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Category III Alternative Investment FundIndia-Focused

Master Volatility.
Capture Opportunity.

Equitrust AIF will be employing long-short equity strategies and dynamic hedging to seek asymmetric returns, participating in India's growth while systematically managing downside risk. Equitrust Growth Fund will be the maiden scheme of Equitrust AIF seeking Category III AIF SEBI registration.

Explore the Strategy

The Problem

Volatility Is Rising.

Indian markets face a new era of structural volatility. Rising India VIX, rupee pressure, erratic FII flows, and geopolitical uncertainty have made unhedged equity exposure increasingly risky. Traditional portfolios are ill-equipped for this environment.

The Opportunity

India's AIF Industry
Is Accelerating.

Alternative Investment Funds are rapidly becoming the preferred vehicle for India's most sophisticated investors. Category III hedge-fund strategies — like EquiTrust's — are at the forefront of this structural shift.

₹100L Cr

Projected AIF Industry AUM by 2030

From ₹15.74 lakh crore as of December 2025

Source: Figures presented in the EquiTrust investor material (2026). Projections are estimates and do not represent guaranteed outcomes.

Key Industry Metrics

₹15.74L Cr

AIF Commitments as of Dec 2025

Total industry

20.6%

Year-on-Year Growth

AIF industry

~30%

5-Year CAGR

Industry AUM

55%+

Domestic Capital Share

Of AIF flows

1,700+

Registered AIFs in India

Industry AUM Growth — Illustrative Trajectory

20242030P

Illustrative. P = Projected estimate. Not guaranteed.

Core Thesis

Three pillars of an intelligent strategy.

01

Capture Growth

Participate in India's structural growth.

High-conviction long positions in quality Indian equities businesses with strong fundamentals, sectoral tailwinds, and durable competitive advantages form the core of the portfolio.

  • —Long-short equity exposure
  • —Bottom-up fundamental research
  • —Sector-diversified, max 10% single stock
  • —India-focused with structural growth bias
02

Hedge Systematically

Systematic downside protection — always on.

Proprietary hedging is not reactive it is structural. The fund employs overlapping hedge layers that respond dynamically to market conditions without requiring market timing.

  • —Nifty / Sensex index put options
  • —Stock futures (tactical shorts)
  • —Currency derivatives (INR exposure)
  • —Pairs trading strategies
03

Seek Asymmetry

Asymmetric outcomes: capped down, open up.

By combining growth capture with systematic hedging, the strategy aims to deliver stronger risk-adjusted returns with lower volatility and smaller drawdowns than unhedged exposure.

  • —Lower drawdown target vs. Nifty 50
  • —Return objective: 15–25% p.a.*
  • —Consistent across bull and bear phases
  • —Risk-adjusted alpha as primary goal

* 15–25% p.a. is a return objective only. It is not guaranteed. Past, backtested, or illustrative performance does not represent future results. Investment involves risk of loss.

Investment Strategy

Portfolio Architecture

= Resilient Portfolio
Core Layer

Long / Short Equity

High-conviction long positions in quality Indian equities, combined with tactical short positions to profit from and hedge against specific market exposures.

→Bottom-up fundamental research
→Sector-diversified exposure
→Max 10% single-stock concentration
→Long bias with tactical shorts

10%

Max Single Stock

Concentration limit

≤2×

Leverage

NAV — conservative

Weekly

Rebalancing

Risk overlay

Daily

Monitoring

Portfolio & risk

Risk Management

Protection Is Part of the Strategy.

Risk management is not a backstop — it is woven into every layer of portfolio construction. Independent oversight, real-time monitoring, and stress-tested scenarios are the foundation of every investment decision.

Risk

Engine

VaR

Stress

Hedge Ratio

Drawdown

Exposure

VaR Limit

✓Real-time Value at Risk (VaR) monitoring
✓2008-style and COVID-scenario stress tests
✓Independent risk officer oversight
✓SEBI-mandated custodian oversight
✓Maximum drawdown backtest: ≤12% (historical)

≤12% maximum drawdown is a historical backtest figure. It does not guarantee future performance.

