How to invest in India using ETFs
How do I invest in Indian stocks?
The easiest way to invest in the whole Indian stock market is to invest in a broad market index. This can be done at low cost by using ETFs.
On the Indian stock market you'll find 3 indices which are tracked by ETFs. Besides these indices, 2 alternative indices are available.
As further alternative, you may invest in indices on Asia or emerging markets.
Performance of Indian stocks (MSCI India)
1 month: 4.36%
1 year: 33.50%
3 years: 53.62%
5 years: 82.34%
Indices in comparison
The best indices for ETFs on India
For an investment in the Indian stock market, there are 3 indices available which are tracked by 8 ETFs. On the FTSE India 30/18 Capped index there is 1 ETF. On the MSCI India index there are 6 ETFs. On the Nifty 50 index there is 1 ETF. The total expense ratio (TER) of ETFs on these indices is between 0.19% p.a. and 0.85% p.a..
| Index | Investment focus | Number of ETFs | Number of constituents | Short description |
|---|---|---|---|---|
FTSE India 30/18 Capped | India | 1 ETF | 213 (29.02.24) | The FTSE India 30/18 Capped index tracks Indian companies with large and medium market capitalisation. The largest company in the index is limited to a maximum of 30 percent of the index capitalization, all other index components to a maximum of 18 percent. Index factsheet |
MSCI India | India | 6 ETFs | 146 (28.06.24) | The MSCI India index tracks the leading Indian stocks. Index factsheet |
Nifty 50 | India | 1 ETF | 50 | The Nifty 50 index tracks 50 stocks from 22 sectors of the Indian economy. Index factsheet |
| ETF ISIN | Fund size in m EUR | TER in % | Use of profits | Fund domicile | Replication method | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| iShares MSCI India UCITS ETF USD (Acc)IE00BZCQB185 | 5,246 | 0.65% p.a. | Accumulating | Ireland | Optimized sampling | |
| Amundi MSCI India II UCITS ETF EUR AccFR0010361683 | 1,168 | 0.85% p.a. | Accumulating | France | Unfunded swap | |
| Franklin FTSE India UCITS ETFIE00BHZRQZ17 | 887 | 0.19% p.a. | Accumulating | Ireland | Full replication | |
| Amundi MSCI India II UCITS ETF USD AccFR0010375766 | 317 | 0.85% p.a. | Accumulating | France | Unfunded swap | |
| Xtrackers Nifty 50 Swap UCITS ETF 1CLU0292109690 | 216 | 0.85% p.a. | Accumulating | Luxembourg | Unfunded swap | |
| Amundi MSCI India UCITS ETF EUR (C)LU1681043086 | 215 | 0.80% p.a. | Accumulating | Luxembourg | Unfunded swap | |
| Xtrackers MSCI India Swap UCITS ETF 1CLU0514695187 | 179 | 0.19% p.a. | Accumulating | Luxembourg | Unfunded swap | |
| Amundi MSCI India UCITS ETF USDLU1681043169 | 58 | 0.80% p.a. | Accumulating | Luxembourg | Unfunded swap |
| Index | 1 month in % | 3 months in % | 6 months in % | 1 year in % | 3 years in % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nifty 50 | 7.95% | 8.18% | 13.76% | 24.58% | 49.62% | |
| MSCI India | 7.75% | 10.17% | 20.10% | 34.88% | 58.23% | |
| FTSE India 30/18 Capped | 7.43% | 10.00% | 19.40% | 35.85% | 59.63% |
| Index | 2024 in % | 2023 in % | 2022 in % | 2021 in % | 2020 in % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nifty 50 | 13.76% | 14.71% | -0.68% | 31.60% | 1.89% | |
| FTSE India 30/18 Capped | 19.40% | 18.13% | -2.19% | 35.30% | 3.01% | |
| MSCI India | 20.10% | 15.48% | -2.89% | 35.69% | 5.15% |
Source: justETF.com; As of 30.06.24; Calculations in EUR based on the largest ETF of the respective index.
