New Delhi, Aug. 5 -- India Inc. is showing strong signs of optimism despite external uncertainties, with the NCAER Business Confidence Index (BCI) rising sharply to 149.4 in Q1 FY26 from 139.3 in the previous quarter.

This marks the third straight quarter of improvement in business sentiment, according to the National Council of Applied Economic Research's (NCAER) latest Business Expectations Survey.

The survey, conducted in June 2025 across 479 firms in six cities, reflects broad-based confidence across firm sizes and sectors.

Business expectations for production, sales, new orders and exports also strengthened notably in Q1 FY26.

Micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs) reported a BCI increase from 129.8 to 137.1, while large fi...