India Tops Global Business Climate Rankings Across Over 40 Markets, Swedish Survey Finds

New Delhi: India has topped the global business climate rankings across more than 40 major markets, according to the 2026 Business Climate Survey conducted by the Swedish Chamber of Commerce in India. Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal stated that the high rating reflects India's stability, growth prospects, and improvements in ease of doing business despite global uncertainty.

The survey gathered perspectives from Swedish companies operating in 41 markets, comparing economic performance, business outlook, and operating conditions. India's strong performance extends across the Asia-Pacific region, with Vietnam also scoring highly. The Middle East and Africa regions saw a decline in optimism, with Saudi Arabia experiencing a significant drop in positive responses.

Despite regional challenges, 64% of Swedish companies reported profitable operations across surveyed markets. India and the Philippines were identified as leading growth destinations, with 44% of Swedish companies planning to increase investments in 2026, a slight decrease from 45% in 2025. While Europe's investment plans trailed behind other regions, Ireland made a notable entry into the top-performing group.

The survey acknowledged that 75% of responses were collected before the onset of the Middle East conflict on February 28, cautioning that the full impact on business confidence and investment plans may not be fully represented.