The Indian public relations industry is estimated to contribute around US$545 billion in economic impact annually through brand awareness, reputation management and crisis mitigation, according to a white paper released by the Public Relations Consultants Association of India (PRCAI) at PRana 2026.
The Ipsos White Paper: The Economic Impact of Public Relations in India was unveiled at PRCAI’s annual Brand India Reputation Summit, held at The Leela, Gurugram, on September 2. The report estimates that the Indian PR industry recorded revenues of ₹3,230 crore (US$340 million) in FY2026.
The findings suggest that public relations contributes to business value through three key areas: sustaining revenue through brand awareness, managing corporate reputation and reducing potential losses during crises.i
Reputation management accounts for the largest share
According to the white paper, brand awareness contributes an estimated US$220 billion towards revenue sustainability and growth. Reputation management is estimated to account for around US$265 billion, while crisis mitigation is linked to approximately US$60 billion in economic value.
The report identifies reputation management as the largest of the three areas. It draws on investor-relations research suggesting that around 28% of investor decision-making is influenced by a company’s reputation. The study estimates the PR-driven impact of reputation management at approximately US$265 billion against India’s listed market capitalisation of around US$4.5 trillion to US$4.75 trillion.
{{/usCountry}}The report identifies reputation management as the largest of the three areas. It draws on investor-relations research suggesting that around 28% of investor decision-making is influenced by a company’s reputation. The study estimates the PR-driven impact of reputation management at approximately US$265 billion against India’s listed market capitalisation of around US$4.5 trillion to US$4.75 trillion.
{{/usCountry}}For crisis management, the white paper analyses more than 90 major crisis events over the past decade, covering incidents such as brand backlash, product safety failures, operational disruptions, governance and financial misconduct, and cyber incidents. It estimates annual value at risk at approximately US$60 billion.
PRana 2026 explores India’s reputation story
PRana 2026, themed India Inside: Shaping Reputation From Within, brought together more than 15 speakers from business, culture, governance, technology and sport. The summit was attended by around 250 senior leaders, including members of the CXO community and communication professionals.
The event featured discussions across four themes — What India Says. What India Does; Trust Is Not a Campaign; The Future That Cannot Be Imported; and The People the World Already Believes In.
Speaking at the event, Kunal Kishore Sinha, president, PRCAI, said the white paper provides an economic perspective on the role of public relations and its influence on business growth, crisis response and stakeholder trust.
Deeptie Sethi, CEO, PRCAI, said the report puts an economic measure to the value of reputation and provides a foundation for discussions around the role of communications in business.
Deepak H, partner and country lead, Ipsos Strategy3, said the research connects public relations with business outcomes by examining brand awareness, investor decision-making and losses associated with crises.
The white paper combines a primary survey of 500 Indian consumers with sector-level revenue and market capitalisation analysis, Ipsos’ assessment and secondary benchmarks.
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