Contents
Definition
A country fund is a mutual fund or exchange-traded fund that concentrates its portfolio in equities from a single country outside the fund's domicile. In the Indian context, country funds are Indian-domiciled SEBI-categorised schemes (typically under the "International Fund" or "Fund of Funds" sub-category) that invest exclusively or near-exclusively in one foreign market. Examples include Motilal Oswal Nasdaq 100 FOF (US technology focus), Edelweiss US Technology Fund of Fund, Mirae Asset NYSE FANG+ ETF FoF (US mega-cap tech), and Kotak International REIT Fund of Fund (Singapore/US real estate). Country funds allow granular thematic bets — e.g., a view that US technology will outperform or that Chinese equities are undervalued — without requiring LRS usage or foreign brokerage accounts.
How an Indian investor accesses this
Accessible through standard MF distribution channels (ARN distributor, direct plan, MF apps) in INR. The same SEBI/AMFI USD 7 billion overseas investment cap applies collectively to all international and country funds; individual AMCs may suspend subscriptions when their share of the cap is exhausted. This means some country funds may be intermittently closed for fresh purchases, particularly US-focused ones that attract heavy retail demand. Existing SIPs are typically allowed to continue even during subscription pauses, subject to individual AMC policies. ETFs listed on NSE/BSE (e.g., Mirae Asset S&P 500 Top 50 ETF) are an alternative — but liquidity in Indian-listed international ETFs can be thin, leading to premium/discount to NAV.
Tax treatment
Same as international funds and overseas FoFs: §50AA of the IT Act (effective 1 April 2024) applies — all gains taxed at income tax slab rate irrespective of holding period. No indexation benefit for long-term holdings. Dividends added to income at slab rate. Pre-April 2024 units already held retain the old tax treatment only for the period held before the cut-off; post-April 2024 all redemptions follow §50AA regardless of when units were originally purchased (check with a tax adviser on transitional units).
Currency consideration
Country funds carry concentrated currency risk tied to the fund's target country. A US country fund carries INR-USD risk; a Japan country fund carries INR-JPY risk; a China/Hong Kong fund carries INR-HKD/CNH risk. Unlike a diversified international fund that holds multiple currencies and partially offsets them, a single-country fund concentrates the currency bet. If the target country's currency falls significantly against INR simultaneously with the stock market falling (a common correlation during emerging-market crises), the fund can deliver a double-negative outcome in rupee terms.
Worked example
In 2021, an investor allocates ₹1 lakh to a Nasdaq 100 country FoF at NAV ₹80. By late 2022 (tech sector drawdown): Nasdaq 100 is down 33% in USD and INR depreciates 8% (₹75→₹81). NAV change: −33% + 8% currency = −27% approx → new NAV ≈ ₹58.4. The investment is now worth ₹73,000 — a ₹27,000 loss. By end-2024, Nasdaq recovers to a new high (+65% from late-2022 trough) and INR is at ₹84. From the NAV of ₹58.4, new NAV ≈ ₹58.4 × 1.65 × (84/81) ≈ ₹99.7. Investment recovered to ₹1.25 lakh — a 25% gain over 3 years (below a domestic Nifty 50 fund in the same period, illustrating country concentration risk).
See also
- International Fund
- Fund of Funds (FoF)
- S&P 500 Index
- NRI Investing — Complete Guide
- Currency Hedging
Primary source
SEBI Circular CIR/IMD/DF3/83/2017 — Mutual Fund Categorisation (International Funds sub-category): sebi.gov.in. Finance Act 2023 §50AA: incometax.gov.in. AMFI — Overseas Investment Cap notices. This content is educational and not investment advice. MintByte is SEBI-registered (ARN-314872, APMI APRN-01658).