Conceptual Scenario Response

The following is a conceptual illustration of how the strategy is designed to respond to different market conditions. It does not represent a guaranteed trading outcome.

Stable conditions, moderate volatility, constructive macro environment.

Equity Exposure~75%
Hedge Allocation~20%
Cash / Liquidity~5%

Strategy response: Higher equity participation. Hedge maintained at minimum structural levels. Long bias to capture upside.

Performance

Same Market.
Different Results.

The broader market remained relatively flat over the period. The strategy focused on opportunities beyond the index through intelligent hedging and high-conviction positioning.

Performance Presented in Investor Material
-5%0%10%20%30%40%Mar '25May '25Jul '25Sep '25Nov '25Jan '26Apr '26+2%+39.8%
ET Growth Fund
Nifty 50
Mar 2025 – Apr 2026

Intermediate data points are illustrative. Only the start (0%) and end points (Nifty +2%, ET Growth Fund +39.8%) are from the investor material (March 2025 – April 15, 2026). Past, backtested, or illustrative performance does not guarantee future results. Investment involves risk of loss.

ET Growth FundInvestor Material

+39.8%

Mar '25 – Apr '26

Nifty 50Investor Material

+2%

Same period

Return Objective

15–25%

Annualised — objective only

Fund Structure

Transparent Terms.
Aligned Interests.

EquiTrust operates as a SEBI-regulated Category III Alternative Investment Fund. The fund structure is designed for institutional and high-net-worth investors seeking hedged equity exposure in Indian markets.

Current Raise — Investor Material

First Close Target

₹25 Crore by Q4 2026

Figures presented in the EquiTrust investor material (2026). Not a guaranteed outcome.

Fund Category

Category III AIF — Hedge Fund Strategy

Liquidity

Monthly / Quarterly redemptions

Minimum Investment

₹1 Crore

Lock-in Period

None — standard notice period applies

Sponsor Commitment

≥2.5% of corpus (skin in the game)

Taxation

At fund level, Category III AIF

The Team

Guided by focused expertise.

Rubina Singla

Rubina Singla

Sales & Marketing

Rubina Singla is an MBA graduate with extensive experience in banking, portfolio management, and entrepreneurship. She has previously worked with an ex-HDFC Bank team and has served as a Mutual Fund Portfolio Manager, managing assets worth INR 1000 million.

A successful two-time entrepreneur, Rubina brings a deep understanding of investor communication, customer engagement, and market positioning. At EquiTrust, she leads sales and marketing initiatives with a strong emphasis on trust, clarity, and long-term relationships.

Shiva Grover

Shiva Grover

Research & Analysis

Shiva Grover is a B.Com graduate with NISM certifications in Derivatives and Research Analysis. He brings over 15 years of experience working with established financial institutions, including Anagram Rathi and Aditya Birla.

With an AUM of INR 500 million, Shiva specializes in research-based analysis, market insights, and risk-aware investment frameworks. At EquiTrust, he plays a key role in developing structured research processes and educational insights that promote rational and informed financial decision-making.

Why EquiTrust

Protection + Performance.
One Vehicle.

01

Skin in the Game

Sponsor commits ≥2.5% of the fund corpus — interests fully aligned with investors.

02

Transparent Risk

Every hedging decision is documented. Risk oversight is independent and continuous.

03

Protection + Performance

A single vehicle that simultaneously pursues return and manages downside — not a trade-off.

04

Investor Alignment

Performance fees only on profits above hurdle. We earn when you earn.

05

High Conviction

Concentrated positions in ideas we deeply understand — not passive index exposure.

06

India-Specific

Built for Indian market dynamics: VIX spikes, FII flows, rupee volatility — all accounted for.