Aditya Birla Sun Life AMC International (IFSC) Limited has announced two retail investment funds at Gujarat International Finance Tec-City (GIFT City) in Gandhinagar, giving eligible Indian and overseas investors new routes to invest in emerging markets and Indian equities.

The announcement was made in Mumbai on 16 October 2026. The two funds, ABSL Emerging Market Equity Fund and ABSL India Growth Fund, form the initial retail offering of the company’s new international subsidiary, which operates under the International Financial Services Centres Authority (IFSCA).

The two products have different purposes. The Emerging Market Equity Fund is designed to give eligible Indian investors access to overseas emerging markets. The India Growth Fund is intended for non-resident Indians (NRIs) and foreign investors seeking exposure to Indian shares through schemes managed by Aditya Birla Sun Life Mutual Fund.

The launch adds to the range of investment products being offered through GIFT City’s international financial services centre. Investors will need to consider the risks, costs, tax rules and eligibility conditions before putting money into either fund.

The Aditya Birla Sun Life  Emerging Market Equity Fund is an open-ended thematic fund of funds. It will invest in other funds that focus on emerging markets, allowing investors to gain exposure to overseas shares through a single investment product.

The fund will invest mainly in units of ARGA Emerging Market Equity Fund and/or other emerging market funds. The ARGA investment strategy follows a value-based approach, using quantitative screening and fundamental research to assess investment opportunities across emerging markets.

A fund of funds pools investors’ money to buy units in other funds rather than selecting all the shares directly. This structure can give investors access to a wider range of markets, although the performance of the investment depends on the funds held within the portfolio and their costs.

Aditya Birla Sun Life AMC already had closed-ended funds focused on emerging markets. The new offering brings these products back in an open-ended format under its international subsidiary. Open-ended funds generally allow investors to buy and redeem units according to the scheme’s rules, while closed-ended funds have a fixed investment period or other limits on redemptions.

Eligible resident Indians can invest in the Emerging Market Equity Fund through the Reserve Bank of India’s Liberalised Remittance Scheme (LRS). Eligible Indian companies can participate through the Overseas Portfolio Investment (OPI) route, subject to applicable rules.

The LRS allows resident individuals to make permitted overseas investments within the limit set by the Reserve Bank of India. Investors must follow the scheme’s eligibility requirements and the rules governing foreign remittances.

The second product, the Aditya Birla Sun Life India Growth Fund, takes a different approach. It is an open-ended, diversified fund of funds that will invest in equity-oriented schemes of Aditya Birla Sun Life Mutual Fund, including exchange-traded funds (ETFs) and index funds.

The fund will be actively managed, with investments allocated across different schemes, sectors, market capitalisations and investment themes. This gives eligible overseas investors a route to Indian equities through a portfolio of existing mutual fund schemes.

The two funds therefore serve different investor groups and geographical interests. The Emerging Market Equity Fund provides access to overseas markets for eligible Indian investors, while the India Growth Fund offers eligible NRIs and foreign investors exposure to Indian equity investments.

Aditya Birla Sun Life AMC Limited was incorporated in 1994. Aditya Birla Capital Limited and Sun Life (India) AMC Investments Inc. are its promoters and major shareholders. The company serves as the investment manager of Aditya Birla Sun Life Mutual Fund, a trust registered under the Indian Trusts Act, 1882.

The company established a branch in GIFT City, Gandhinagar, in 2022. Its new wholly owned subsidiary, Aditya Birla Sun Life AMC International (IFSC) Limited, marks a move towards managing international investment products through a separate entity based in the financial centre.

GIFT City was developed to support international financial services from India. Its International Financial Services Centre operates under the supervision of IFSCA, which regulates activities including fund management. The authority introduced updated fund management regulations in 2025, setting out rules for fund management entities and investment schemes.

Government figures published in the Economic Survey 2025-26 recorded 194 fund management entities at GIFT IFSC, managing 310 schemes, with commitments of US$26.30 billion. These figures show the scale of the centre’s fund management business before the latest announcement.

Commenting on the new offerings, A. Balasubramanian, Managing Director and CEO of Aditya Birla Sun Life AMC Ltd., said, “The evolution of GIFT City reflects India’s growing role in the global financial landscape and its ambition to emerge as a credible hub for cross-border financial activity. For ABSL AMC, establishing our presence at GIFT IFSC is therefore more than an expansion of our product portfolio. It is a strategic step towards building our global investment capabilities from India. Through Aditya Birla Sun Life AMC International (IFSC) Limited, we aim to create investment solutions that enable Indian investors to participate in global growth opportunities and NRI/ foreign investors to participate in India’s growth story. This is supported by our investment experience and the capabilities of leading Indian and global investment managers. The Emerging Market Equity Fund and India Growth Fund form the initial offerings in this journey, and we intend to progressively build a differentiated suite of global investment solutions from the IFSC.”

The company has stated an initial investment of US$500, with further investments in multiples of US$100. Subsequent investments can start at US$100, also in multiples of US$100.

International investing can help spread investments across countries, reducing dependence on a single market. However, overseas investments carry risks, including currency movements, changes in market prices, political developments and differences in local regulations. Diversification cannot guarantee profits or prevent losses.

Investors should check each fund’s official documents for its charges, redemption conditions, investment risks and tax treatment before committing money. The announcement does not provide performance figures for the two new funds, so their returns cannot yet be assessed from the information released.

For GIFT City, the launch adds two retail products to its growing fund management business. Their progress will depend on investor demand, the performance of the underlying investments and how well the products meet the needs of eligible Indian and overseas investors.

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