Industry leaders decode SEBI’s SIF Revolution at Moneycontrol Mutual Fund Summit 2025

Change in the financial world rarely happens quietly and SEBI’s new Specialised Investment Fund (SIF) category is a sign of how fast India’s investment landscape is evolving. At the HDFC Mutual Fund presents Moneycontrol Mutual Fund Summit 2025, Bengaluru edition powered by Axis Mutual Fund, one of the most closely watched topics of discussion ‘SIF’, brought together DP Singh, Deputy Managing Director and Joint CEO of SBI Mutual Fund, and Sandeep Tandon, Founder and Chief Investment Officer of Quant Mutual Fund, to decode its potential.

Both the leaders agreed that the introduction of SIFs marks a turning point for the mutual fund industry. The idea, they said, is to combine the discipline and transparency of mutual funds with the flexibility of advanced investment strategies; the kind that were previously accessible only through portfolio management or alternative investment products. This balance between innovation and regulation, they argued, is what gives SIFs their long-term promise.

Further sharing his insights on the same, DP Singh explained how the budding category emerged from a real need in the market. As more investors began moving toward less regulated options like PMS and AIFs, SEBI recognised the importance of creating a safer, more structured alternative that still allowed for innovation. “The idea was to ensure innovation happens inside a regulated environment,” he said, framing SIFs as a natural evolution of investor demand rather than just another regulatory initiative.

That evolution, Sandeep Tandon added, is what makes SIFs such a powerful concept. He believes they could eventually account for nearly half of all active mutual fund products over the next decade, a view that D.P. Singh championed with his prediction that the category could touch Rs 1 lakh crore in assets within a year. Their optimism implied a shared belief that SIFs are not just a new structure, but going to revolutionise India’s mutual fund industry as the next growth engine.

The discussion made it clear that SIFs could redefine what steady, risk-managed investing looks like for Indian investors, a space where innovation and investor protection go hand in hand. For more insights and key highlights from the Moneycontrol Mutual Fund Summit 2025, visit  https://www.moneycontrol.com/msite/mutual-fund-summit-2025 .