India stands out as a preferred investment destination amid a subdued global outlook: PwC CEO Survey

• 77% of India CEOs expect stronger economic growth in their domestic market — substantially higher than the 55% of global CEOs who are optimistic about growth in their respective territories. 
• 48% of India CEOs plan to strengthen enterprise-wide cybersecurity as volatility and tech disruption intensify.  
• 66% of India CEOs as against 42% of global CEOs are more concerned about keeping pace with technology and AI.
  

Tuesday, 20 January 2026: India continues to stand out as a prime destination for global capital, moving up in rank from last year’s fifth position as a preferred territory for planned investments by global CEOs, according to PwC’s 29th Annual Global CEO Survey: India perspective. The survey drew responses from 4,454 CEOs globally, including nearly 50 from India. Their positive sentiment comes even as global markets face headwinds, suggesting that India’s strong growth fundamentals, expansive consumer base and policy stability continue to buoy investor confidence.  

A striking 77% of India CEOs anticipate stronger domestic economic growth, significantly higher than the 55% seen globally, reinforcing India’s relative resilience in a subdued global economic outlook. Similarly, 57% of India CEOs report high confidence in near-term revenue growth for their own companies, nearly double that of their global counterparts. 

Commenting on the findings, Sanjeev Krishan, Chairperson, PwC in India, said: “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. CEOs who can navigate this dual challenge — fostering strategic growth while safeguarding enterprise and stakeholder trust — will shape the future trajectory of business and the economy.” 

Cybersecurity and technology: Priority risks and strategic imperatives 

While investment optimism is robust, India CEOs are acutely aware of evolving risk dynamics. Cybersecurity has emerged as a top concern, with CEOs recognising the escalating frequency and sophistication of cyberattacks and their potential to disrupt operations. Nearly half of India CEOs — 48% — plan to strengthen enterprise-wide cybersecurity measures to a large or very large extent, aligning with global peers where 47% of CEOs share similar priorities. 

Alongside cyber risks, broader technology disruption remains among the foremost strategic challenges facing Indian businesses. 66% of India CEOs express concern about keeping pace with technology and AI (compared with 42% globally) and many are in early stages of adoption. While some organisations apply AI to business functions with winners reporting tangible revenue and cost benefits, scaling technology across products, services and customer experiences remains a priority. 

Against this backdrop, CEOs emphasise that technology investment must be balanced with robust governance, talent development and AI integration strategies to translate innovation into performance. 

Innovation-led diversification gains momentum 

57% of India CEOs say their companies have entered at least one new sector over the past five years — an increase from 39% in last year’s survey — and well above the global figure of 42%. Organisations pursuing diversification are gravitating towards the technology sector, recognising its potential for growth and disruption. Globally, companies entering new sectors are generating, on an average, 20% of their revenue from these new ventures.

The top industries that India CEOs would like to venture into over the next three years are technology (20%), followed by industrial manufacturing (16%), and aerospace and defence (14%).  Half of India’s CEOs believe their speed to market for introducing new products and services is relatively faster than that of their peers, while 36% report it is slower. 

Co-innovation is identified as a critical accelerator, although 43% of India CEOs are yet to collaborate with external partners to drive innovation, potentially limiting access to new ideas, capabilities and markets. 

AI as a strategic enabler 

The survey revealed that while India CEOs are cautiously applying and implementing AI, the potential to scale up—from pilots to full implementation—is immense. 66% of India CEOs, compared with 42% globally, are concerned about their ability to keep pace with technology and AI. 

37% of India CEOs report applying AI to demand generation to a moderate or large extent, while 36% say they are using AI in products, services, and experiences to at least a moderate extent. Where AI has been deployed at scale, the impact is evident, with 32% reporting revenue growth and 27% reporting cost reductions, underscoring the case for moving beyond pilots. 

AI continues to be viewed as a strategic enabler, with early adopters reporting benefits across select business functions. In the context of Viksit Bharat, many leaders see AI as supporting enhanced productivity and competitive differentiation. However, the survey underscores that sustained value from AI will depend on embedding trust at the core of business strategy, strong organisational foundations, data readiness and cultural alignment — areas where many India CEOs see room for progress. 

Notes to editors: 
PwC’s 29th Annual Global CEO Survey surveyed 4,454 CEOs - including nearly 50 CEOs from India – in 95 countries and territories from 30 September through 10 November 2025.