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.

0.19% p.a. - 0.85% p.a.
annual total expense ratio (TER) of India ETFs
on the Indian stock market, which are tracked by ETFs
on the Indian stock market
 
The best indices for India ETFs

Performance of Indian stocks (MSCI India)

1 month: -1.52%
1 year: 29.33%
3 years: 42.54%
5 years: 65.56%

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 6 ETFs. On the FTSE India 30/18 Capped index there is 1 ETF. On the MSCI India index there are 4 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 205
(30/11/2022)
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 4 ETFs 131
(29/02/2024)
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 GBP
TER
in %
Use of profits Fund domicile Replication method
iShares MSCI India UCITS ETF USD (Acc)IE00BZCQB185 2,963 0.65% p.a. Accumulating Ireland Optimized sampling
Franklin FTSE India UCITS ETFIE00BHZRQZ17 447 0.19% p.a. Accumulating Ireland Full replication
Amundi MSCI India II UCITS ETF USD AccFR0010375766 156 0.85% p.a. Accumulating France Unfunded swap
Xtrackers Nifty 50 Swap UCITS ETF 1CLU0292109690 150 0.85% p.a. Accumulating Luxembourg Unfunded swap
Xtrackers MSCI India Swap UCITS ETF 1CLU0514695187 94 0.75% p.a. Accumulating Luxembourg Unfunded swap
Amundi MSCI India UCITS ETF USDLU1681043169 42 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 1.84% 10.19% 12.39% 20.91% 46.14%
MSCI India 3.33% 14.42% 18.21% 30.53% 54.88%
FTSE India 30/18 Capped 3.18% 13.77% 18.06% 31.19% 56.91%
Index   2024
in %
2023
in %
2022
in %
2021
in %
2020
in %
Nifty 50 2.05% 12.40% 4.83% 23.00% 7.67%
FTSE India 30/18 Capped 5.36% 15.76% 3.22% 26.44% 8.87%
MSCI India 5.93% 13.09% 2.58% 26.58% 11.14%

Source: justETF.com; As of 29/02/2024; Calculations in GBP based on the largest ETF of the respective index.

 

The cheapest India ETFs
by total expense ratio (TER)

Show all
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 GBP
TER
in %
Use of profits Fund domicile Replication method
HANetf INQQ India Internet & Ecommerce ESG-S UCITS ETFIE000WYTQSF9 2 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 2.83% 9.52% - - -
S&P India Tech - - - - -
Index   2024
in %
2023
in %
2022
in %
2021
in %
2020
in %
INQQ The India Internet & Ecommerce ESG Screened 3.14% - - - -
S&P India Tech - - - - -

Source: justETF.com; As of 29/02/2024; Calculations in GBP 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 20 ETFs. The total expense ratio (TER) of ETFs on emerging markets indices is between 0.14% p.a. and 0.55% 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
(31/08/2023)
The FTSE Emerging index tracks stocks from emerging markets worldwide.
Index factsheet
MSCI Emerging Markets Emerging Markets

