Best-performing debt ETFs: Top 5 schemes by 3-year CAGR returns
BHARAT Bond ETF – April 2033 led this category with a 3-year CAGR of 8.1%. See how the five leading funds compared.
Moneycontrol Desk
August 18, 2026 / 15:41 IST
The three-year CAGR return chart for the debt ETF category is led by BHARAT Bond ETF – April 2033, which delivered 8.1 percent. BHARAT Bond ETF – April 2032 and BHARAT Bond ETF – April 2031 occupy the next two positions with returns of 8.0 percent and 7.9 percent, respectively, according to ACE MF data on August 17.
The ranking considers only schemes with assets under management of at least Rs 1,500 crore. Among the top five funds that meet this criterion, BHARAT Bond ETF – April 2030 has the largest corpus at Rs 24,867.7 crore.
The benchmark comparison is also important. BHARAT Bond ETF – April 2033 was ahead of its benchmark by 1.0 percentage points on a three-year basis, with the benchmark returning 7.0%. It was also ahead of its benchmark by 2.9 percentage points on a one-year basis, with the benchmark returning 2.6%.
The same scheme also stays ahead on the one-month return chart. BHARAT Bond ETF – April 2033 delivered 0.6 percent over this period.
The lead does not change on a three-month basis either. BHARAT Bond ETF – April 2033 also tops this comparison with a return of 3.8 percent.
The leadership shifts in the one-year comparison, where BHARAT Bond ETF – April 2030 tops the list with 5.7 percent.
The variation across return windows shows why rankings can look different depending on the period being considered. A short-term leader may not always be the same as the fund that has done well over a longer horizon.
Table: Top 5 debt ETFs by three-year CAGR return
| Fund name | 3-year return (%) | AUM (Rs crore) | 1-month return (%) | 3-month return (%) | 6-month return (%) | 1-year return (%) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| BHARAT Bond ETF – April 2033 | 8.1 | 6,269.2 | 0.6 | 3.8 | 3.2 | 5.5 |
| BHARAT Bond ETF – April 2032 | 8.0 | 10,602.3 | 0.5 | 3.7 | 3.0 | 5.4 |
| BHARAT Bond ETF – April 2031 | 7.9 | 13,460.0 | 0.5 | 3.4 | 3.0 | 5.3 |
| BHARAT Bond ETF – April 2030 | 7.9 | 24,867.7 | 0.6 | 3.0 | 2.9 | 5.7 |
| Nippon India ETF Nifty 8-13 yr G-Sec Long Term Gilt | 7.6 | 2,455.5 | 0.4 | 3.2 | 2.4 | 4.2 |
Note: The ranking considers only schemes with minimum assets under management of Rs 1,500 crore. Returns and AUM are according to ACE MF data on August 17. One-year and three-year returns are CAGR; one-month, three-month and six-month returns are absolute returns. AUM is in Rs crore.
What is a debt ETF?
Exchange-traded funds are listed mutual fund products that generally track an index, commodity or basket of securities. Their performance should be assessed alongside the underlying benchmark, tracking difference and liquidity.