- Dr Mayank Chaturvedi
The economic strength of a country can be understood not merely by looking at the pace of its GDP growth, but also by examining how its successful entrepreneurs are mapping out their economic futures. The HSBC Global Entrepreneurial Wealth Report 2026 has drawn a line of concern for India’s present and future. According to the report, 74 per cent of Indian entrepreneurs surveyed are planning either to relocate abroad or add another place of residence overseas. The global average stands at 70 per cent. Among Indian entrepreneurs, Singapore is the first choice, at 14 per cent, while France, the UK and the US have each been chosen by 11 per cent. Clearly, this is a serious figure.
At the heart of this issue is the decisive flow of capital. Where an entrepreneur chooses to locate their headquarters will influence where their research, intellectual property and next generation of employment are created, all of which form the backbone of economic growth in any country. This can also be understood in simple terms. If an Indian entrepreneur has a home in Singapore, many of the major decisions concerning global expansion are likely to be taken from there. If the entrepreneur’s home and principal base remain in India, a greater proportion of research and production is likely to be centred in India.
There is no doubt that an entrepreneur becoming global can strengthen a country’s economic power. Concern, however, increases when overseas residence is accompanied by the gradual movement of headquarters, investment, research, intellectual property and high-skilled employment abroad. When an entrepreneur looks overseas for opportunities, they are considering a range of factors for themselves and their company, including the tax regime, policy stability, financial markets, availability of talent, infrastructure and the technological environment. Entrepreneurs want to know how stable the rules will remain after investment and how firmly contracts will be enforced. In business, the economic cost of uncertainty can be very high.
The HSBC report also contains a highly positive aspect. As many as 97 per cent of Indian entrepreneurs expect their personal wealth to improve and remain positive about their business prospects. This makes one thing clear: the confidence base of entrepreneurship in India remains strong. Indian entrepreneurs are identifying opportunities, understanding technological change and exploring new markets. They are also diversifying their capital globally.
This, in fact, is where the opportunity lies for India. If entrepreneurs want to expand globally, India must create an environment in which the strongest roots of their businesses remain within the country. Overseas locations can serve as markets, additional investment centres and parts of a global network, while India continues to remain their principal economic base.
The HSBC report states that 99 per cent of Indian entrepreneurs have either made changes to their business operations because of artificial intelligence or are planning to do so. Around 65 per cent have already taken steps to adapt their businesses to artificial intelligence. Meanwhile, 54 per cent plan to direct between 11 and 30 per cent of their business towards artificial intelligence-related investment over the next 12 months. This is because Indian entrepreneurs increasingly view technological transformation as a source of future economic strength.
Artificial intelligence is naturally transforming the structure of production, finance, healthcare, education, services, research and employment. It therefore becomes essential for India to develop itself as a centre for artificial intelligence research, model development and the creation of global technological solutions, without becoming dependent on another country. India has an advantage here: its successful entrepreneurs possess substantial private capital. Indians have significant investments across asset classes such as gold, cash, real estate funds and private equity. If the government provides the right incentives, this capital can become a major economic force for India.
We also know that when the capital of a successful entrepreneur gives birth to a new industry, its impact extends far beyond personal wealth. It can create employment for thousands of people, generate new technologies and build new supply chains. Attracting capital is therefore important, but developing talent and intellectual property within India is even more important.
If Indian engineers, scientists and technology specialists acquire their education in India and then apply their talents to global companies, securing patents abroad for those countries, India will receive only limited economic benefits from their capabilities. India’s long-term strength, on the other hand, increases when highly skilled talent finds world-class opportunities for research, industry and entrepreneurship within the country. India therefore needs an environment in which companies are born in India, Indian talent develops them, and their market is the entire world.
Viewed from this perspective, the figure of 74 per cent stands as a serious signal. Indian entrepreneurs are looking towards opportunities across the world. They are diversifying their wealth, investing in new technologies and expanding their links with global markets. Up to this point, this is part of the natural process of globalisation. The challenge arises when entrepreneurs begin seeking to relocate their entire economic base abroad. That is when the issue becomes a significant concern for the country.
The 74 per cent figure therefore raises a question for India. The governments at both the Union and state levels must answer it through their economic policies, so that the question next time is very different: Why are entrepreneurs from around the world choosing India as their next global base? Ultimately, the real question should be what India can create that attracts entrepreneurs, both large and small, from across the world and makes them want to establish their businesses, investments, research and economic futures here.
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Hindusthan Samachar / Mayank Chaturvedi
