Brands
WhatsApp named India’s strongest brand in YouGov 2026 rankings
MUMBAI: WhatsApp has cemented its place as India’s most powerful brand, topping YouGov’s Best Brand Rankings 2026 with an Index score of 60.5. In a market where usefulness often matters more than glamour, the messaging app’s everyday indispensability has paid off handsomely.
YouGov’s rankings measure brand health through a composite Index that tracks impression, quality, value, reputation, satisfaction and recommendation. WhatsApp scored strongly across all six, reflecting how deeply it is woven into daily life, from family chats and work groups to payments and customer service.
Close behind are fellow digital heavyweights YouTube, which secured second place with a score of 58.7, and Google at 56.6. Together, the top three underline a clear trend: brands that simplify life and deliver consistent value are winning Indian consumers’ confidence.
E-commerce and digital payments also made a strong showing. Amazon placed fourth overall with 55.2, followed by Google Pay at 54.6. Among homegrown names, Amul held its own in sixth place with a score of 53.6, while Flipkart and Tanishq featured comfortably within the top ten. Samsung and Instagram rounded off the list, highlighting the continued pull of technology and social platforms.
Beyond the established leaders, YouGov’s data also spotlighted brands gaining momentum at speed. Quick commerce player Blinkit emerged as India’s fastest-improving brand, posting the largest year-on-year jump in Index score at plus 6.3. Spotify followed with a gain of 4.9, while Samsung and LG both recorded improvements of 4.6.
Consumer services and lifestyle brands were not far behind. Coca-Cola, Urban Company and Threads all posted notable gains, while travel and subscription services such as Singapore Airlines, Philips and YouTube Premium also climbed steadily.
On the global stage, the picture looks strikingly similar. WhatsApp leads worldwide brand health rankings, ahead of Samsung and YouTube, with Google and Netflix also featuring prominently. Retail, household and automotive brands including Adidas, Nike, Dettol, Colgate and Toyota round out the global top performers.
The message from YouGov’s 2026 rankings is clear. In India and beyond, brands that combine trust, frequency of use and genuine utility are not just liked, they are relied upon.
Brands
Rajiv Bajaj quits Bajaj Finance board ahead of July AGM
The managing director of Bajaj Auto will step down as a non-executive director of the private lender, ending a long association with the company
Rajiv Bajaj is clearing his desk at Bajaj Finance. The managing director of Bajaj Auto has told the private lender that he will not seek re-election at its annual general meeting scheduled for July 30, 2026, bringing to a close a board tenure that spanned one of the most eventful chapters in Indian consumer finance.
According to a regulatory filing, Bajaj will cease to be a non-executive director of the company upon completion of the AGM. The board of directors, taking note of his departure at its meeting on Wednesday, placed on record its appreciation for his long association and contribution to the company.
The exit is notable. Bajaj is not merely a board name at Bajaj Finance. He has been part of the broader Bajaj group for over three decades, cutting his teeth across manufacturing, supply chain, research and development, engineering and marketing before rising to lead Bajaj Auto. He also holds directorships across several Bajaj group companies, including Bajaj Holdings and Investment Ltd, Bajaj Auto Credit Ltd, Bajaj Auto Technology Ltd, Bajaj Sevashram Pvt Ltd, Kamalnayan Investment and Trading Pvt Ltd and Rupa Equities Pvt Ltd, among others.
Bajaj holds a degree in mechanical engineering from the University of Pune and a master’s degree in manufacturing systems engineering from the University of Warwick, and has been credited with steering Bajaj Auto’s global operations through years of aggressive expansion.
His departure from the Bajaj Finance board narrows his formal footprint in the financial services arm of the group, even as he remains the public face of its automotive engine. Whether it signals a broader consolidation of roles within the conglomerate or simply a tidying of board responsibilities, the group has not said.
Bajaj Finance, one of India’s most closely watched non-banking financial companies, will now need to fill the chair he leaves behind. That, at least, should not take long.
