Capital allocators at IGF Mumbai 2026 assess India’s role as conflict in West Asia reshapes global markets.
MUMBAI, India, March 12, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — As military conflict in West Asia disrupts energy supplies through the Strait of Hormuz and global liquidity tightens, leading investors, policymakers and capital markets leaders gathered at IGF Mumbai 2026: Catalysing Capital to assess India’s position in an increasingly fragmented global economy.
The third edition of India Global Forum’s flagship Mumbai gathering brought together authoritative voices from private equity, venture capital, public markets and policy to examine how shifting geopolitics, supply-chain disruptions and tightening financial conditions are reshaping global capital flows – and where India fits within this evolving landscape.
Despite global uncertainty, investors at the forum expressed strong confidence in India’s structural growth story.
Speaking at the forum, Howard Morgan, Chairman of B Capital, said the current moment reflected more than just rising foreign investment.
“What makes this moment different is not just the amount of foreign capital – it is the spirit and confidence within India itself.”
Morgan added that global investors increasingly see India evolving beyond its traditional role as a services hub.
“There’s a strong belief that India can become a global technology player, not just a services provider or a support hub for the rest of the world. India can produce goods and services for global markets, and for its own domestic market, which is now larger than China’s.”
Reflecting on India’s position in a rapidly changing global landscape, Manoj Ladwa, Chairman of India Global Forum, said the country’s strategic balance is becoming increasingly important as global capital recalibrates.
“In this evolving global landscape, India occupies a uniquely powerful position. Large enough to matter, open enough to integrate, and independent enough to make sovereign choices. India can expand trade while strengthening resilience, attract global capital while building domestic capability, and partner widely without becoming narrowly dependent. That balance will define the next phase of India.”
Several speakers highlighted the growing importance of domestic capital in strengthening India’s financial resilience.
Sunjay Sudhir, former Indian Ambassador to the UAE, offered a sobering assessment of the regional conflict that framed the day’s discussions.
“The geopolitics of the Middle East are changing rapidly, and history is being written in real time. What we are witnessing now is unprecedented in this part of the world. The region has always been volatile, but few imagined that tensions could escalate to this extent.”
Amit Chandra, Chairperson of Bain Capital Private Equity, pointed to the scale of local investment capacity.
“Domestic capital is becoming one of India’s biggest strengths. Indian investors are increasingly deploying capital through equities and SIPs, while the country also holds vast untapped wealth in assets like gold.”
Market participants also noted the rising maturity of India’s financial ecosystem and the expanding role of domestic investors in supporting market stability.
Radhika Gupta, Managing Director & CEO of Edelweiss Mutual Fund, said increasing participation in mutual funds reflects changing investor behaviour.
“February 2026 numbers for the mutual fund industry were actually 10% higher than January 2026 numbers. I think that reflects rising consumer maturity.”
Similarly, Manisha Girotra, CEO of Moelis, highlighted how domestic investors are increasingly competing with global capital in major transactions.
“One of the most encouraging trends is the rise of domestic capital. Indian strategic players are now competing with global investors to acquire assets. That rarely happened earlier.”
Karthik Reddy, Co-founder and Managing Partner of Blume Ventures, highlighted India’s continued ability to sustain public listings as a meaningful differentiator, noting that despite periodic foreign outflows from Indian equities, global investors continue to allocate meaningfully to Indian primary markets, particularly IPOs.
Vani Kola, Managing Director of Kalaari Capital, offered the long view: “In the last 40 years that I have been professionally engaged in the world of startups, conflict cycles come and go. They don’t matter if you take a long-term perspective.”
Against a backdrop of geopolitical uncertainty and shifting capital flows, the conversations at IGF Mumbai 2026 underscored a growing consensus among global investors: India’s economic scale, domestic capital strength and institutional resilience are positioning the country as a defining force in the next phase of the global capital order. For investors navigating an uncertain world, India is increasingly becoming a market of stability rather than speculation.