The best India ETFs
by 1 year return
| 1 | Franklin FTSE India UCITS ETF | 35.85% |
| 2 | Amundi MSCI India II UCITS ETF EUR Acc | 35.03% |
| 3 | Amundi MSCI India UCITS ETF EUR (C) | 35.03% |
The cheapest India ETFs
by total expense ratio (TER)
| 1 | Franklin FTSE India UCITS ETF | 0.19% p.a. |
| 2 | Xtrackers MSCI India Swap UCITS ETF 1C | 0.19% p.a. |
| 3 | iShares MSCI India UCITS ETF USD (Acc) | 0.65% p.a. |
Alternative investment opportunities
India indices with a sector or thematic focus
Alternatively, you can consider indices on specific sectors or investment themes. In total you can invest in 2 alternative indices on India tracked by 2 ETFs. The total expense ratio (TER) of ETFs on these alternative indices is between 0.65% p.a. and 0.86% p.a..
| Index | Investment focus | Number of ETFs | Number of constituents | Short description |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| INQQ The India Internet & Ecommerce ESG Screened | India Social/Environmental | 1 ETF | The INQQ The India Internet & Ecommerce ESG Screened index tracks Indian companies from the sectors internet and E-commerce. The stocks included are filtered according to ESG criteria (environmental, social and corporate governance). Index factsheet | |
| S&P India Tech | India Technology | 1 ETF | The S&P India Tech index tracks the Indian technology sector. |
| ETF ISIN | Fund size in m EUR | TER in % | Use of profits | Fund domicile | Replication method | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| HANetf INQQ India Internet & Ecommerce ESG-S UCITS ETFIE000WYTQSF9 | 3 | 0.86% p.a. | Accumulating | Ireland | Full replication | |
| HSBC S&P India Tech UCITS ETF EUR (Acc)IE0008119MO8 | - | 0.65% p.a. | Accumulating | Ireland | Full replication |
| Index | 1 month in % | 3 months in % | 6 months in % | 1 year in % | 3 years in % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| INQQ The India Internet & Ecommerce ESG Screened | 9.32% | 7.32% | 14.29% | - | - | |
| S&P India Tech | 11.42% | 8.09% | - | - | - |
| Index | 2024 in % | 2023 in % | 2022 in % | 2021 in % | 2020 in % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| INQQ The India Internet & Ecommerce ESG Screened | 14.29% | - | - | - | - | |
| S&P India Tech | - | - | - | - | - |
Source: justETF.com; As of 30.06.24; Calculations in EUR based on the largest ETF of the respective index.
Emerging markets indices with a share of India
Besides India ETFs you may consider ETFs on emerging markets. In total, you can consider 2 emerging markets indices tracked by 21 ETFs. The total expense ratio (TER) of ETFs on emerging markets indices is between 0.14% p.a. and 0.66% p.a..