India: 14.85%
(30/11/2022)
18 ETFs 1,440
(29/02/2024)
The MSCI Emerging Markets index tracks stocks from emerging markets worldwide.
Index factsheet
ETF
ISIN
  Fund size
in m GBP
TER
in %
Use of profits Fund domicile Replication method
Xtrackers MSCI Emerging Markets UCITS ETF 1CIE00BTJRMP35 3,968 0.18% p.a. Accumulating Ireland Optimized sampling
iShares MSCI EM UCITS ETF (Dist)IE00B0M63177 3,478 0.18% p.a. Distributing Ireland Optimized sampling
Amundi Index MSCI Emerging Markets UCITS ETF DR (C)LU1437017350 2,400 0.20% p.a. Accumulating Luxembourg Full replication
iShares MSCI EM UCITS ETF (Acc)IE00B4L5YC18 2,178 0.18% p.a. Accumulating Ireland Optimized sampling
Vanguard FTSE Emerging Markets UCITS ETF DistributingIE00B3VVMM84 1,766 0.22% p.a. Distributing Ireland Optimized sampling
HSBC MSCI Emerging Markets UCITS ETF USDIE00B5SSQT16 1,573 0.15% p.a. Distributing Ireland Optimized sampling
Amundi MSCI Emerging Markets II UCITS ETF DistLU2573966905 1,252 0.14% p.a. Distributing Luxembourg Unfunded swap
UBS ETF (LU) MSCI Emerging Markets UCITS ETF (USD) A-disLU0480132876 1,228 0.18% p.a. Distributing Luxembourg Optimized sampling
Amundi MSCI Emerging Markets II UCITS ETF AccLU2573967036 1,044 0.14% p.a. Accumulating Luxembourg Unfunded swap
Amundi MSCI Emerging Markets UCITS ETF USDLU1681045453 857 0.20% p.a. Accumulating Luxembourg Unfunded swap
Xtrackers MSCI Emerging Markets Swap UCITS ETF 1CLU0292107645 523 0.49% p.a. Accumulating Luxembourg Unfunded swap
Amundi Index MSCI Emerging Markets UCITS ETF DR EUR (D)LU1737652583 376 0.20% p.a. Distributing Luxembourg Full replication
Vanguard FTSE Emerging Markets UCITS ETF AccIE00BK5BR733 369 0.22% p.a. Accumulating Ireland Optimized sampling
SPDR MSCI Emerging Markets UCITS ETFIE00B469F816 363 0.18% p.a. Accumulating Ireland Full replication
Invesco MSCI Emerging Markets UCITS ETFIE00B3DWVS88 286 0.19% p.a. Accumulating Ireland Unfunded swap
Xtrackers MSCI Emerging Markets UCITS ETF 1DIE000GWA2J58 158 0.18% p.a. Distributing Ireland Full replication
HSBC MSCI Emerging Markets UCITS ETF USD (Acc)IE000KCS7J59 158 0.15% p.a. Accumulating Ireland Optimized sampling
Amundi Index MSCI Emerging Markets UCITS ETF DR - USD (D)LU2277591868 128 0.20% p.a. Distributing Luxembourg Full replication
Amundi MSCI Emerging Markets III UCITS ETF USD AccFR0010435297 84 0.55% p.a. Accumulating France Unfunded swap
Xtrackers MSCI Emerging Markets Swap UCITS ETF 1DLU2675291913 46 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 3.02% 4.52% 3.07% 3.25% -6.22%
MSCI Emerging Markets 3.74% 4.63% 3.59% 3.90% -9.88%
Index   2024
in %
2023
in %
2022
in %
2021
in %
2020
in %
MSCI Emerging Markets 0.48% 3.61% -10.57% -1.50% 14.15%
FTSE Emerging 1.02% 2.02% -7.55% 0.58% 10.95%

Source: justETF.com; As of 29/02/2024; Calculations in GBP 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 7 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 1,312
(29/02/2024)
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 1,248
(29/02/2024)
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)
4 ETFs 1,193
(29/02/2024)
The MSCI Emerging Markets Asia index tracks large and mid cap companies from Asian emerging markets.
Index factsheet
ETF
ISIN
  Fund size
in m GBP
TER
in %
Use of profits Fund domicile Replication method
iShares MSCI EM Asia UCITS ETF (Acc)IE00B5L8K969 1,816 0.20% p.a. Accumulating Ireland Full replication
SPDR MSCI EM Asia UCITS ETFIE00B466KX20 677 0.55% p.a. Accumulating Ireland Full replication
Amundi MSCI Emerging Markets Asia UCITS ETF USDLU1681044563 493 0.20% p.a. Accumulating Luxembourg Unfunded swap
Amundi MSCI AC Asia Pacific Ex Japan UCITS ETF AccLU1900068328 288 0.60% p.a. Accumulating Luxembourg Unfunded swap
Amundi MSCI AC Asia Ex Japan UCITS ETF AccLU1900068161 193 0.50% p.a. Accumulating Luxembourg Unfunded swap
UBS ETF (IE) MSCI AC Asia Ex Japan SF UCITS ETF (USD) A-accIE00B7WK2W23 163 0.23% p.a. Accumulating Ireland Swap-based
Amundi MSCI Emerging Asia II UCITS ETF AccLU1781541849 133 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 ex Japan 3.95% 4.02% 2.62% -0.07% -16.43%
MSCI AC Asia Pacific ex Japan 3.44% 4.80% 3.88% 0.15% -11.81%
MSCI Emerging Markets Asia 4.48% 4.54% 3.32% 2.20% -15.40%
Index   2024
in %
2023
in %
2022
in %
2021
in %
2020
in %
MSCI AC Asia Pacific ex Japan -0.06% 0.89% -7.77% -3.00% 17.82%
MSCI AC Asia ex Japan 0.35% -0.14% -10.05% -4.75% 20.25%
MSCI Emerging Markets Asia 0.89% 1.75% -10.37% -5.16% 23.42%

Source: justETF.com; As of 29/02/2024; Calculations in GBP based on the largest ETF of the respective index.