NSO Launches CAPEX 2026 Private Corporate Investment Survey
The National Statistics Office (NSO), Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation (MoSPI), is conducting the third Forward-Looking Survey on Private Corporate Sector CAPEX Investment Intentions (CAPEX 2026) during October to December 2026. The survey aims to generate comprehensive and timely information on capital expenditure undertaken and planned by large private corporate sector enterprises, providing important inputs for understanding emerging investment trends in the Indian economy.
Survey Methodology and Coverage
The survey collects information on capital expenditure undertaken in recent financial years, provisional capital expenditure in the current financial year (2026-27), and investment intentions for the forthcoming financial year. It covers capital expenditure across different asset groups and industries, along with aspects relating to investment strategy, objectives, sources of financing, and specific focus areas including green energy and robotics investments. The survey frame is prepared using information from active enterprises registered with the Ministry of Corporate Affairs (MCA), subject to prescribed eligibility and turnover criteria, and is conducted under the provisions of the Collection of Statistics Act, 2008. Data collection occurs through a dedicated and secure web portal that enables enterprises to self-compile and submit responses online, supported by digital resources including an instruction manual, video guide, and AI chatbot for portal navigation and self-reporting. The questionnaire is available in bilingual format.
Historical Survey Findings
The inaugural CAPEX 2024 survey conducted between November 2024 and January 2025 revealed that manufacturing accounted for the largest share of aggregate expenditure at 43.80%, followed by information and communication (15.60%) and transportation and storage (14.00%). The second CAPEX 2025 survey conducted during October-December 2025 showed manufacturing further increased its dominance to 50.17% of provisional aggregate capital expenditure in 2025-26, amounting to ₹5,73,900 crore. Other significant sectors included information and communication (16.38%; ₹1,87,395 crore), electricity, gas, steam and air conditioning supply (8.96%; ₹1,02,448 crore), and transportation and storage (5.55%; ₹63,517 crore).
The CAPEX 2025 survey also revealed that 21.16% of enterprises planned to invest more than 80% of their total CAPEX in robotics, while 78.84% stated that less than 20% of their total CAPEX would be devoted to robotics investments. Based on data from a fixed panel of 3,819 enterprises covering 2024-25, 2025-26 and 2026-27, the aggregated CAPEX figures showed a modest growth of 1.9% over the actual CAPEX reported by these enterprises in 2024-25. The actual CAPEX incurred during 2024-25 by the panel of enterprises was ₹173.5 crore per enterprise, resulting in an overall realisation ratio (RR) of 96.3%, indicating that actual expenditure was broadly in line with investment intentions at the aggregate level.
Data Confidentiality and Industry Appeal
The NSO emphasizes that individual enterprise data remains confidential and unit-level information will not be disseminated. While disseminating survey results, adequate measures are applied to prevent the publication or disclosure of any information that could identify the enterprise or reveal confidential CAPEX investment plans. The quality and usefulness of the estimates depend significantly on the coverage and timely response of selected enterprises, as their information contributes to compiling aggregate indicators of private corporate investment and helps understand investment direction and magnitude across different sectors. The NSO appeals to all selected private corporate sector enterprises to extend full cooperation and participate actively in CAPEX 2026 by furnishing complete, accurate, and timely information through the designated web portal.