Alternative investment funds: Rocket fuel for a $50 bn investment blastoff

The master key unlocks a $140 bn commitment

Alternative investment funds (AIFs) — investment vehicles favoured by the affluent — have topped $50 billion (Rs 4.3 trillion) in total investments for the first time during the April-June quarter, according to the latest data from the Securities and Exchange Board of India.

The industry’s commitments have approached Rs 12 trillion ($140 billion), marking a 40 per cent increase over the past year. The amount raised and deployed stood at Rs 4.74 trillion ($56 billion) and Rs 4.32 trillion ($51 billion), respectively, the data shows.

The real estate sector remains the dominant investment portfolio for AIFs, accounting