India Services Sector

India to launch headline services output index within months: Govt

The proposed index will provide India's first official monthly measure of output across the services sector, complementing existing manufacturing indicators

Best of BS Opinion: Dixon-Vivo joint venture hints at pragmatic approach

New services production index, a shift on Chinese investment, farmer-led agricultural reform, city labour markets and life under siege in Iran feature in today's Best of BS Opinion.

Monitoring measures: New services index will help gauge activity over time

Earlier attempts to construct a services production index were constrained by the absence of reliable monthly data

What is the Index of Services Production and why does it matter?

As the services sector drives more than half of India's GDP, the ISP aims to provide timely insights into its performance and growth trends

BS Opinion wrap: India must harness its untapped services trade potential

From services trade trends and POSH gaps in IT firms to rupee volatility, labour reforms, and Arctic geopolitics, here are the key insights from today's Business Standard Opinion page

Services PMI rises to 58.5 in Jan 2026 as demand and hiring pick up

January services PMI: New orders increased faster in January after slowing at the end of 2025

India consolidating role as global services exporter; EU, China lag: KKR

While Europe doesn't have a strong system for offering financial services, China needs a stronger domestic services industry to create jobs and help its economy move out of deflation

Services sector's informal trap: What's holding back formal job growth?

This piece explores the implications of one of these profiles - formal versus informal employment

India's services growth at 11-month high in July amid rise in exports

India's services PMI rose to 60.5 in July, the highest in 11 months, led by strong international sales, new orders and demand from Asia, Europe and the US

India Services PMI hits 11-month high in July on strong export demand

Composite PMI Output Index rose to 61.1 in July from 61.0 in June, its fastest pace since April 2024; but hiring growth weakens

Services generates bulk of India's jobs, increases gap with manufacturing

Services employment creation has been robust in FY25 amid concern over impact of artificial intelligence

Services sector growth improves in April, helped by new orders: PMI

Companies report 'faster expansion' in employment to meet increased demand

Indian consumers spent 15 bn hours for service complaints in 2024: Report

Despite AI agents and chatbots increasingly becoming a part and parcel of customer service, they have yet to significantly reduce customer service wait times, with a report revealing that Indian consumers spent over 15 billion hours last year waiting to lodge customer service complaints. The ServiceNow Customer Experience report analysed the widening gap between rising customer expectations and the reality of service delivery. It surveyed 5,000 Indian consumers and 204 Indian customer service agents. As many as 80 per cent of Indian consumers now rely on AI chatbots for essential services like checking complaint statuses and product recommendations. Yet, these same consumers collectively spend an astounding 15 billion hours on hold each year, according to the report. "While some headway has been made-- the average Indian spent 3.2 hours less time waiting for an issue to be resolved than the previous year--there is still a considerable gap between customer expectations and service ..

Amid global uncertainty, salaries in India to rise by 9.2% in 2025: Aon

Salary increments are also projected to vary across industries with engineering design services and auto/vehicle manufacturing budgeting for the highest pay increases

Services PMI falls marginally to 58.4 in Nov, job creation improves

Business confidence leads to 'hiring surge' as input costs rise to the 'greatest extent' in 15 months

As demand slows, PMI services growth hits a ten-month low in September

For more than three years, the index has stayed above the 50-mark separating expansion from contraction

Gains in manufacturing and services sectors push flash PMI to 60.9 in June

The survey also noted that pace of job creation was at its strongest in over 18 years

India's services PMI slides in April, remains robust due to strong demand

The headline Purchasing Managers' Index (PMI) figure, released by HSBC, slid to 60.8 in April from 61.2 recorded in March

Record demand for exports spurs India's services PMI to 61.2 in March

HSBC Bank survey says 'buoyant demand' led to a 'cascade of positivity for the sector'

Services trade surplus hits record $44.9 billion in December quarter

Grew 16% over a year earlier; current account deficit likely to reduce