India Inc Outlook 2026: Startup IPOs To Tariffs—Five Big Trends That Will Shape The Year

As India steps into 2026, corporate momentum is building across sectors, fuelled by transformative events and key developments from 2025.

A deep-dive analysis indicates that this year could mark an inflection point for many industries, with technology, finance, startups, and conglomerates all set for significant shifts.

From the Editor’s Desk, here are the top five trends that will shape corporate India in 2026:

The tech industry is gearing up for a defining year. In December 2025 alone, AI‑led dealmaking surged, with TCS and Coforge together securing contracts worth $3 billion—a strong signal of the sector’s pivot toward large-scale AI adoption.

This momentum is expected to accelerate in 2026, potentially disrupting traditional IT models and reshaping service offerings across the industry.

For the first time, the Reserve Bank of India signalled comfort with foreign strategic investors, unlocking fresh FDI flows into the financial services space.

Firms benefiting from this growth capital are likely to move up the competitive hierarchy, drawing more global investment interest.

Could this shift redefine the pecking order within one of India’s fastest-growing sectors? 2026 may hold the answer.

India’s startup ecosystem raised $22 billion through IPOs in 2025, and 2026 is set to be even bigger. Several high-profile listings are already in the pipeline, including:

• Flipkart

• PhonePe

• Zepto

• Ola 

But the most anticipated one comes from India’s largest conglomerate—Reliance Industries. Reliance Jio is preparing for what could become the first major IPO from the Reliance stable in two decades, making it a headline event for the markets this year.

The Tata Group is entering 2026 amid significant strategic evolution.
A landmark government intervention helped resolve the long-standing Tata Trusts dispute, paving the way for structural clarity across the group.

Additionally, N. Chandrasekaran’s term extension as Chairman of Tata Sons is expected to be taken up by the board—a major governance development on the anvil.

Beginning in early 2025, the tariff standoff with the United States created uncertainty across export-driven sectors.

As 2026 unfolds, clarity is expected to emerge—bringing potential relief to companies spanning manufacturing, services, and technology.

Any resolution could materially improve the financial performance for many Indian exporters.