India emerges as top investment destination as CEOs confidence rises

Fifty-seven per cent of India CEOs report high confidence in near-term revenue growth for their own companies, nearly double the level reported by CEOs globally. India has also moved up from fifth place last year to emerge as one of the most preferred territories for planned investments by global CEOs, supported by strong growth fundamentals, a large consumer base and policy stability, PwC said in a press release.

“India’s position as a preferred investment destination illustrates the confidence global and domestic leaders place in its economic fundamentals and long-term growth prospects. At the same time, the evolving landscape of cyber and technology risks underscores the need for decisive leadership that balances innovation with resilience,” said Sanjeev Krishan, chairperson, PwC India.

The survey highlighted heightened awareness of risk among Indian business leaders. Cybersecurity has emerged as a top priority, with 48 per cent of India CEOs planning to strengthen enterprise-wide cybersecurity measures to a large or very large extent, closely aligned with the global average of 47 per cent. CEOs cite increasing frequency and sophistication of cyberattacks as a key threat to operations and stakeholder trust.

Artificial intelligence (AI) is another major concern. About 66 per cent of India CEOs say they are worried about keeping pace with technology and AI, significantly higher than the 42 per cent reported globally. While many organisations are still in the early stages of adoption, those that have scaled AI use report tangible benefits, including revenue growth and cost reductions.

Around 57 per cent of India CEOs say their companies have entered at least one new sector over the past five years, up from 39 per cent last year and well above the global figure of 42 per cent. Technology is the most attractive sector for future expansion, cited by 20 per cent of respondents, followed by industrial manufacturing at 16 per cent.

Half of India’s CEOs believe their speed to market for new products and services is faster than peers, though 36 per cent say it lags behind. Co-innovation remains an underutilised lever, with 43 per cent yet to collaborate with external partners, potentially limiting access to new capabilities and markets.

The survey concluded that while Indian CEOs are cautiously applying AI, the opportunity to scale from pilots to enterprise-wide deployment remains substantial. Sustained value creation, PwC noted, will depend on strong governance, data readiness, talent development and embedding trust at the core of business strategy, aligning technology investment with long-term performance goals.

The survey gathered insights from 4,454 CEOs across 95 countries and territories, including nearly 50 from India, with responses collected between September 30 and November 10, 2025.

Fibre2Fashion News Desk (SG)