Top Performing Mutual Funds in India Over the Last 10 Years
As numerous Asset Management Companies (AMC) in India introduce new fund offerings (NFOs) frequently, both experienced and new investors seek options for wealth creation. Among the list of best mutual funds in India, some have delivered returns beyond expectations. Although past performance isn’t a guaranteed indicator of future returns, it serves as a valuable gauge of a fund’s historical performance.
Investors tend to favour mutual funds that not only offer impressive returns but also maintain low expense ratios. Furthermore, it’s worth noting that the best mutual funds present a diverse range of investment options, including stocks, debt, and hybrid funds. These choices cater to investors with varying risk tolerances and investment horizons. In this blog, we will delve deeper into the top performing mutual funds in India and identify the best fund with highest return in the last 10 years, along with the benefits and much more!
Highest Return Mutual Funds in Last 10 Years
| Fund Name | Sub Category | AUM (Cr.) | CAGR 3Y (%) | Expense Ratio | CAGR 10Y (%) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nippon India Small Cap Fund | Small Cap Fund | 57,009.70 | 22.34 | 0.7 | 20.00 |
| Quant ELSS Tax Saver Fund | Equity Linked Savings Scheme (ELSS) | 10,278.66 | 16.05 | 0.5 | 18.86 |
| ICICI Pru Thematic Advantage Fund | FoFs (Domestic) - Equity Oriented | 2,265.90 | 18.75 | 0.43 | 18.79 |
| Quant Small Cap Fund | Small Cap Fund | 25,183.45 | 21.93 | 0.68 | 18.75 |
| SBI Small Cap Fund | Small Cap Fund | 31,227.19 | 15.57 | 0.7 | 18.51 |
| Axis Small Cap Fund | Small Cap Fund | 23,139.08 | 16.96 | 0.56 | 17.95 |
| Quant Flexi Cap Fund | Flexi Cap Fund | 6,829.09 | 18.47 | 0.61 | 17.84 |
| HSBC Small Cap Fund | Small Cap Fund | 15,453.03 | 18.40 | 0.67 | 17.60 |
| Motilal Oswal Midcap Fund | Mid Cap Fund | 24,488.00 | 29.91 | 0.65 | 17.42 |
| Parag Parikh Flexi Cap Fund | Flexi Cap Fund | 89,703.46 | 18.71 | 0.63 | 17.24 |
Disclaimer: Please note that the above table is for educational purposes only, and is not recommendatory. Please do your own research or consult your financial advisor before investing. The data is derived from Tickertape Stock Screener and is subject to real-time updates.
Note: The data on the top-performing mutual funds in the last 10 years in India is from 5th March 2025, and the data is derived from Tickertape Mutual Fund Screener.
🚀 Pro Tip: You can use Tickertape’s Mutual Fund Screener to research and evaluate funds with over 50+ pre-loaded filters and parameters.
Overview of Top 5 Mutual Funds in India
Here’s an overview of the objectives of the top performing mutual funds 10 years.
Nippon India Small Cap Fund
The Nippon India Small Cap Fund is a well-established small-cap fund that primarily focuses on long-term capital appreciation by investing predominantly in equity and equity-related instruments of small-cap companies. Additionally, the fund aims to generate consistent returns through investments in debt and money market instruments. Its strategy involves identifying high-growth potential businesses in the small-cap space.
Quant ELSS Tax Saver Fund
The Quant ELSS Tax Saver Fund is an equity-linked savings scheme (ELSS) that provides investors with tax benefits under Section 80C of the Income Tax Act. The fund follows a growth-oriented approach, investing in a well-diversified portfolio of equity shares with strong growth potential. Besides capital appreciation, investors may also benefit from dividends and other forms of income.
ICICI Prudential Thematic Advantage Fund
The ICICI Prudential Thematic Advantage Fund is a unique mutual fund that focuses on capital appreciation by investing in sectoral and thematic schemes. By leveraging a diversified investment approach, the fund provides exposure to various underlying sectoral and thematic funds, allowing investors to benefit from high-growth themes in the market. As one of the best performing mutual funds india, it aims to optimise returns by dynamically allocating investments across different themes based on market trends and opportunities.
Quant Small Cap Fund
The Quant Small Cap Fund is designed to seek capital appreciation and long-term growth by investing in small-cap companies. The fund actively identifies high-potential businesses in the small-cap segment, aiming to deliver superior returns over time. As one of the best small cap mutual funds, it follows a dynamic investment strategy, leveraging quantitative models and research-driven insights to capture opportunities in the small-cap space.
