Survey: Indian Executives Outpace Global Peers in Focus on New Technology Opportunities

BRUSSELS, Feb. 25, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Indian C-suite business leaders are far more focused on the opportunities presented by emerging technologies than their counterparts in other countries, according to a new report from The Conference Board.

Asked for their top two priorities for growing profits in 2025, more than half of Indian C-suite executives (52.9%) highlighted investment in technology including AI – the top-ranked choice and more than double the proportion of CEOs globally (25.5%). A further 40.2% named innovation as a top priority.

Almost three-fifths (58.8%) of Indian executives identified knowledge of technology, data and AI as an essential skill for top business leaders, making it the most sought-after attribute in Indian boardrooms by some margin. Globally, only 20.3% of CEOs made the same judgment.

According to the report, India Inc. 2025, Indian business leaders were also more alert to technological risks than executives elsewhere in the world: some 47.5% highlighted cyberattacks as a top business risk for 2025, compared to 25.2% of CEOs globally. This made cyberattacks the greatest perceived risk to Indian businesses, ahead of global instability (32.7%) and domestic political uncertainty (32.7%).

Indian executives are unfazed by growing US-EU-China tensions––the biggest concern among business leaders globally––with just 17.8% reporting it as a concern.

By contrast, Indian leaders were aligned with their global counterparts in citing high energy prices as the greatest geo-economic risk to their businesses, with 37.3% reporting this as a concern. The prospect of a global minimum tax was also widely noted (33.3%), along with security of energy supply and the risk of another pandemic (both 22.5%).

The Conference Board's report draws on data from the organization's annual C-Suite Outlook, which reflects the views of more than 1700 executives worldwide, including more than 500 CEOs. Participants weighed in on the top business threats and opportunities in 2025. Respondents were primarily from four regions: the United States, Latin America, Asia, and Europe.

"Indian business leaders are all-in on tech and AI", said Anuj Saush, ESG Center Leader, Europe, at The Conference Board. "More than in any other market, they're focused on deploying new technologies and hiring senior leaders with the technical skills to drive that innovation forward. At the same time, they're not blind to technological risks and are working to shore up their cyber defenses."

Highlights from the report include:

Indian executives plan to invest heavily in AI and other technology:

• Indian executives: More than half see technology investments as a growth priority for 2025, alongside innovation.
• Global executives: Just over a quarter of global business leaders see technological investment as a top growth priority.

Technical skills are in demand in Indian boardrooms:

• Indian executives: Almost three-fifths see technological knowledge as an essential asset for senior leaders, far ahead of traditional leadership and management skills.
• Global executives: Just one-fifth of global CEOs see technical knowledge as important in business leaders.

Cyberattacks are the top perceived risk for Indian business leaders:

• Indian executives: Almost half see cyberattacks as a top business risk for 2025, ahead of global instability and domestic political uncertainty.
• Global executives: Just over a quarter of global CEOs see cyberattacks as a major risk, with most focusing on US-EU-China tensions – something that Indian leaders are relaxed about.

High energy prices are a major concern for Indian executives:

• Indian executives: More than a third are concerned about high energy prices, making this the top geo-economic risk that they perceive.
• Global executives: Global business leaders in most other markets, except the US, are equally concerned about high energy prices.

About The Conference Board 

The Conference Board is the member-driven think tank that delivers Trusted Insights for What's Ahead™. Founded in 1916, we are a non-partisan, not-for-profit entity holding 501 (c) (3) tax-exempt status in the United States. www.ConferenceBoard.org 

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