JioBlackRock, Kotak and HDFC Feature in Passive Mutual Fund NFO Calendar for October

Key Takeaways:

• Three passive mutual fund NFOs associated with JioBlackRock, Kotak and HDFC were reported as scheduled for the first full week of October 2026. 
• Passive schemes generally seek to track a specified index or underlying asset rather than rely on discretionary security selection. 
• The individual schemes' subscription dates, benchmarks and investment terms require confirmation from official AMC documents. 

Passive Fund Launches Feature in October Calendar 

India's passive mutual fund segment continued to see product activity during the first full week of October 2026, with three new fund offers associated with JioBlackRock, Kotak and HDFC Mutual Fund appearing in the reported launch calendar. 

The Economic Times reported the scheduled offerings on 4 October 2026. 

The developments reflect continued product expansion across passive investment strategies, which may include index funds, exchange-traded funds and other index-tracking structures. 

The report identifies the participating fund houses, but the information verified for this article does not establish the complete individual scheme terms. 

What Distinguishes Passive Mutual Fund Schemes? 

Passive mutual funds are designed to follow a specified benchmark or underlying asset according to the scheme's investment objective. 

Unlike actively managed funds, where portfolio managers select securities based on an investment strategy, passive products generally seek to replicate or track the composition and performance of an identified index. 

The investment approach varies according to the product structure. 

Equity index funds may track a market-capitalisation index, while sectoral or thematic index products follow a more specific benchmark. 

Commodity-linked ETFs may seek to track an underlying asset such as gold, subject to applicable regulations and scheme-level investment conditions. 

Important Details in the NFO Documents 

Each NFO must be evaluated according to its own published terms. 

The principal factual details include the scheme's category, benchmark, investment objective, subscription period, minimum application amount and applicable expenses. 

For an ETF, the listing arrangements and creation-unit structure are also relevant. 

The reported launch calendar should not be interpreted as confirmation that all three schemes have identical subscription dates or investment conditions. 

Passive Funds Also Carry Investment Risks 

Passive management does not eliminate market risk. 

The value of an index fund or ETF changes with the securities or assets it tracks. Investors may also experience differences between the scheme's returns and the benchmark because of expenses, cash holdings, transaction costs and tracking difference. 

Products following concentrated or sector-specific indices can have different risk characteristics from diversified broad-market index funds. 

October Launches Add to Passive Product Activity 

The scheduled offerings from JioBlackRock, Kotak and HDFC indicate further activity in India's passive mutual fund segment. 

The exact launch status of each scheme as of 8 October requires confirmation through the respective AMC's official NFO notices. 

The relevant development is the addition of proposed passive investment products to the industry's offering calendar, rather than any indication of their future performance.