HDFC Defence Fund Increases Holdings in BEL, BEML, Bharat Forge and 2 Other Stocks in October 2026

HDFC Defence Fund bought additional shares of five companies in October 2026, including Bharat Electronics (BEL), BEML, Bharat Forge, Tata Motors and Bosch. The purchases were disclosed in its monthly portfolio statement published by Economic times citing ACE MF. 

BEL saw an addition of 30.18 lakh shares, taking the fund's total holding to 4.70 crore shares in October 2026 from 4.40 crore in September 2026. In BEML, the fund bought 59,938 shares, increasing its holding from 29.50 lakh to 30.10 lakh shares. 

Its Bharat Forge holding rose to 77.50 lakh shares after the purchase of around 48,000 shares. The fund also bought 1.42 lakh shares of Tata Motors, taking the total to 30.46 lakh. In Bosch, it added 13,004 shares, increasing its holding to 1.13 lakh shares. 

Bonfiglioli, PTC Industries and Tonbo Enter Portfolio 

October also saw three new additions to the fund's portfolio: Bonfiglioli Transmissions, PTC Industries and Tonbo Imaging India. 

The fund bought 4.55 lakh shares of Bonfiglioli Transmissions, valued at ₹28.47 crore. It also purchased 23,742 shares of PTC Industries and 14.54 lakh shares of Tonbo Imaging India. 

No existing stock holding was reduced during the month, and the fund did not sell its entire stake in any company. 

Capital Goods Make Up Over Half the Portfolio 

The fund held 27 stocks in October 2026, up from 24 in September 2026. Capital goods accounted for 54.31% of its portfolio, followed by automobiles and ancillaries at 23.23% and chemicals at 12.47%. 

Electricals had a 4.40% allocation, while shipbuilding, telecom and infrastructure accounted for 2.94%, 1.11% and 0.58%, respectively. 

BEL remained the largest holding at 15.63% of NAV. Hindustan Aeronautics accounted for 13.54%, Bharat Forge 11.98% and Solar Industries 10.13%. 

Large-cap stocks made up 45.25% of the portfolio, followed by small-caps at 28.89% and mid-caps at 22.60%. Other investments accounted for 3.26%. 

Fund Returns and Assets Under Management 

The fund's AUM stood at ₹11,130 crore as of October 2026. Launched on 2 June 2023, it is managed by Rahul Baijal and Priya Ranjan and benchmarked against the Nifty India Defence TRI. 

Read More: Global Gold Prices Drop 6.87% in October 2026, Indian Gold ETFs Deliver Up to 7.54% YTD Returns! 

Conclusion 

The fund's October portfolio changes included additional purchases in BEL, BEML and Bharat Forge, along with three new stock additions. Its total AUM stood at ₹11,130 crore. 

Disclaimer: This blog has been written exclusively for educational purposes. The securities mentioned are only examples and not recommendations. This does not constitute a personal recommendation/investment advice. It does not aim to influence any individual or entity to make investment decisions. Recipients should conduct their own research and assessments to form an independent opinion about investment decisions. 

Mutual Fund Investments are subject to market risks, read all the related documents carefully before investing.