Medium Duration Fund

A medium duration fund is a SEBI-categorised open-ended debt scheme that maintains a Macaulay duration of 3 to 4 years across its portfolio (SEBI Circular SEBI/HO/IMD/DF3/CIR/P/2017/114, October 2017). The 3–4-year Macaulay duration band targets the intermediate part of the Indian yield curve — between short duration (1–3 years) and medium-to-long duration (4–7 years) — and is typically suited for investors with a 3–5 year investment horizon seeking meaningful yield enhancement over short-end instruments while avoiding the extreme rate sensitivity of long-duration or gilt funds.

What sits in the portfolio

The 3–4 year Macaulay duration target is achieved through a blend of:

• 5–7-year corporate bonds: Typically AAA and AA-rated NCDs from financial sector issuers (banks, NBFCs) and infrastructure companies (NHAI, PFC). These form the core of most medium duration portfolios, providing a yield spread of 75–150 bps over equivalent-maturity G-Secs.
• PSU infrastructure bonds: Tax-free bonds (where secondary market duration matches the target band) and taxable PSU bonds from IRFC, NHB, NABARD.
• Medium-dated G-Secs (4–6 years): Used for credit-quality management and duration calibration, particularly when the fund approaches the upper duration bound of 4 years.
• Bank NCDs (subordinated / senior): Provide incremental yield; senior unsecured bank bonds are common holdings in this category.

Credit quality typically tilts more aggressively than short-duration funds — some AMCs run medium duration funds with 25–35% in AA and below paper to boost yield. The SID and monthly factsheet should be consulted for each scheme's stated credit philosophy.

Risk profile

• Duration risk: moderate-to-high. A Macaulay duration of 3.5 years (midpoint) yields a modified duration of approximately 3.3 years. A 100 bps rate rise reduces NAV by approximately 3.3% — a meaningful loss that requires 4–6 months of accrual at prevailing YTM to recover.
• Credit risk: Material in credit-tilted variants. AAA-dominated medium duration funds are more resilient to credit events; AA/A-tilted funds exhibited sharp drawdowns during 2019–2020.
• Reinvestment risk: The 3–4 year tenor means less frequent portfolio turnover relative to short-duration funds; the reinvestment risk impact is moderate.
• Liquidity risk: 5–7 year corporate bonds are less liquid than short-dated paper in secondary markets. In stressed conditions, exit without price concession may be difficult, especially for bonds below AAA.

Taxation (post-Finance Act 2023)

Finance Act 2023 Section 50AA applies identically. For medium duration funds, the 3–4-year holding horizon was previously the sweet spot for indexation-enhanced LTCG treatment (36-month holding period threshold). Post-April 2023, this advantage is eliminated — all gains are taxed at slab rate. Investors previously using medium duration funds as a 3-year tax-efficient alternative to FDs will find the post-tax yield advantage significantly compressed, though NAV appreciation in rate-cutting cycles still provides potential upside unavailable in bank deposits.

Worked example

Axis Medium Term Fund (AMFI scheme code: 120716 — illustrative; verify from amfiindia.com) reported a portfolio YTM of approximately 7.85%, Macaulay duration of 3.2 years, and modified duration of 3.0 years as at 31 March 2025. During the RBI rate-cutting cycle (2024, 50 bps cumulative), the fund's NAV appreciated approximately 1.5% from duration alone (3.0 × 0.50%) in addition to regular accrual — contributing to a 12-month return of approximately 8.9%. The conventional 91-day T-bill yield (the academic "risk-free rate" proxy) at that time was approximately 6.55%, implying a gross spread of approximately 2.35% — the excess return attributable to duration and credit risk taken by the fund.

See also

• Short Duration Fund
• Long Duration Fund
• Dynamic Bond Fund
• Total Expense Ratio (TER)
• Debt Funds in India — Complete Guide

Primary source

SEBI Circular SEBI/HO/IMD/DF3/CIR/P/2017/114 (6 October 2017): sebi.gov.in. Finance Act 2023, Section 50AA. AMFI scheme and factsheet data: amfiindia.com. RBI G-Sec yield series: rbi.org.in.

Past performance is not indicative of future returns. Mutual fund investments are subject to market risks. Read all scheme-related documents carefully. ARN-314872. APMI APRN-01658. Content is informational and not investment advice.