Celebrating 17 Years of Market Leadership, ET NOW Unites India’s Top Financial Minds to Decode the Road Ahead
June 15, 2026 | Mumbai
As ET NOW marks 17 years of being India’s premier English business news channel, the platform reaffirmed its commitment to empowering investors and supporting India’s growth story under its enduring philosophy of ‘Rise With India.’ To celebrate this milestone, Times Network hosted the ET NOW Markets Summit 2026, co-powered by PhonePe—a premier thought-leadership forum designed to bring together India’s foremost economists, market strategists, fund managers, policymakers, and investment experts to analyze and anticipate the future trajectory of Indian markets amid global economic uncertainties and volatility.
Navigating Volatility, Decoding Opportunities
Themed “Navigating Volatility. Decoding Opportunities,” the summit featured an array of keynote addresses, exclusive conversations, panel discussions, and debate-led sessions. These engagements provided investors and market watchers with a comprehensive perspective on the critical forces shaping both current and future market conditions.
Delivering the keynote address, Tuhin Kanta Pandey, Chairman of SEBI, underscored the pivotal role of artificial intelligence in the future regulatory landscape of India’s capital markets. He stated:
“AI will be a key pillar of SEBI’s future agenda while upholding strong human oversight. We are developing a framework for the safe and responsible adoption of AI across the capital markets ecosystem. SEBI endorses the use of ‘secure and safe AI’ through a Human-in-the-Loop (HITL) approach to ensure critical decisions retain human supervision. AI will enhance surveillance, risk assessment, fraud detection, and investor servicing but also poses risks related to opacity, bias, data protection, cybersecurity, and accountability.”
Chairman Pandey also addressed ongoing challenges facing India’s capital markets, emphasizing that enablement of innovation and technology must not compromise market integrity or investor protection. Reflecting on recent adversities—from tariff changes and oil price shocks to AI disruptions and foreign portfolio investor (FPI) outflows—he affirmed that India’s market and investor sentiment have shown remarkable resilience.
“Despite external shocks, India’s capital markets have raised over Rs 1.5 lakh crore through equity and corporate bonds, and the IPO pipeline remains robust. Systematic Investment Plans (SIPs) now comprise nearly 21% of mutual fund assets, making it vital to preserve investor confidence amid market volatility,” he added.
Strength From Domestic Institutional Investors
During a panel discussion titled “The Resilience of DIIs in Offsetting FII Outflows,” Dinesh Pant, Managing Director of LIC, highlighted the critical role of domestic institutional investors (DIIs) in stabilizing Indian equity markets. He remarked:
“Multi-asset allocation is crucial for shielding investors. India’s corporate sector and society have contributed significantly to creating a healthy liquidity environment. LIC has delivered exceptional results over the past year, and new investor inflows remain strong. DIIs have consistently supported the markets during periods of foreign investor selling, emerging as a reliable force in Indian equities.”
Pant further expressed optimism about India’s growth prospects, citing robust cash flows, rising domestic participation, and an expanding array of investment opportunities.
An Undervalued Rupee and Growing Earnings
On the panel titled “India: Weathering The Macro Storm,” Ridham Desai, Managing Director and Chief Equity Strategist for India at Morgan Stanley, presented a positive outlook for the country:
“The Real Effective Exchange Rate (REER) indicates the rupee is undervalued by about 11%, making Indian equities attractive to investors. India is currently seeing 12% earnings growth as of Q1, and the next twelve months could exceed expectations, driven by a significant capex boom. Improvements in bonds, FCNR(B), and ECBs will further strengthen the balance of payments. The macroeconomic environment is shaped by the complex interaction of global and domestic factors.”
Distinguished Lineup of Industry Leaders
The summit gathered a stellar panel of industry veterans and experts, including:
- Dinesh Pant, MD – LIC
- Sunil Singhania, Founder – Abakkus Asset Manager
- Sandeep Tandon, CIO – Quant Mutual Fund
- Sailesh Bhan, President & CIO – Nippon India Mutual Fund
- Utpal Sheth, Founder & Mentor – TRUST Group
- Sridhar Sivaram, Investment Director – Enam Holdings
- Hiren Ved, Director & CIO – Alchemy Capital Management
- Ridham Desai, MD & Chief Equity Strategist – Morgan Stanley
- Gautam Chhaochharia, Head – Global Markets, UBS
- Vijay Kedia, Private Investor
- Kailash Kulkarni – HSBC Mutual Fund
- A Bala Subramanian, MD & CEO – ABSL AMC
- Nilesh D. Naik, Head – Mutual Funds, PhonePe
- Sundeep Sikka, MD – Nippon Mutual Fund
- Karan Bhagat, Founder, MD & CEO – 360 One WAM
A Legacy of Trust and Thought Leadership
Over the past 17 years, ET NOW has become one of India’s most trusted sources for business and market news. The ET NOW Markets Summit 2026 builds on this reputation by offering a premier platform for constructive dialogue among investors, policymakers, and market leaders — fostering informed investment decisions and strategic insights.
At a juncture when global geopolitical tensions, market turbulence, crude oil price shocks, and evolving regulatory frameworks challenge investors, this summit delivered clarity, confidence, and actionable knowledge. It illuminated the opportunities and challenges within India’s dynamic investment landscape, underscoring ET NOW’s vital role in helping India’s investor community navigate market complexity.
Sponsors and Partners
The ET NOW Markets Summit 2026 was co-powered by PhonePe, with other distinguished partners including:
- Mutual Fund Partner: HSBC Mutual Fund
- Associate Partner: Life Insurance Corporation of India (LIC)
- Transit Media Partner: On TV
- Outreach Partner: Dalal Street Investment Journal
For further news and updates on India’s evolving financial markets, investors and industry professionals continue to rely on ET NOW’s insightful, trusted coverage.
Tags:
Tuhin Kanta Pandey | ET NOW | Dinesh Pant | Ridham Desai | SEBI | Indian Capital Markets | Market Summit 2026 | Artificial Intelligence | Domestic Institutional Investors
By MN4U Bureau
June 15, 2026
Industry Brief