| Index | Investment focus | Number of ETFs | Number of constituents | Short description |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| FTSE Emerging | Emerging Markets India: 17.98% (30/11/2022) | 2 ETFs | 2,021 (31.08.23) | The FTSE Emerging index tracks stocks from emerging markets worldwide. Index factsheet |
| MSCI Emerging Markets | Emerging Markets India: 14.85% (30/11/2022) | 19 ETFs | 1,330 (28.06.24) | The MSCI Emerging Markets index tracks stocks from emerging markets worldwide. Index factsheet |
| ETF ISIN | Fund size in m EUR | TER in % | Use of profits | Fund domicile | Replication method | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Xtrackers MSCI Emerging Markets UCITS ETF 1CIE00BTJRMP35 | 5,223 | 0.18% p.a. | Accumulating | Ireland | Optimized sampling | |
| iShares MSCI EM UCITS ETF (Dist)IE00B0M63177 | 4,432 | 0.18% p.a. | Distributing | Ireland | Optimized sampling | |
| Amundi Index MSCI Emerging Markets UCITS ETF DR (C)LU1437017350 | 3,006 | 0.18% p.a. | Accumulating | Luxembourg | Full replication | |
| iShares MSCI EM UCITS ETF (Acc)IE00B4L5YC18 | 3,005 | 0.18% p.a. | Accumulating | Ireland | Optimized sampling | |
| Amundi MSCI Emerging Markets UCITS ETF EUR (C)LU1681045370 | 2,315 | 0.20% p.a. | Accumulating | Luxembourg | Unfunded swap | |
| HSBC MSCI Emerging Markets UCITS ETF USDIE00B5SSQT16 | 2,271 | 0.15% p.a. | Distributing | Ireland | Optimized sampling | |
| Vanguard FTSE Emerging Markets UCITS ETF DistributingIE00B3VVMM84 | 2,185 | 0.22% p.a. | Distributing | Ireland | Optimized sampling | |
| Amundi MSCI Emerging Markets II UCITS ETF DistLU2573966905 | 1,686 | 0.14% p.a. | Distributing | Luxembourg | Unfunded swap | |
| UBS ETF (LU) MSCI Emerging Markets UCITS ETF (USD) A-disLU0480132876 | 1,521 | 0.18% p.a. | Distributing | Luxembourg | Optimized sampling | |
| Amundi MSCI Emerging Markets III UCITS ETF EUR AccFR0010429068 | 898 | 0.55% p.a. | Accumulating | France | Unfunded swap | |
| Amundi MSCI Emerging Markets UCITS ETF USDLU1681045453 | 858 | 0.20% p.a. | Accumulating | Luxembourg | Unfunded swap | |
| Xtrackers MSCI Emerging Markets Swap UCITS ETF 1CLU0292107645 | 646 | 0.49% p.a. | Accumulating | Luxembourg | Unfunded swap | |
| SPDR MSCI Emerging Markets UCITS ETFIE00B469F816 | 569 | 0.18% p.a. | Accumulating | Ireland | Full replication | |
| Vanguard FTSE Emerging Markets UCITS ETF AccIE00BK5BR733 | 536 | 0.22% p.a. | Accumulating | Ireland | Optimized sampling | |
| Amundi Index MSCI Emerging Markets UCITS ETF DR EUR (D)LU1737652583 | 494 | 0.18% p.a. | Distributing | Luxembourg | Full replication | |
| Invesco MSCI Emerging Markets UCITS ETFIE00B3DWVS88 | 340 | 0.19% p.a. | Accumulating | Ireland | Unfunded swap | |
| HSBC MSCI Emerging Markets UCITS ETF USD (Acc)IE000KCS7J59 | 232 | 0.15% p.a. | Accumulating | Ireland | Optimized sampling | |
| Xtrackers MSCI Emerging Markets UCITS ETF 1DIE000GWA2J58 | 199 | 0.18% p.a. | Distributing | Ireland | Full replication | |
| Amundi MSCI Emerging Markets III UCITS ETF USD AccFR0010435297 | 106 | 0.55% p.a. | Accumulating | France | Unfunded swap | |
| Deka MSCI Emerging Markets UCITS ETF DE000ETFL342 | 91 | 0.66% p.a. | Accumulating | Germany | Unfunded swap | |
| Xtrackers MSCI Emerging Markets Swap UCITS ETF 1DLU2675291913 | 66 | 0.18% p.a. | Distributing | Luxembourg | Unfunded swap |
| Index | 1 month in % | 3 months in % | 6 months in % | 1 year in % | 3 years in % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| FTSE Emerging | 3.16% | 6.47% | 11.31% | 14.11% | -1.90% | |
| MSCI Emerging Markets | 4.10% | 5.85% | 10.98% | 14.15% | -5.49% |
| Index | 2024 in % | 2023 in % | 2022 in % | 2021 in % | 2020 in % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| MSCI Emerging Markets | 10.98% | 5.75% | -15.28% | 5.39% | 8.01% | |
| FTSE Emerging | 11.31% | 4.11% | -12.40% | 7.62% | 4.99% |
Source: justETF.com; As of 30.06.24; Calculations in EUR based on the largest ETF of the respective index.
