Loading content...
Sectoral trends that are going to shape the Indian market in 2026
Sectoral trends that are going to shape the Indian market in 2026
As India moves into 2026, the market will be shaped by scale, sharper customer expectations, and a decisive shift from pilots to production. Technology, data, and sustainability will anchor many of these changes, but the human element—talent, hiring, and consumer interest—will ultimately determine success. Below, industry leaders outline the trends expected to define the year ahead, sector by sector.
Data analytics is no longer a support function; it is fast becoming the decision-making backbone of modern enterprises. By 2026, artificial intelligence will push the sector beyond dashboards and standalone models into connected, real-time intelligence systems embedded across business functions. What began as experimentation is now hardening into production-grade infrastructure, where explainability, auditability, and continuous decision-making matter as much as scale.
Shailesh Dhuri, CEO of Decimal Point Analytics, believes AI will move from exploratory pilots to production backbones across sectors.
“BFSI will move from isolated ML models to connected decision systems spanning onboarding, servicing, fraud, compliance, treasury, and customer engagement. Credit is only one illustration; the real story is the rising expectation of continuous, explainable, auditable intelligence. Manufacturing and EMS will behave less like factories and more like sensor-rich digital organisms. Predictive operations, quality intelligence, supply-chain telemetry, and digital twins will become essential.”
Dhuri adds, “Healthcare and pharma will embed intelligence across the lifecycle—underwriting, diagnostics, hospital workflow, pharmacovigilance, device telemetry, and regulatory compliance. Infrastructure and core sectors will rely on live project telemetry, ESG intelligence, early-warning risk systems, and asset-productivity analytics as India’s capex cycle deepens through Gati Shakti, NIP, and data-centre growth. IT and data services will transition from labour scale to intelligence scale.”
Customer engagement will consolidate into unified platforms that combine messaging, voice, CRM, and automation.
Praveen Singh, Co-Founder and CEO of Tubelight Communications, notes, “Companies aren’t satisfied with systems that simply connect different channels. They now want a platform that can manage all interactions across those channels in one place. I expect strong interest in setups where messaging, voice, CRM, and automation function as one connected ecosystem.”
With compliance requirements tightening and advanced technology becoming more accessible—especially for MSMEs—communication operations are becoming more structured. This shift will improve response times, compliance tracking, and personalised outreach, significantly improving customer retention.
Food delivery diversification
The food delivery sector is maturing into a broader commerce platform.
Anirudha Kotgire, Managing Director and Co-Founder of Waayu, observes, “India’s food delivery landscape is undergoing a decisive shift as leading platforms aggressively diversify beyond their core offerings. What began as pure-play food delivery has rapidly evolved into a multi-category commerce ecosystem—evident from the rise of quick-commerce verticals like grocery, essentials, and instant marts. This expansion is not just a trend but a strategic necessity as companies seek stronger unit economics, higher order frequency, and deeper customer engagement.”
He adds, “We see this shift clearly and are preparing to enter the grocery and doorstep-delivery segment as consumer expectations for speed and convenience intensify. Platforms are moving towards multi-revenue, multi-category models to ensure long-term stability and profitability. In 2026, expansion and convergence across adjacent sectors will be one of the defining forces shaping India’s digital commerce market.”
Expect more dark stores, faster hyperlocal fulfilment, and loyalty ecosystems that blend meals, groceries, and essentials—giving consumers little incentive to move away from a single app.
2026 is shaping up to be the year Indian manufacturing sharpens its technological edge. Across sectors, companies are moving beyond capacity expansion to focus on precision and digitisation that strengthen long-term competitiveness.
For WIKA India, one of the world’s leading manufacturers of pressure and temperature measurement and calibration technology, the past year marked a period of strategic transformation anchored in innovation and capability-building. “2025 has been a transformative year for WIKA India, driven by innovation and strategic expansion,” said Gaurav Bawa, Senior Vice President, WIKA India. He pointed to the launch of new products such as the GDMRC-100, Pyranometer, and advanced force measurement solutions, designed to address the evolving needs of modern industries.
A key milestone was the acquisition of Godrej Calibration Services, which significantly expanded the company’s calibration capabilities and service depth. As manufacturing accelerates into the digital era, Bawa said WIKA India is doubling down on smart sensors and intelligent IIoT solutions to enable smarter process control and predictive maintenance.
“This year reflects our vision of combining precision with technology to create sustainable value,” he said, adding that innovation and partnerships will remain central as manufacturers prepare for the next phase of industrial growth.
Shipping will become faster and more predictable as ports expand capacity and digitise.
