India as APAC’s PR Hub: Girish Huria on the Industry’s 2026 growth roadmap

As businesses step into 2026, the narrative is no longer about recovering from the past but about readiness for what lies ahead. The global economy enters the year carrying a mix of caution and possibility. Inflationary aftershocks, geopolitical realignments, supply-chain recalibrations, and shifting consumer confidence continue to inject uncertainty into boardroom conversations. For leaders, the question is no longer whether uncertainty will persist, but how decisively their organisations can move through it.

Across Asia Pacific, that uncertainty shows up in very different, deeply local ways.

China, long the engine of regional and global growth, is yet to return to its full economic stride. While structural reforms, a revival in domestic consumption, and innovation-led sectors offer promise, confidence remains measured. Businesses operating in or alongside China in 2026 will need patience, recalibrate expectations, and a sharper focus on productivity and selective growth, rather than scale for scale’s sake.

Singapore, often the region’s bellwether of stability, is taking a notably conservative approach to spending. The city-state is carefully balancing economic competitiveness with domestic pressures around safeguarding local employment, particularly amid its continued reliance on migrant talent. For organisations, this translates into tighter cost discipline, sharper workforce planning, and a renewed emphasis on skills transfer and local capability building.

India, by contrast, continues to stand out, with growth rates that outpace most global markets and the advantage of a stable government. Yet beneath this macro strength lies a complex social fabric. A young, aspirational population brings with it diverse socio-political views and evolving expectations from employers, policymakers, and institutions. As one of the world’s largest employable workforces matures, businesses in India in 2026 will need to navigate not just scale, but sensitivity, aligning opportunity creation with inclusion, purpose, and long-term employability.

Australia presents a different metaphor. Despite winning the Ashes, the economy itself is still emerging from its own ashes. High living costs, cautious consumer sentiment, and ongoing structural transitions continue to weigh on momentum. The challenge in 2026 will be restoring confidence, both in investment and in long-term growth narratives, while continuing to leverage Australia’s strengths in resources, education, and services.

Amid these varied national stories, Southeast Asia is increasingly becoming the focal point of growth within the Asia Pacific region. Economies such as Malaysia, Indonesia, the Philippines, Vietnam, and Thailand are benefiting from demographic dividends, supply-chain diversification, rising domestic consumption, and rapid digital acceleration. For global brands, these markets are no longer peripheral; they are central. Success here in 2026 will depend on localisation, speed, and a deep understanding of cultural and regulatory nuance.

Beyond economics and policy, however, there is a deeper, unifying theme. Asian societies have repeatedly demonstrated resilience, competitiveness, and an extraordinary capacity to adapt. These traits will shape how the region navigates the year ahead.

For organisations looking ahead, the lesson is clear: have one goalpost, but remain relentlessly agile in how you reach it. Multiple strategic routes will be necessary as conditions shift. Opportunism rooted in insight, speed, and empathy will separate those who merely endure from those who grow.

Growth in 2026 will not only be measured in numbers, but in how organisations invest in and uplift their people along the way. Asia Pacific will remain central to global growth ambitions. The winners will be those who recognise that, in an uncertain world, agility has become a defining leadership capability.

Girish Huria is executive vice-president, Avian We. & head of growth, APAC, We. Communications.