Should You Invest in SIFs? | Ft. Radhika Gupta of Edelweiss Mutual Fund

In this episode of ET Money’s podcast, we sit down with Radhika Gupta to break down one of the newest and most talked-about investment products in India – Specialised Investment Funds (SIFs). If you understand mutual funds but are confused about how SIFs work, who they are meant for, and whether they are risky, this conversation simplifies it all. We start with the basics: What exactly are SIFs, and why did SEBI introduce them? Radhika explains how SIFs are not a replacement for mutual funds, but their “sister category”, offering fund managers more flexibility, especially through limited use of derivatives, while still operating under strong regulatory guardrails. The discussion covers key concepts like ‘long vs short investing’, ‘hedged vs unhedged positions’, and why the ability to benefit from both rising and falling markets can improve risk-adjusted returns, not just chase higher returns. We also decode the different SIF categories across equity, debt, and hybrid strategies, using familiar mutual fund comparisons such as flexi-cap, arbitrage, balanced advantage, and sectoral funds. A major focus is on risk management. Are SIFs risky because they use derivatives? Can capital be wiped out? How much downside protection should investors realistically expect? Radhika addresses these concerns, explains SEBI’s restrictions on leverage, and highlights the metrics investors should track: volatility, beta, rolling returns, and drawdowns. The episode also answers practical questions investors search for: ► Who should invest in SIFs and who should avoid them? ► Where do SIFs fit in a portfolio — replacement or complement? ► What is the ideal investment horizon? ► How are SIFs taxed compared to mutual funds? ► Lump sum vs SIP — which works better? If you’re a relatively experienced investor evaluating SIFs for income, tax efficiency, or better downside protection, this episode gives you a clear, no-hype framework to decide. Watch till the end for portfolio allocation insights and the one question every investor must ask before investing in an SIF. 00:00:00 Introduction 00:02:05 What are SIFs? 00:04:32 ‘Long’ and ‘short’ in derivatives simplified 00:06:55 Is the ' long short’ strategy used to minimise risk or to boost returns? 00:08:00 ‘Unhedged’ and ‘naked’ positions simplified? 00:09:32 Types of SIFs 00:13:52 Higher returns or risk mitigation? 00:15:49 Can investors lose their capital? 00:17:12 What risks should investors consider? 00:18:28 SIF in action 00:19:55 Do SIFs behave like mutual funds across market cycles? 00:21:07 Backtested data 00:21:49 Signs that SIFs are not performing as promised 00:23:42 Who should consider investing in SIFs 00:25:50 Investors' portfolio size before they consider investing in SIFs 00:26:53 Are SIFs a replacement for the traditional mutual fund schemes? 00:27:48 What is that one question investors should ask themselves? 00:28:16 What problem is Edelweiss’s hybrid SIF trying to solve? 00:29:34 Debt allocation or income generation? 00:30:24 Can investors allocate part of their emergency fund to Edelweiss’ hybrid SIF? 00:30:52 Which SIF will Radhika Gupta allocate more to? 00:31:51 Are SIFs operationally similar to mutual funds? 00:32:56 SIPs vs Lumpsum: How should one invest in SIFs? 00:33:43 What is the minimum SIP amount accepted by SIFs? 00:33:58 SIF taxation 00:34:57 Why has no one launched debt-based SIFs? Like, share, and subscribe to ET Money for more simplified conversations on investing and personal finance. #SIF #SpecialisedInvestmentFunds #investingindia #mutualfunds #personalfinance #etmoney #radhikagupta #sebi #smartinvesting #wealthmanagement #portfoliodiversification #RiskAdjustedReturns #LongShortStrategy #hybridfunds #financialeducation 👉 To invest in top Mutual Funds, download the ET Money app: https://etmoney.onelink.me/unJQ/5ca1ae3b 👉 Subscribe to ET Money Hindi @etmoneyhindi 👉 Follow us on: ► Facebook: Facebook: ETMONEY ► Twitter: Twitter: etmoney ► Instagram: Instagram: etmoney_official ► LinkedIn: LinkedIn: et_money ► WhatsApp: https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029VaB4... View the detailed disclaimer here: https://www.etmoney.com/disclosures