Mutual funds or ETFs — which should I pick in India?

For most Indian SIP investors the practical answer is an index mutual fund (direct plan), not an ETF — same market exposure, fewer moving parts. An index fund lets you automate a monthly SIP in rupees, buys at the day's NAV with no demat account, and has no bid-ask spread to think about. An ETF needs a demat + broker, trades live like a stock, and in India some ETFs carry thin liquidity — meaning you can pay a spread over NAV precisely when markets are stressed.

ETFs win on two things: intraday control (you choose the exact minute you buy — useful for lumpsums on crash days) and sometimes a slightly lower expense ratio. If you already run a demat account, invest lumpsums, and check liquidity before trading, ETFs are perfectly good vehicles.

The costs have converged enough that discipline matters far more than the wrapper: an automated SIP you never miss beats a marginally cheaper ETF you forget to buy. If you want the simple path, browse broad index funds below — this is research, not investment advice.