CII seeks infra boost as confidence strengthens

The Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) urged the government to launch a second version of the National Infrastructure Pipeline (NIP) with a corpus of ₹150 lakh crore to sustain ongoing capital expenditure, adding that India Inc's business confidence in the country’s growth story is the highest in five quarters.

- Rajeev Jayaswal

CII’s Business Confidence Index in the third quarter of the current financial year (Q3FY26) rose for the third consecutive quarter to 66.5 from 66.0 in Q2FY26, reflecting stronger domestic demand and improving business sentiments. It conducted the 133rd business outlook survey in December 2025, covering over 175 firms of varying sizes.

“The steady rise in business confidence shows industry's ability to navigate external headwinds anchored by resilient domestic demand and a robust reform agenda,” Cll director general Chandrajit Banerjee said. The industry anticipates the growth momentum to strengthen further in the months ahead, he added.