Private investment announcements surged to Rs 56 lakh crore in FY26 from Rs 37 lakh crore in the previous year, signalling strengthening capital expenditure momentum in the economy, according to an SBI Research report, reported ANI.In its latest Ecowrap report, SBI Research said, “Private investment announcements in FY26 is Rs 56 lakh crore from Rs 37 lakh crore in previous year.”The report said overall investment announcements have shown a steady rise in recent years, reflecting growing confidence among businesses.“The total investment announcements shows an increasing trend through the period from Rs 17 lakh crore in FY19 to Rs 80 lakh crore in FY26,” SBI Research said.Manufacturing emerged as the largest contributor to new investment proposals during FY26.“The manufacturing sector contributes around 28.9%, followed by power sector (28.7%) and building infrastructure (23.1%) in total new investment announcements of FY26,” the report said, ANI quoted.According to SBI Research, recent GDP data also point to a strengthening investment cycle.“It’s now an opportune time to understand the trends in private investment as the official GDP data shows investment momentum has gained momentum in FY26, with particularly a large uptick in Q4,” the report said.The report highlighted that gross fixed capital formation (GFCF), a key indicator of investment activity, grew 10.8% in the fourth quarter of FY26.Apart from fresh project announcements, SBI Research said the continued expansion of corporate assets reflects sustained investment by India Inc.“Apart from new investment announcement, another important data point is addition in gross block,” the report said.It added that the gross block of more than 5,000 listed companies has increased significantly over the past four years.“Gross block of Indian Inc., represented by around 5000+ listed entities, is estimated to have increased from Rs 87 lakh crore as of March 2022 to Rs 145 lakh crore as of March’2026,” the report said.SBI Research also noted that companies have consistently expanded productive assets over the last five years.“What is pertinent to mention is on an average Indian Inc have added more than Rs 13 lakh crore of gross block yearly in last five years,” it said.The report comes at a time when private sector capital expenditure remains a key focus area for policymakers and economists assessing the sustainability of India’s growth momentum.According to SBI Research, the rise in investment announcements and asset creation suggests that private investment activity is strengthening and becoming a more significant driver of economic growth.