Pushpank Kaushik of Jassper Shipping notes, “The future of the shipping sector in India by 2026 will be focused on increased capacity, digitalisation, and improved supply-chain linkages. The investments ports are making in deeper drafts, new berths, and upgraded equipment will bring more liner calls and reduce waiting time.”
He adds, “Digital processes will expand further—e-documentation, real-time berth planning, and unified port systems will cut paperwork and make cargo movement more predictable. Companies will also begin focusing on greener and more cost-effective ways to move goods.”
The opportunity lies in integrated, tech-enabled, end-to-end logistics solutions that lower transit risk and reduce time. While e-commerce will boost logistics demand, the parallel shift towards digitisation and greener alternatives may reduce demand for traditional shipping services.
The apparel sector has witnessed significant change over the past decade, with consumer demand shifting towards smaller players from a handful of established brands. This shift shows no signs of slowing, as consumers increasingly value quality and authenticity alongside brand identity.
Apparel is moving from impulse buys to considered consumption. M.D. Rajkumar Jain of Bonjour Retail says, “In 2026, India’s market will be reshaped by rising consumer expectations, sustainability-focused manufacturing, and rapid digital transformation. Customers are increasingly prioritising quality, comfort, and long-lasting value over impulse-driven buying.”
He adds, “Brands that invest in efficient supply chains, ethical production, and data-driven decision-making will stand out. Sustainability will move from an optional add-on to a core consumer demand.”
Expect functional essentials, responsibly made products, and improved inventory management through analytics in the year ahead.
Cloud computing has long been positioned as the future, marking a shift from hardware-heavy systems to remote software and server-driven operations. The key challenges so far have been adoption and optimisation—and 2026 is shaping up to address both.
Cloud adoption will accelerate from migration to optimisation. Padma Reddy Sama of BharathCloud highlights, “Key trends shaping 2026 include rising adoption of enterprise-grade cloud services, expansion of AI and GenAI workloads, increased demand for low-latency interconnection, and accelerated cloud migration among MSMEs. Hybrid and multi-cloud strategies will become mainstream. Digital infrastructures will drive demand for scalable and secure cloud infrastructure across sectors.”
Local providers will compete strongly where compliance, data sovereignty, and cost advantages matter.
Jewellery is often perceived as a traditional industry due to its close ties with Indian culture. However, the sector has seen major shifts in consumer behaviour and expectations. Younger consumers are increasingly drawn to silver, minimalistic, and personalised jewellery—reshaping how brands design, price, and market their products.
Vidushi Jain, Co-Founder of Attrangi, captures the shift: “With AI-driven design insights and improved logistics infrastructure, D2C brands like Attrangi are positioned to offer faster, more customised experiences. We expect continued category expansion in the ₹500–₹2,000 segment, reflecting value-conscious but style-driven Indian consumers.”
Micro-collections, rapid prototyping, and customisation are set to dominate the mid-priced jewellery segment, as personalisation and variety take precedence over traditional price tags and karats.
The seafood market has long remained largely unorganised, but organised players are increasingly carving out a premium segment focused on authenticity and quality. This niche has grown rapidly, fuelled by platforms such as Licious and FreshToHome.
A major consumption shift is underway. Shailesh Patel of Dam Good Fish notes, “India has experienced a shift from a frozen-first approach to a fresh-first approach. Health-conscious consumers are gaining increased exposure to seafood through awareness, digital discovery, and new subscription models.”
He adds, “Consumers will increasingly demand traceability and technology-driven cold-chain systems, along with assurances around sustainability, wild-caught sourcing, and responsible fishing.”
Premium cuts, curated marinades, and restaurant-style portions are expected to gain traction among young professionals and home chefs.
The circularity of the Indian economy is set to gain further traction in 2026. The refurbished economy—spanning repair, reuse, remanufacturing, and advanced recycling—is steadily moving from the margins into the mainstream as regulatory mandates, digital systems, and capital begin to align.
Industry leaders say the next phase of disruption will be driven by enforceable frameworks rather than voluntary sustainability commitments.
“In 2026, we expect the next wave of disruption to come from repair-reuse mandates, high-grade recycling clusters, deeper digital traceability, and cross-industry closed-loop partnerships,” said Kashyap Devulapally, Co-Founder and Chief Compliance Officer at Elima.
He added, “For India to reach its Viksit Bharat goals, waste can no longer be treated as a challenge, but as a value chain waiting to be unlocked.”
As extended producer responsibility norms tighten and secondary material markets mature, “at Elima, we see 2026 as the year India shifts from managing waste to monetising it,” he said—highlighting a transition that could reshape supply chains, create jobs, and unlock new growth engines for the country.
All rights reserved ©2026 Decimal Point Analytics Pvt. Ltd.
