ET NOW marks 17 years with Markets Summit 2026 on India’s growth roadmap view

MUMBAI: Marking 17 years in business journalism, ET NOW turned its anniversary spotlight into a serious market huddle, hosting the ET NOW Markets Summit 2026 in Mumbai. Organised by Times Network and co-powered by PhonePe, the summit brought together India’s top financial thinkers to decode a volatile global and domestic landscape.

With the theme “Navigating Volatility. Decoding Opportunities”, the conclave focused on shifting macroeconomic signals, foreign investor flows, and India’s evolving capital market structure. From policymakers to fund managers, the discussions aimed to separate noise from signal in an uncertain global backdrop.

Delivering the keynote address, Tuhin Kanta Pandey, chairman of SEBI, stressed the regulator’s growing focus on artificial intelligence, while underlining the need for strong oversight.

In his remarks, Pandey said, “AI will form a key pillar of SEBI’s future agenda while maintaining strong human oversight. SEBI is working on a framework for the safe and responsible adoption of AI across the capital markets ecosystem.”

He added that while AI can enhance surveillance, risk assessment and fraud detection, it also brings risks linked to bias, cybersecurity and accountability. He noted that investor protection and market integrity cannot be compromised even as innovation accelerates.

The conversation then shifted to market resilience, where speakers highlighted how India has absorbed global shocks ranging from inflation pressures to foreign portfolio outflows. Pandey pointed to robust capital raising activity, noting strong IPO pipelines and sustained investor participation through volatility.

In a panel on domestic strength in equities, LIC managing director Dinesh Pant emphasised the stabilising role of domestic institutional investors. Speaking on the discussion titled “The Resilience of DIIs in Offsetting FII Outflows”, Pant said multi-asset allocation remains critical for managing risk in uncertain markets.

He said, “Domestic institutional investors have emerged as a reliable force in Indian equities and have effectively balanced periods of foreign investor selling.”

Adding a macro perspective on India’s outlook, Morgan Stanley managing director and chief equity strategist India Ridham Desai highlighted currency undervaluation signals and earnings momentum. He noted that India’s capex cycle could drive upside surprises in growth over the next year.

Across sessions, participants including fund managers, strategists and wealth leaders discussed liquidity trends, domestic flows and global risk factors. Speakers pointed to structural strength in India’s financial ecosystem, even as external uncertainties persist.

The summit underscored how India’s markets are increasingly shaped by domestic capital, regulatory evolution and technology-led transformation. As ET NOW completes 17 years, the message from the conclave was clear: volatility may define the moment, but opportunity is shaping the next chapter.