8 Best International Mutual Funds 2025

International Mutual Funds are funds that invest in foreign markets except for the investor’s country of residence. On the other hand, global fund invest in foreign markets as well as the investor’s country of residence. International Mutual Funds are also known as “foreign fund” and are a form of the ‘fund of funds’ strategy.

International Mutual Funds have become an attractive investment option for investors in the past few years due to the volatile local markets and an Economy going through its ups and downs.

Background of International Mutual Funds in India

With the permission of Reserve Bank of India (RBI), International Mutual Funds opened up in India in 2007. Each fund is allowed to get a corpus of USD 500 million.

Master-Feeder Structure of International Mutual Funds

International Mutual Funds follow a master-feeder structure. A master-feeder structure is a three-tier structure where investors place their money in the feeder fund which then invests in the master fund. The master fund then invests the money in the Market. A feeder fund is based on-shore i.e. in India, whereas, the master fund is based off-shore (in a foreign geography like Luxembourg etc).

A master fund can have multiple feeder funds. For example,

How to Pick an International Mutual Fund?

There are certain things to be kept in mind while choosing a suitable fund.

Best International Mutual Funds to Invest in FY 25 - 26

Types of International Mutual Funds

1. Emerging Market Funds

This type of mutual fund invests in emerging markets like India, China, Russia, Brazil etc. China has surpassed the USA to be the world’s largest car manufacturer. Russia is a big player in natural gas. India has a fast-growing service economy base. These countries are expected to grow tremendously in the coming years making them a hot choice for investors.

Some of the best international mutual fund schemes that invest in emerging markets are Birla Sun Life International Equity Plan A, Kotak Global Emerging Market Fund and Principal Global Opportunities Fund.

2. Developed Market Funds

Developed market funds are an attractive option because it is generally seen that mature markets are more stable. Also, they do not have the problems associated with emerging markets like an economy or currency risk in the economy, political instability, etc. making them less risky. Some schemes that invest in developed markets are DWS Global Thematic Offshore Fund etc.

3. Country Specific Funds

As the name suggests, this type invests only in a specific country or part of the globe. But, country-specific funds defeat the entire purpose of diversifying the Portfolio since it lays all eggs in one basket. However, when there are opportunities in specific countries due to various reasons, these funds become a good choice.

Reliance Japan Equity Fund, Kotak US Equities Fund and Mirae Asset China Advantage Fund are some country-specific schemes.

4. Commodity Based Funds

These funds invest in commodities like gold, precious metals, crude oil, wheat, etc. Commodities offer diversification and also act as an Inflation hedge, thus protecting the investors. Also, these funds could be multi-commodity or focused on a single commodity.

Best commodity based international mutual funds are DSP Black Rock World Gold Fund, ING OptiMix Global Commodities, Mirae Asset Global Commodity Stocks, Birla Sun Life Commodity Equities - Global Agri Fund, etc.

5. Theme Based Funds

Theme based funds or thematic funds invest in a particular theme. For example, if the theme is infrastructure, it would invest in infrastructure construction companies as well as companies related to the infrastructure business like cement, steel, etc.

They are often confused with sectoral funds which focus only on a specific Industry. For example, pharmaceutical sectoral funds would only invest in pharma companies. Compared to sector funds, thematic funds are a broader concept. This offers more diversification and less risk since the investment is spread across various industries.

Some theme based funds are DSPBR World Energy Fund, L&T Global Real Assets Fund etc.

Why to Invest in International Mutual Funds?

1. Diversification

The main motive of Investing in International Mutual Funds is diversification. Diversification helps in optimising the returns and reducing the overall risks of a portfolio. Low or negative correlations between investments make sure that the returns are not dependent on only one sector or economy. Thus, balancing the portfolio and protecting the investor.

2. Ease in Investing

You can give a global edge to your portfolio by making a direct investment in foreign markets through equities, commodities, Real Estate, and exchange-traded funds (ETFs) as well. Buying units of an international mutual fund are much easier and they also provide the expertise of the fund manager which is not available in the other investing avenues.

3. International Exposure

International mutual funds help in expanding the investor horizons beyond the domestic boundaries. Also, investing internationally helps set-off any losses that the investor may have incurred in the domestic market.

4. Currency Fluctuations

International Mutual Fund schemes determine the NAV (Net Asset Value) of the fund by using the prevailing exchange rate. The exchange rates fluctuate every day, or more so, every minute.

This means that for a scheme investing in US Dollars, the NAV of the scheme would be impacted as per the dollar-rupee movement. It is observed that the more the rupee depreciates, the higher are the gains. This makes international mutual funds even more attractive since the rupee is going downhill now.

5. Country Specific Exposures

If the investor wants to take complete advantage of another country’s growth, international mutual funds are the way to go. But the Flip side of this would be that the portfolio is dependent solely on one economy. Hence, increasing the risk Factor.

Taxation of International Mutual Funds

Tax treatment of international mutual funds in India is similar to that of Debt fund. If the investor holds the investments short term i.e. less than 36 months, they will be included in his total Income and will be taxed as per the applicable slab rate.

If the investments are held for more than 36 months, the investor is then eligible for indexation benefits. Any gains arising from the schemes will be taxed @ 10% without indexation or 20% with indexation.

How to Invest in International Mutual Fund Online?

1. Open Free Investment Account for Lifetime at Fincash.com.

2. Complete your Registration and KYC Process

3. Upload Documents (PAN, Aadhaar, etc.). And, You are Ready to Invest!

   Get Started

According to experts, an investor should have around 10-12% of the portfolio invested in international mutual funds. So with the basics covered now, start building up that portfolio with international mutual funds today.

FAQs

1. What are the benefits of investing in international mutual funds?

A: It diversifies your portfolio of investment, which tends to give you better & diversified returns. It also keeps your portfolio balanced. As these companies have foreign funds, you can expect your investment to produce good returns.

2. Can I invest in companies that post lower growth than India?

A: Yes, you can, but it will depend on the financial institution you are investing in. You cannot directly invest in the securities of a foreign company. You will need a broker or a financial institute to help you invest in the particular security.

3. What is the Franklin India Feeder?

A: The Franklin India Feeder or the Franklin US Opportunities Fund is one of the most successful international mutual funds. This fund allows you to invest in multiple securities of companies in the United States involved in fields like technology, healthcare, consumer cyclical, financial services, and many more such industrial sectors. These mutual funds allow you to diversify your portfolio of investments, making it easy to invest in multiple securities through a single investment. Since its launch, the Franklin India Feeder has produced returns of 19.9%.

4. What is the BlackRock World Mining Fund?

A: This is different from Franklin as it has an equity sector only in necessary materials and financial services. This is considered to be a high-risk mutual fund, but has been known to produce excellent returns. The DSP BlackRock World Mining has produced returns of nearly 34.9% for the 3- year investment period.

5. Are earnings from international mutual funds taxed?

A: Yes, Earnings from international mutual funds are taxed. Dividends that you earn from these funds are liable for Tax Deducted at Source or TDS at 7.5% till March 31, 2021, and the mutual fund house deducts it. If you have invested for 3 years, it will fall under the short-term investment, and if for more, you will have to categorize it under long-term investment. The taxation slab will also depend on the time for which the investment has been made.

6. What is the main risk of the international mutual fund?

A: The primary risk of the international mutual fund is the fluctuating nature of the foreign exchange rate. If the foreign exchange rates fluctuate compared to the rupee, it can adversely affect your investment.

7. Who should invest in a foreign mutual fund?

A: If you are looking to diversify your investment portfolio and looking to add a geographical diversification, then you could consider investing in a foreign mutual fund.