New Delhi, April 15 -- Gold Exchange Traded Funds (ETFs) witnessed an influx of Rs.31,561 crore in the March 2026 quarter, marking an almost six-fold surge compared to the year-ago period, as investors sought the safety of the traditional safe-haven asset amid heightened geopolitical tensions. On a quarter-on-quarter basis, inflows rose 36% to Rs.23,132 crore. Additionally, the asset base of gold ETFs, as well as investor accounts, recorded significant growth during the year. In March alone, the category saw net inflows of Rs.2,266 crore, lower than Rs.5,255 crore in February and Rs.24,040 crore in January. This took the total inflows to Rs.31,561 crore in the March quarter of 2026, sharply higher than Rs.5,654 crore in the corresponding quarter of 2025, according to data from the Association of Mutual Funds in India (AMFI). While the pace of inflows has moderated sequentially, investor interest in gold-backed products remained positive. The slower inflows in March likely reflect a combination of normalisation after a very strong start to the year and some moderation in fresh allocations. "January saw unusually elevated inflows, likely supported by strong risk aversion, portfolio rebalancing, and momentum in gold prices, making subsequent monthly numbers look softer by comparison. Even so, March's positive flows suggest that gold continues to retain investor interest as a diversification tool amid market uncertainty and macro volatility," said Nehal Meshram, Senior Analyst, Morningstar Investment Research India. Umesh Sharma, CIO-Debt, The Wealth Company Mutual Fund, said inflows into gold ETFs moderated in March, lower than levels seen in previous months, likely as relative valuations turned more favourable towards equities compared with gold. The strong inflows helped in driving the assets under management (AUM) of gold funds nearly three-fold to Rs.1.71 lakh crore by the end of March 2026, from Rs.58,888 crore a year earlier. Gold, which has delivered strong returns in recent years, has attracted significant investor interest, with the steady rise in folio numbers....