India tops global consumer confidence as consumer sentiment rebounds in September

New Delhi: Consumer confidence in India rebounded in September after a dip in August, with the country retaining its position as the most optimistic consumer market among the 30 countries tracked by Ipsos.

India's national consumer confidence score rose 1.6 percentage points to 66.9 in September, up from 65.3 in August and close to July's 67.1. The recovery came even as global consumer sentiment remained unchanged, with the Ipsos Global Consumer Confidence Index holding at 48.4.

India's September score was the highest among all 30 countries surveyed. Sweden followed with 60.0, while 12 other countries recorded scores above 50.

Employment and personal finances drive the rebound

The improvement in India was broad-based, with three of the four key consumer confidence measures recording gains.

The Employment sub-index rose 3.7 points, the strongest increase among the indicators, reflecting improved perceptions of job security and future employment opportunities. The Current Personal Financial Conditions sub-index increased by 2.3 points, while the Investment sub-index gained 1.7 points.

Economic Expectations was the only measure to edge lower, declining 0.3 points. The reading suggests that while consumers felt more confident about their own financial position and employment prospects, some caution remained around the wider economic outlook.

The September figures also reversed the weakness seen in August, when all four key indicators had declined.

India stands out as global sentiment stays flat

The rebound in India came against a largely stable global backdrop. Consumer sentiment was broadly unchanged across Europe and Asia-Pacific, with Sweden and the Netherlands recording gains in Europe, while Malaysia was the only Asia-Pacific market to register a significant change.

Ipsos CEO India Suresh Ramalingam attributed India's strong consumer sentiment to economic and household factors, including GDP growth, price stability, infrastructure improvements and policy continuity.

The September survey covered more than 21,000 adults across 30 countries and was conducted between August 21 and September 4, 2026. Ipsos cautions that the Indian sample is more urban, educated and affluent than the country's overall population, meaning the findings reflect the views of a more connected segment of consumers.