Mumbai, January 30, 2026 - Ashish Kumar Chauhan, the Managing Director and CEO of the National Stock Exchange of India (NSE), has urged entrepreneurs and global businesses to tap into India's burgeoning capital markets, declaring that "India's time has come". Speaking to the business community in Mumbai on Friday, Chauhan highlighted the crucial role of the NSE in India's economic growth and invited overseas businesses to invest and list on the exchange.

Chauhan emphasized the sheer scale of the NSE's investor base, noting that with over 125 million investors, it would rank among the world's top 10 countries by population. He stated that the NSE is now empowering even smaller enterprises to raise capital, providing entrepreneurs with access to markets previously out of reach. He highlighted that one-third of India's economic value is reflected in the NSE. He encouraged business leaders and entrepreneurs to leverage the capital markets, reinforcing his message that "India's time has come," and inviting them to build and grow their businesses within the country.

Chauhan identified technology adoption and India's young demographic as key drivers of the nation's future growth, contrasting this with the challenges faced by countries with aging populations. He pointed out that countries like Japan, South Korea, China, Europe, and even the United States are facing slowing growth due to these demographic trends. He also noted that NSE is in advanced stages of its own IPO after receiving a green light from SEBI. Sources indicate that once the No Objection Certificate (NOC) is secured, the NSE can formally begin preparing its IPO application.

In a broader context, Chauhan has previously emphasized the importance of technology, demographics, and trust-based capital markets in shaping India's economic trajectory. Speaking at a Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) summit in Mumbai in December 2025, he noted that India's historical decline in global economic share was due to missing out on technological advancements. He stated that India once accounted for approximately 50% of global GDP but this share fell to around 2% at the time of independence. Chauhan has also championed the idea of "capitalism without capital," highlighting how modern entrepreneurship, particularly in technology-driven enterprises, can flourish without large capital investments, further enabled by access to stock markets for fundraising.

Chauhan believes India's per capita income could rise significantly in the coming decades, potentially reaching $15,000 to $20,000, paving the way for India to become the world's largest economy. He has also noted the unique dynamic of "poor people investing in other poor people," underscoring the growing trust in Indian capital markets and challenging conventional economic theories.

NSE has been actively promoting SME growth and financial market access. In March 2025, Chauhan received an award for "Outstanding Leadership in SME Growth & Financial Markets" at the ET Now 'Leaders of Awards'.

Furthermore, NSE has appointed Concept Public Relations as its media and strategic communications partner, tasking them with managing the exchange's integrated media and communications strategy across various platforms. Ashish Jalan, Managing Director at Concept Public Relations India, stated that as India's capital markets rapidly scale, strategic communication is crucial for building long-term trust.

Ashish Kumar Chauhan, an alumnus of IIT Bombay and IIM Calcutta, was a founding member of NSE and previously served as the MD and CEO of the Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE) for a decade. He is also a member of the University Grants Commission and the Chancellor of the University of Allahabad.