New Delhi, Sept. 29 -- In early 2026, the Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) introduced a significant change in the mutual fund framework, giving equity-oriented schemes greater flexibility to invest part of their non-core allocation in assets beyond equities.

Under the revised framework, eligible equity mutual funds can use their residual portfolio allocation for assets such as gold ETFs, silver ETFs and Infrastructure Investment Trusts (InvITs). The flexibility is subject to the minimum equity exposure prescribed for each mutual fund category.

For example, a scheme with a 65% minimum equity requirement could have up to 35% available for other permitted investments, while a large-cap scheme required to maintain 80% exposure ...