Franklin Templeton launches Franklin US Equity IFSC Fund as its first outbound fund

Franklin Templeton India announced the launch of the Franklin US Equity IFSC Fund, its first outbound fund offering through Gujarat International Finance Tec-City (GIFT City) on Monday.

The initial offer period is from November 11 to December 11. The fund credit cut-off date is December 10.

Franklin US Equity IFSC Fund is structured as a feeder fund, providing Indian investors access to the FTGF Putnam US Research Fund (Master Fund) with a minimum investment starting at USD 5,000.

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The master fund is an actively managed US equity strategy with over USD 10.6 billion in AUM as of September 30, 2026 and is benchmarked against the S&P 500 Index. The strategy is managed by Putnam Investments, a Franklin Templeton company.

With an investment track record of over three decades, the strategy aims to achieve long-term capital appreciation by investing in a diversified portfolio of US companies, selecting its best investment ideas from across the S&P 500 Index. Backed by Putnam’s global research capabilities, the strategy follows a disciplined, research-driven approach focused on fundamental stock selection and risk management, with a historical track record of outperforming its benchmark over the long term.

“We are pleased to further expand our offering from GIFT City with the launch of the Franklin US Equity IFSC Fund, our outbound investment solution. Franklin Templeton’s long-standing presence in India, combined with the strength of our global platform, enables us to provide investors access to investment opportunities across markets and geographies,” said Avinash Satwalekar, President, Franklin Templeton–India.

“The fund provides diversified exposure to leading US companies through an actively managed, research-driven strategy that seeks to add value primarily through disciplined stock selection rather than broad sector calls,” Satwalekar further said.

He added, “This launch marks another milestone in the evolution of our GIFT City platform and reinforces our commitment to providing Indian investors with access to differentiated global investment opportunities.”

“The launch of the Franklin US Equity IFSC Fund is our first outbound offering from GIFT City that provides exposure to one of the world's largest and most dynamic equity markets. We believe the fund can serve as a core US equity allocation for investors seeking international diversification,” said Kiran Voleti, Principal Officer, Franklin Templeton Asset Management (IFSC).

GIFT City is envisioned as India's global financial hub similar to London, New York and Singapore. It is a gateway to facilitate investments into India by global investors and also provide an avenue for Indian investors to tap global opportunities.

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Investors can access international stocks, funds, wealth management products, and other cross-border investment options that were traditionally available only through overseas financial centres.

An exit load of 2% of the redemption proceeds will be applicable if redeemed within 24 months from allotment of units, and the exit load will be nil thereafter.

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