and investment objective.
- Growing Investor Participation: India’s mutual fund industry AUM crossed ₹81 lakh cr in 2026, supported by rising retail participation and SIP inflows.
- SIP-Based Investing: SIP inflows remained above ₹30,000 cr per month in 2026, reflecting continued participation in gradual market-linked investing.
- Liquidity and Accessibility: Most open-ended mutual funds allow investors to buy or redeem units based on the applicable NAV and scheme rules.
Risks of Investing in Best Mutual Funds in India
- Market Volatility Risk: Equity-oriented mutual funds remain exposed to market fluctuations and can decline during corrections or economic slowdowns.
- Category-Specific Risk: Mid-cap, small-cap, thematic, sectoral, debt, or international funds may carry different levels of risk depending on portfolio exposure.
- No Guaranteed Returns: Mutual funds are market-linked products, so returns depend on market conditions, portfolio performance, and fund strategy.
- Interest Rate and Credit Risk: Debt mutual funds can face risks related to interest rate changes, liquidity conditions, and credit quality of underlying securities.
- Sector Concentration Risk: Thematic and sectoral funds may remain heavily exposed to sectors such as infrastructure, technology, defence, or consumption.
- Expense Ratio Impact: Fund management costs and expense ratios can affect net returns over longer investment periods.
Factors to Consider Before Investing in Best Mutual Funds in India
- Investment Objective: Mutual funds differ based on goals such as long-term growth, income generation, tax saving, or diversification.
- Fund Category: Risk and return characteristics vary across equity, debt, hybrid, index, gold, and international mutual funds.
- Historical Performance: Reviewing performance across multiple market cycles can provide additional context beyond short-term returns.
- Expense Ratio: Expense ratio affects long-term cost. Passive funds generally carry lower expense ratios than actively managed funds.
- Portfolio Allocation: Sector exposure, market-cap allocation, diversification, and concentration levels can influence fund performance.
- Risk Profile and Investment Horizon: Different mutual fund categories can experience varying levels of volatility depending on investment duration and market conditions.
- Fund Size and Liquidity: Larger AUM and liquidity can support smoother fund operations, especially in passive and debt fund categories.
Who Can Consider Investing in the Best Mutual Funds in India?
- Long-Term Investors: Those looking for steady growth over time might prefer funds with consistent returns over a 10-year period, which tend to perform well through market fluctuations.
- New Investors: Beginners in investing often gravitate toward long-term equity funds, as these generally offer a mix of growth potential and stability.
- Retirement Savers: Individuals focused on retirement savings may look for mutual fund investment plans that deliver consistent returns over time. Mutual fund investment plans with strong historical performance may align with these objectives.
To Wrap It Up
Mutual fund selection should take into account individual investment goals, risk tolerance, and time frame. Funds with consistent returns and long-term growth may suit some investors, while others might consider higher-risk options for potentially higher returns. A mutual fund performance tracker can provide useful data on returns, expenses, and risks. Historical data, such as 10-year returns, may offer insights into mutual funds investment plans with a history of long-term growth.
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Frequently Asked Questions About Best Mutual Funds in India
The best performing mutual funds for long-term investment are usually assessed through long-period consistency, risk-adjusted returns, fund category, and portfolio quality. Investors may also compare best mutual funds next 10 years based on historical performance, although future returns are not guaranteed.
Investors can use mutual fund performance trackers in India, such as Tickertape, to monitor returns across different periods and compare mutual fund returns 10 years with category peers and benchmarks.
Top performing equity mutual funds in India often show strong long-term returns across market cycles. This article lists funds based on 10Y returns, including categories such as best mid cap mutual funds last 10 years. Investors should conduct their own research or consult a financial advisor.
As of 14th May 2026, the highest 1-year return funds include:
– Nippon India Taiwan Equity Fund
– ICICI Pru NASDAQ 100 Index Fund
– Franklin Asian Equity Fund
– Motilal Oswal S&P 500 Index Fund
– Nippon India Japan Equity Fund
Note: This list differs from the highest return mutual fund in last 10 years and is meant for educational purposes only.
Investors usually review long-term consistency, expense ratio, fund manager track record, portfolio quality, volatility, and risk-adjusted performance while evaluating the best SIP plan for 10 years or long-term mutual fund schemes.
Yes, some index funds, large-cap funds, and diversified equity funds focus on relatively stable growth compared to high-risk thematic or small-cap funds. Investors may also compare index fund returns in last 10 years for broader market context.
Investors typically evaluate mutual funds by analysing 3-year, 5-year, and 10-year returns, expense ratios, fund manager track record, consistency, Sharpe ratio, and category ranking. Comparing mutual fund returns 10 years can provide longer-term performance context.
The best mutual funds for the next 10 years list, sorted by 10Y CAGR as of 14th May 2026, includes:
– DSP World Mining Overseas Equity Omni FoF
– DSP World Gold Mining Overseas Equity Omni FoF
– Nippon India Small Cap Fund
– Quant ELSS Tax Saver Fund
– DSP Natural Res & New Energy Fund
Note: This list is for educational purposes only and is not a recommendation. Please consult a financial advisor or do your own research before investing.
