Franklin Templeton's First SIF NFO from April 10

Mumbai: Franklin Templeton India announced the launch of its specialised investment fund(SIF) Sapphire Equity Long-Short SIF, its first offering under the newly allowed SIF framework, which requires a minimum Rs 10 lakh investment. The SIF framework is broadly aligned to the mutual fund framework, but allows unhedged short positions up to 25 per cent of total assets under management.

The new fund offer opens on April 10 and closes on April 24, 2026. Franklin's SIF is an equity long-short fund under the SIF framework, investing across Nifty 500 stocks with exposure across large, mid and small-cap segments.

Speaking on the launch, Avinash Satwalekar, president, Franklin Templeton India, said, "SIF is designed for investors with a higher risk appetite, offering the potential of relatively higher returns while also being tax efficient. What differentiates a SIF strategy from a conventional mutual fund is that SIFs can potentially take advantage of market shifts by taking short positions up to 25 per cent of their net assets, which can help reduce downside risk during market corrections."

"Investors today are navigating markets that move through different phases rapidly, making disciplined and flexible investment strategies increasingly important," Satwalekar said.