Nifty BeES on WebNotes

Nifty BeES (2001): India's first ETF

Tue, 19 May 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Nifty Benchmark Exchange Traded Scheme (Nifty BeES), launched by Benchmark Asset Management in December 2001, was India’s first exchange-traded fund (ETF). The scheme tracked the NIFTY 50 index and laid the foundation for the Indian ETF segment, which has since grown from a single scheme in 2001 to over Rs 5 lakh crore in AUM by the mid-2020s, representing a major segment of the Indian mutual fund industry.

For the Indian mutual fund industry, Nifty BeES marked the introduction of a passive, exchange-listed investment vehicle that combined the diversification of mutual funds with the trading flexibility of stocks. The scheme established the operational and regulatory framework that subsequent Indian ETFs would follow.

Nifty BeES

Mon, 18 May 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Nifty BeES (Nippon India ETF Nifty 50 BeES) is India’s first exchange-traded fund, launched on 28 December 2001 by Benchmark Asset Management Company. It tracks the Nifty 50 Index , trades on the National Stock Exchange under the symbol NIFTYBEES, and carries one of the lowest expense ratios of any Indian equity product, at roughly 0.03 to 0.04 per cent a year. The scheme is now run by Nippon India Mutual Fund , which inherited it through two ownership changes after Benchmark.

Exchange-Traded Funds in India

Sun, 17 May 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Exchange-Traded Funds (ETFs) in India are exchange-listed passive-investment vehicles that track specific indices (equity, debt, commodity) and are traded on Indian stock exchanges (NSE and BSE) like individual stocks. ETFs combine the structural features of index mutual funds (passive tracking of an underlying index) with the operational features of exchange-listed stocks (real-time market pricing, intraday trading, demat-mode holding). The Indian ETF market emerged in 2001 with the launch of Benchmark Mutual Fund’s Nifty BeES (the first Indian ETF) and has grown substantially through the 2010s and 2020s, reflecting global passive-investing trends and increasing Indian retail-investor interest.

Nifty BeES, India's first exchange-traded fund (2001)

Tue, 12 May 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Nifty BeES (Nifty Benchmark Exchange-Traded Scheme), launched on 28 December 2001 by Benchmark Mutual Fund on the National Stock Exchange of India , was the first exchange-traded fund in India and the first equity-index ETF in Asia. It tracked the Nifty 50 index , with each unit representing one-tenth of the Nifty 50 index value, and was listed and continuously traded on the NSE during market hours at prices close to its net asset value. The launch of Nifty BeES preceded any mainland Chinese or Japanese equity ETF and inaugurated passive index investing as a viable instrument for Indian retail, institutional, and provident fund investors.

Nippon India Mutual Fund

Tue, 12 May 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Nippon India Mutual Fund is an Indian asset management company , run by Nippon Life India Asset Management Limited (NAM India), a company listed on the National Stock Exchange and the Bombay Stock Exchange , registered with SEBI , and sponsored by Nippon Life Insurance Company of Japan, which held 71.93 per cent of the equity as of 31 March 2026. The fund house reported quarterly average assets under management (QAAUM) of Rs 7,24,965 crore for the January to March 2026 quarter and 394.35 lakh folios as of 31 March 2026, making it one of the largest AMCs in India and the market leader in exchange-traded funds .