Mid & Small Cap Conference 2026 – Post Conference Notes – Emerging Titans: Unlocking India’s Next Growth Leaders
Published on 30 Sep 2026
Largest, youngest, fastest growing consumer base: With nearly a billion rural and another half-a-billion urban populace, India offers the largest consumer base globally. And nearly 20% of this falls in the bracket of 20-29 years. As this age group enters workforce and aspirations rise, a whole new growth dimension will be created for sectors like consumer goods and electronics. Similarly, although a negative on demographic front, a fertility rate of 1.9 is about to open up new markets for healthcare, nutrition, personal care, financial products, etc.
Exports rising but remain a challenge: In the 2010s, merchandize exports rose from ~US$250bn to ~US$300bn; 55% of growth was accounted by price inflation. In the 2020s, merchandize exports have reached ~US$450bn, with price inflation accounting for 45%. Traditional sectors account for ~60% of the exports, while the rest also sees relatively lower value addition. While China created pockets of excellence ‘insulated’ from external chaos, Indian companies need to increase their focus on manufacturing, rather than assembly. Achieving global competitiveness would help generate new opportunities for both services and products.