SBI Small Cap Fund
The SBI Small Cap Fund is a small-cap-focused fund that aims to generate income and long-term capital appreciation. It primarily invests in a diversified portfolio of equity and equity-related securities of small and mid-cap companies. The fund follows a bottom-up stock selection approach, identifying high-quality businesses with strong growth potential, making it one of the best small cap mutual funds to explore.
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What are Top Performing Mutual Funds in India in the Last 10 Years?
The best performing mutual funds in India in the last 10 years are those that have outperformed their peers and the broader market. These funds have capitalised on market trends and economic cycles, leveraging their investment strategies and asset allocation to generate substantial returns for investors. They often belong to sectors like technology, healthcare, and consumer goods, which have historically shown strong growth potential. Additionally, geographical diversification in emerging markets has been beneficial for some top funds, allowing them to tap into new markets and consumer bases.
Benefits of Investing in Best Mutual Funds Next 10 Years
Here are some of the potential benefits of investing in the best performing mutual funds India for 10 years.
- Potential for High Returns: For many investors, long term equity mutual funds may have the potential to generate better returns than other types of investments, such as fixed deposits or savings accounts. However, investors must keep in mind that returns on mutual fund investments cannot br guaranteed.
- Diversification: All types of high return mutual funds plans provide a way to diversify your investment portfolio across different asset classes, sectors, and companies.
- Professional Management: The top mutual funds in India in the last 10 years are managed by professional fund managers. This can save you the time and effort of having to research and pick individual stocks yourself.
- Liquidity: Top performing mutual funds for long term may be considered highly liquid investments. This may mean that you can easily sell your units and redeem your money whenever you need it.
- Tax Benefits: Equity mutual funds such as ELSS funds offer certain tax benefits under Section 80C. This can help to reduce your overall tax liability.
How to Identify the Best Mutual Fund for 10 Years?
Apart from the above-mentioned factors, here are some of the tips on how to identify the top 10 mutual funds in India.
- Identify Your Financial Goals and Risk Tolerance: What are you saving for? Retirement? A child’s education? A down payment on a house? Once you know your goal, you can assess your risk tolerance. Are you comfortable with the potential for volatility, or do you prefer a more conservative approach?
- Choose the Right Fund Type: Compare the best long term mutual funds and their different types as each has its own investment objective and risk profile. Equity funds invest in stocks, while debt funds invest in bonds. Hybrid funds invest in a mix of both stocks and bonds. You can compare the best mutual funds for wealth creation in the last 10 years, and choose according to your own investment objectives and risk tolerance.
Who Should Invest in the Best Performing Mutual Fund in India Last 10 Years?
Investing in the best performing mutual funds India can be open to a wide range of investors. These long duration funds are typically suitable for investors with systematic plans and long-term financial goals. Since experts manage these funds, it is also suitable for first-time and risk-averse investors.
However, each long term fund is subject to market risk. Therefore, it’s advisable to consult and/or a financial advisor who can provide personalised guidance based on systematic plans and your specific financial situation.
Risks of Investing in Best Mutual Funds Next 10 Years
Investing in the best mutual funds in India for 10 years may carry the following risks:
- Market Risk: The value of investments in even the highest CAGR mutual funds can fluctuate due to market volatility. However, by picking the right mutual fund scheme, you can mitigate this risk.
- Interest Rate Risk: In the case of debt mutual funds, changes in interest rates can have a significant impact on the value of the fund’s underlying holdings. If interest rates rise, the value of bonds may fall even in the case of the best performing mutual funds in India last 10 years
- Credit Risk: Debt-oriented funds, including some high CAGR mutual funds, may face losses if bond issuers default on payments.
- Currency Risk: If you invest in international mutual fund companies, even the best SIP mutual funds for 10 years may be affected by changes in exchange rates.
- Liquidity Risk: Some top mutual funds for investments in the last 10 years may hold illiquid assets, making it challenging to sell these investments without significantly affecting their value.
