Ipsos Education Monitor 2026 reveals a nation that overwhelmingly supports banning social media for children under 14, while remaining one of the world's strongest advocates for AI in education. At the same time, Indians express exceptional confidence in education and greater optimism about young people's future than any other country surveyed.
• Indian Public Relation industry grew 11% in FY26 to reach ₹3,230 crore; accounting for 12.6% of the Asia-Pacific market.
• Government's share of top client categories has nearly tripled, from 4% in 2022 to 11% in 2026, even as private corporates slip and start-ups surge nearly 4X, marking fundamental shifts in who is buying Public Relations in India
• Reputation now drives real business outcomes; 96% credit PR with building investor confidence, an equal 96% with customer loyalty, and 83% with crisis resilience
• AI investment has more than tripled in three years, from 2% to 7% of revenues, yet giants to mid-sized to emerging firms are placing entirely different strategic bets
Western Markets Show Greater Skepticism;
India Sees Strong AI Adoption and Optimism, Alongside Nuanced Trust Dynamics;
New insights reveal Urban Indians are embracing artificial intelligence at scale while calling for transparency and responsible deployment
Ipsos unveils a new qualitative paradigm—combining continuous communities with digital twins, AI-powered moderation and the EDGE framework to deliver faster, culturally grounded, and decisively human insight.
These insights are interpreted through the Ipsos Theory of Change, which shows how broad macro forces, such as technological acceleration, geopolitical shifts, and economic developments, drive shifts in attitudes, behaviors, and markets, which then manifest as local signals in countries like India. This layered approach allows brands, policymakers, and organisations to anticipate change and respond strategically.
Powered by expert analysis and data-driven insights, our annual Year in Review report looks back at the key events, shifts and challenges of 2025 and reflects on what this tells us about the year to come.