Asia indices with a share of India
Alternatively, you may consider investing in Asia. In total, you can invest in 3 indices on Asia tracked by 8 ETFs. The total expense ratio (TER) of ETFs on Asia is between 0.12% p.a. and 0.60% p.a..
| Index | Investment focus | Number of ETFs | Number of constituents | Short description |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| MSCI AC Asia Pacific ex Japan | Asia Pacific India: 13.98% (30/11/2022) | 1 ETF | 1,194 (28.06.24) | The MSCI AC Asia Pacific ex Japan index tracks equity markets of the emerging and developed countries of the Asia and Pacific region, excluding Japan. Index factsheet |
| MSCI AC Asia ex Japan | Asia Pacific India: 16.92% (30/11/2022) | 2 ETFs | 1,131 (28.06.24) | The MSCI AC Asia ex Japan index tracks equity markets of the emerging and developed countries of the Asia region, excluding Japan. Index factsheet |
| MSCI Emerging Markets Asia | Asia Pacific India: 19.02% (30/11/2022) | 5 ETFs | 1,087 (28.06.24) | The MSCI Emerging Markets Asia index tracks large and mid cap companies from Asian emerging markets. Index factsheet |
| ETF ISIN | Fund size in m EUR | TER in % | Use of profits | Fund domicile | Replication method | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| iShares MSCI EM Asia UCITS ETF (Acc)IE00B5L8K969 | 2,479 | 0.20% p.a. | Accumulating | Ireland | Full replication | |
| Amundi MSCI Emerging Markets Asia UCITS ETF EUR (C)LU1681044480 | 867 | 0.20% p.a. | Accumulating | Luxembourg | Unfunded swap | |
| SPDR MSCI EM Asia UCITS ETFIE00B466KX20 | 834 | 0.55% p.a. | Accumulating | Ireland | Full replication | |
| Amundi MSCI Emerging Markets Asia UCITS ETF USDLU1681044563 | 583 | 0.20% p.a. | Accumulating | Luxembourg | Unfunded swap | |
| Amundi MSCI AC Asia Pacific Ex Japan UCITS ETF AccLU1900068328 | 368 | 0.60% p.a. | Accumulating | Luxembourg | Unfunded swap | |
| UBS ETF (IE) MSCI AC Asia Ex Japan SF UCITS ETF (USD) A-accIE00B7WK2W23 | 276 | 0.23% p.a. | Accumulating | Ireland | Swap-based | |
| Amundi MSCI AC Asia Ex Japan UCITS ETF AccLU1900068161 | 236 | 0.50% p.a. | Accumulating | Luxembourg | Unfunded swap | |
| Amundi MSCI Emerging Asia II UCITS ETF AccLU1781541849 | 208 | 0.12% p.a. | Accumulating | Luxembourg | Unfunded swap |
| Index | 1 month in % | 3 months in % | 6 months in % | 1 year in % | 3 years in % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| MSCI AC Asia Pacific ex Japan | 4.51% | 7.08% | 11.49% | 14.30% | -5.23% | |
| MSCI AC Asia ex Japan | 4.47% | 8.10% | 13.23% | 14.45% | -7.65% | |
| MSCI Emerging Markets Asia | 5.10% | 9.14% | 14.53% | 16.59% | -6.28% |
| Index | 2024 in % | 2023 in % | 2022 in % | 2021 in % | 2020 in % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| MSCI AC Asia Pacific ex Japan | 11.49% | 2.96% | -12.62% | 3.78% | 11.51% | |
| MSCI AC Asia ex Japan | 13.23% | 2.12% | -14.88% | 2.94% | 13.90% | |
| MSCI Emerging Markets Asia | 14.53% | 3.84% | -15.09% | 1.48% | 16.80% |
Source: justETF.com; As of 30.06.24; Calculations in EUR based on the largest ETF of the respective index.