Taxation on the Best Performing Long-Term Mutual Funds as per Union Budget 2024-25
Equity Mutual Funds
| Capital Gains Tax | Holding Period | Old Rate | New Rate |
| Short-Term Capital Gains (STCG) | Less than 12 months | 15% | 20% |
| Long-Term Capital Gains (LTCG) | More than 12 months | 10% | 12.50% |
- Tax-Free Limit: The capital gains up to Rs. 1.25 lakh per year are tax-free. This is an increase from the previous limit of Rs. 1 lakh.
- Tax Rate: The gains exceeding Rs. 1.25 lakh are now taxed at a flat rate of 12.5%. This is an increase from the previous rate of 10%.
- Indexation: The benefit of indexation, which allowed investors to adjust the purchase price for inflation, has been removed for all asset classes, including equity mutual funds.
Debt Mutual Funds
| Capital Gains Tax | Holding Period | Old Rate | New Rate |
| Short-Term Capital Gains (STCG) | Less than 36 months | Taxed according to your income tax slab | Taxed according to your income tax slab |
| Long-Term Capital Gains (LTCG) | More than 36 months | 10% | 12.50% |
- Tax Rate: A flat 12.5% tax rate applies to these gains.
- No Indexation Benefit: The previous benefit of adjusting the purchase price for inflation is removed. Now, the entire gain after three years is taxable at 12.5%.
Hybrid Mutual Funds
| Type of Hybrid Fund | Short-Term Capital Gains (STCG) | Long-Term Capital Gains (LTCG) | Indexation Benefit |
| Equity-Oriented Hybrid Funds | 20% for holdings less than 1 year | 12.5% for holdings over 1 year, with gains up to Rs. 1.25 lakh tax-free | Not available |
| Debt-Oriented Hybrid Funds | Taxed as per income tax slab for holdings less than 3 years | 12.5% for holdings over 3 years | Not available |
Note: Mutual fund schemes where neither the equity nor debt orientation exceeds 65% will now be classified as long-term investments after 24 months. The previous holding period for these funds was 36 months. These will be taxed at the revised LTCG tax rate of 12.5%.
How to Invest in Highest Return Mutual Fund in the Last 10 Years?
You can easily invest in high return mutual funds in India in the last 10 years by following these steps:
- To invest in mutual funds, you can visit an equity investment platform such as smallcase or Tickertape.
- The next step would be to research and identify the best mutual funds in India with high returns in the last 10 years, which aligns with your investment thesis. You can easily select and learn more about these top wealth-building mutual funds with the help of a financial tool like the Tickertape Mutual Fund Screener. With 50+ pre-loaded filters, it helps you to create a comprehensive list by giving insights about the fund’s performance. Try it now!
- Once you have selected the best 10-year mutual funds based on different metrics and parameters, go to smallcase.com or the smallcase app, and login via your phone number. Click on ‘Discover‘ and enter the name of the specific mutual fund name in the search bar and hit enter. You can click on ‘invest now’ and select whether you want to invest a lump sum amount or start a SIP plan and start investing!
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Calculate your SIP returns today via smallcase SIP calculator!
To Wrap It Up…
In conclusion, exploring the best consistent return mutual funds with highest returns for the next 10 years can be a strategic and potentially rewarding financial move. Although it’s crucial to keep in mind that past performance is not a foolproof indicator of future results, it may help investors to make an informed decision. However, it is always worthwhile to consult a financial advisor before investing.
Most Popular Mutual Funds:
As an investor to have a diversified mutual funds portfolio, you might also like to know more about these different types of funds for investing –
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) on the Best Mutual Funds in Last 10 Years
Based on the 10-yr CAGR, here is the list of 5 top large-cap mutual funds, including large and midcap funds:
– Nippon India Small Cap Fund
– Quant ELSS Tax Saver Fund
– ICICI Pru Thematic Advantage Fund
– Quant Small Cap Fund
– SBI Small Cap Fund
Note: This information is provided for educational purposes and is not intended as a recommendation or endorsement.
The highest Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) is a significant metric for evaluating mutual fund performance, as it indicates the fund’s annual growth over a specified period longer than a year. It helps the investors to understand the historical growth trajectory of the fund. However, it’s important to note that while a high CAGR can be attractive, other financial metrics should also be evaluated before making an investment decision.
A higher expense ratio reduces the investor’s actual returns, especially in long-term investments where compounding plays a crucial role. For instance, a 1% difference in expense ratio over 10 years can lead to a noticeable difference in the final corpus.
Over the past decade, equity mutual funds—especially small-cap, flexi-cap, and sectoral/thematic funds—have shown consistent growth.
