Mumbai: The ET NOW Markets Summit 2026 brought together some of India’s leading policymakers, economists, fund managers and market experts to discuss the future of the country’s capital markets amid global uncertainty. Organised by Times Network and co-powered by PhonePe, the summit focused on the theme, “Navigating Volatility. Decoding Opportunities”, offering investors insights into market trends, regulatory developments and economic growth prospects.

The event comes as ET NOW celebrates 17 years of business journalism and investor-focused reporting, reinforcing its commitment to helping audiences understand India’s evolving economic landscape.

SEBI chairman outlines AI-driven regulatory roadmap

Delivering the keynote address, Tuhin Kanta Pandey, Chairman of Securities and Exchange Board of India, highlighted the growing role of artificial intelligence in the capital markets ecosystem.

Pandey said AI would form a key pillar of SEBI’s future agenda while maintaining strong human oversight. He explained that the regulator is working on a framework for the safe and responsible adoption of AI across financial markets, ensuring critical decisions continue to involve human supervision through a Human-in-the-Loop (HITL) approach.

According to him, AI can significantly improve market surveillance, fraud detection, risk assessment and investor services. However, he also cautioned that issues related to transparency, bias, cybersecurity, data protection and accountability must be carefully addressed.

Speaking about the resilience of Indian markets, Pandey noted that the country has successfully navigated multiple challenges, including tariff concerns, oil price shocks, foreign portfolio investor outflows and technological disruptions.

He stated that India’s capital markets have helped raise more than ₹1.5 lakh crore through equity and corporate bond issuances, while the IPO pipeline remains strong. He also emphasised the growing importance of systematic investment plans (SIPs), noting that SIP assets now account for nearly 21 per cent of mutual fund assets.

Domestic investors emerge as market stabilisers

A major discussion at the summit focused on the increasing role of domestic institutional investors (DIIs) in supporting Indian markets during periods of foreign investor selling.

Speaking during the panel discussion titled “The Resilience of DIIs in Offsetting FII Outflows”, Dinesh Pant, Managing Director of Life Insurance Corporation of India, highlighted the importance of diversified investing.

Pant said multi-asset allocation helps investors manage risk while ensuring long-term financial stability. He expressed confidence in India’s economic growth prospects, citing healthy corporate cash flows, expanding investment opportunities and strong domestic participation in financial markets.

He observed that domestic investors have consistently deployed capital into equities and have played a crucial role in balancing periods of foreign institutional investor outflows. According to Pant, India’s corporate sector and society have contributed significantly to the strong liquidity environment currently visible across the economy.

Pant also noted that LIC delivered exceptional results over the past year and continues to witness strong investment inflows, reinforcing confidence in India’s financial markets.

Morgan Stanley sees strong growth opportunities

Another key session titled “India: Weathering The Macro Storm” featured market strategist Ridham Desai from Morgan Stanley.

Desai highlighted India’s favourable economic outlook despite global headwinds. He said the Real Effective Exchange Rate (REER) indicates that the Indian rupee remains undervalued by around 11 per cent, making Indian equities attractive for investors.

He pointed out that India is currently reporting approximately 12 per cent earnings growth and suggested that the next 12 months could deliver stronger-than-expected performance as the country enters a significant capital expenditure cycle.

Desai also noted that measures related to bonds, FCNR(B) deposits and external commercial borrowings are expected to strengthen India’s balance of payments position. He added that both global and domestic factors are currently contributing to India’s growth trajectory.

Industry leaders discuss opportunities and risks

The summit featured participation from several prominent voices in India’s investment and financial services sectors. Speakers included representatives from mutual funds, asset management firms, private wealth institutions and brokerage houses.

Among the notable participants were leaders from Nippon India Mutual Fund, HSBC Mutual Fund, Abakkus Asset Manager, Quant Mutual Fund, TRUST Group, Enam Holdings, UBS, Alchemy Capital Management and 360 One WAM.

Discussions covered a wide range of topics including market volatility, investment strategies, mutual fund growth, asset allocation, regulatory changes and opportunities emerging from India’s long-term economic expansion.

Experts broadly agreed that while geopolitical tensions, crude oil price fluctuations and global economic uncertainty remain risks, India’s domestic demand, infrastructure investment and growing investor base continue to provide strong support for capital markets.

Summit reinforces investor confidence

The ET NOW Markets Summit 2026 served as a platform for meaningful conversations between policymakers, regulators and market participants at a time when investors are seeking clarity amid uncertain global conditions.

The discussions underscored India’s resilience, with experts highlighting the growing influence of domestic investors, a strong fundraising environment and continued confidence in the country’s long-term growth story.

As India’s capital markets continue to evolve, the summit reinforced the view that informed investing, regulatory innovation and disciplined market participation will remain key drivers of sustainable growth in the years ahead.