At the BFSI Insight Summit 2025, investor Shankar Sharma highlighted that India’s market future hinges on real-technology innovation. While currently dominated by services, India’s equity markets must embrace core technology firms for asymmetrical returns and long-term growth amid evolving AI-driven investment trends.
During the Business Standard BFSI Insight Summit 2025 in Mumbai, renowned investor and GQuants founder Shankar Sharma presented a compelling case for how India’s financial markets are poised for transformation through strategic “real-technology” bets. Addressing evolving investment approaches in an AI-driven world, Sharma underscored the gap between India’s services-heavy market composition and the burgeoning prominence of core technology sectors globally.
Key Highlights:
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Current Market Landscape: India’s equity market remains dominated by IT services firms like TCS and Infosys, which Sharma argued are not reflective of genuine core technology innovation. Real tech firms, integral to sectors such as semiconductors, AI, and hardware, are underrepresented.
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Asymmetrical Returns Opportunity: Sharma predicts that while bets on core technology are high-risk, they offer the potential for outsized asymmetric returns, marking a pivotal shift from traditional industries such as cement and steel.
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AI’s Role in Investments: Sharma revealed that his portfolio strategy increasingly relies on AI and data-driven insights to manage multiple smaller bets alongside larger ones, enhancing diversification and opportunity capture.
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Balanced Caution: Despite recognizing AI’s power, Sharma advises caution against overreliance, emphasizing the importance of independent judgment and contrarian thinking in investing.
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Market Outlook: The Indian market is expected to realign over time, incorporating stronger technology representation that aligns with global growth trends and positions India as a key investment destination.
This perspective signals a strategic inflection point for investors to harness technology-driven growth engines, recalibrating portfolios to benefit from India’s evolving market dynamics amid digital transformation waves.
Sources: Business Standard BFSI Summit, YouTube (Business Standard), Economic Times