NASDAQ · ETF
Invest in WDAF ETF from India
Indian and foreign residents can buy WisdomTree Asia Defense Fund (WDAF) units directly through Paasa.
By Paasa · Updated
WDAF at a glance
- Price
- $30.38+$0.48 (1.60%)
- Expense ratio
- 0.45%
- Day range
- $30.07 – $30.43
- Assets
- $10.8M
- Domicile
- the US
- Holdings
- —
- Launched
- 2025
- Dividends
- Distributing
- 1 month
- -2.61%
- 6 months
- -7.02%
- YTD
- +6.33%
- 1 year
- -1.12%
- 5 years
- —
Price change, excluding dividends.
Top 10 holdings
- 1LIG Nex1 Co Ltd079550.KS7.7%
- 2Bharat Electronics LtdBEL.BO7.4%
- 3Hindustan Aeronautics LtdHAL.BO7.4%
- 4Korea Aerospace Industries Ltd047810.KS7.2%
- 5Hanwha Techwin Co Ltd012450.KS7.2%
- 6Hyundai Rotem Co Ltd064350.KS7.0%
- 7Singapore Technologies Engineering LtdS63.SI4.3%
- 8Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Ltd7011.T4.2%
- 9IHI Corp7013.T4.2%
- 10Kawasaki Heavy Industries Ltd7012.T4.0%
These 10 are 60.6% of the fund.
Where the money is invested
Countries
- Korea (the Republic of)41.7%
- India29.2%
- Japan14.8%
- Australia7.3%
- Singapore4.3%
- Taiwan (Province of China)1.9%
How to invest in WDAF from India
Step 1
Open your Paasa account
KYC takes a few minutes: PAN, Aadhaar and address proof. Your brokerage account is opened in your own name with Interactive Brokers.
Step 2
Add funds from your Indian bank account
Remit up to $250,000 a year under the RBI's Liberalised Remittance Scheme. Your bank converts the rupees to US dollars at its rate on the day you remit.
Step 3
Search WDAF and buy
Find the fund by its ticker, WDAF, on NASDAQ, and place your order. Fractional units are available and there is no minimum trade size, so you can buy by amount.
Why invest in WDAF from India
What WDAF holds
The WisdomTree Asia Defense Fund strives to mirror the overall financial performance, including both price appreciation and income, of the WisdomTree Asia Defense Index, prior to accounting for any fees or expenses. The underlying Index is designed to pinpoint and track key companies in the defense and related industries throughout Asia.
Hold a dollar asset
WDAF is priced in US dollars, so a weaker rupee adds to what it's worth in rupees. The rupee depreciated over 85% against the dollar between 2010 and 2025.
Buy a fraction of a unit
Buy by amount, not by unit, and get the matching fraction of one WDAF unit. There is no minimum trade size.
Paasa handles the paperwork
Investing abroad brings paperwork with it: remittance filings, capital gains reporting, foreign asset disclosure. Paasa prepares all of it for you. Your India-ready tax reports arrive at year end, ready to file.
Planning to hold more than $60,000 in US ETFs? Here's what US estate tax means for you.
US-domiciled ETFs held in your own name fall under US estate tax rules. If your US holdings cross $60,000, the amount above that can be taxed at up to 40% when the account passes to your family.
A UCITS ETF tracking a similar market sits outside US estate tax.
Frequently asked questions
Can I buy WDAF from India?
Yes. Indian residents can buy WisdomTree Asia Defense Fund (WDAF) through Paasa. It is listed on NASDAQ and trades in US dollars. Your money leaves India under the RBI's Liberalised Remittance Scheme, and the units are held in your own name at Interactive Brokers.
What does WDAF invest in?
Its largest holdings are LIG Nex1 Co Ltd (7.7%), Bharat Electronics Ltd (7.4%) and Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd (7.4%). It is a distributing fund domiciled in the US.
What is the expense ratio of WDAF?
WisdomTree Asia Defense Fund has an expense ratio of 0.45% a year, taken from the fund's assets rather than billed to you. The fund manages about $10.8M.
How are WDAF dividends taxed in India?
WisdomTree Asia Defense Fund is a distributing fund. It pays the dividends from its holdings out to you in cash. The US withholds 25% tax on dividends before they reach you; Paasa files Form W-8BEN for you, and the tax withheld can generally be claimed as a credit when you file in India. Dividends are taxed at your slab rate in India. Paasa's dividend report lists the gross dividend and any tax withheld for each payment.
What tax do I pay in India when I sell WDAF?
The US does not levy capital gains tax on shares for Indian residents. In India, gains on foreign ETF units held for more than 24 months are long-term and taxed at 12.5% without indexation, and gains on units held for 24 months or less are short-term and taxed at your income-tax slab rate. Both are worked out in rupees at the USD/INR rate on the day you bought and the day you sold, so the currency move is part of the gain. Paasa's capital-gains statement gives you the figures for your return.
Can I buy a fraction of one WDAF unit?
Yes. You can buy by amount rather than by unit and add to your position over time. One unit is $30.38, and there is no minimum trade size.
What happens to my WDAF units if I pass away?
US-domiciled ETFs held in your own name fall under US estate tax rules. If your US holdings cross $60,000, the amount above that can be taxed at up to 40% when the account passes to your family. A UCITS ETF tracking a similar market sits outside US estate tax. Paasa's US estate tax calculator shows the exposure for a given portfolio value.