The Business Today is set to host the BT Banking and Economy Summit & BT Best Banks Awards 2026 on February 28 at the National Stock Exchange Atrium, Exchange Plaza, BKC, Mumbai. The summit will bring together leading voices from banking, financial services, policy and academia to deliberate on key trends shaping India’s financial ecosystem and economic future.

According to a press release, the event will feature high-level discussions on infrastructure financing, capital markets, digital transformation and financial inclusion, alongside the presentation of the BT Best Banks Awards, which recognise excellence and innovation in India’s banking sector.

Union Minister for Road Transport and Highways Nitin Gadkari will attend as the Chief Guest and participate in a session titled ‘Banking on Infrastructure Growth’, where he will share perspectives on financing India’s next phase of infrastructure expansion. Shaktikanta Das, Principal Secretary to the Prime Minister of India, will join as Guest of Honour and deliver the keynote address, outlining policy directions shaping India’s financial architecture amid global uncertainty and domestic growth ambitions.

A session on ‘The Future of Indian Capital Markets’ will feature Ashish Chauhan, Managing Director and CEO of the National Stock Exchange, who will discuss the changing landscape of market participation, regulatory transformation and digital advancements in trading and settlement systems.

The summit coincides with 30 years of Business Today’s coverage of India’s economic journey and is anchored around the theme ‘The Great Reset at 30 – Marrying Legacy with Leadership for a Stronger Future’. The theme reflects a moment of reflection and reinvention, bringing together decades of institutional experience with emerging shifts in global economics, technology and governance.

A key highlight of the event will be the BT Best Banks Awards, which honour institutions and executives for resilience, innovation and performance. The awards are based on a rigorous evaluation framework assessing growth, asset quality, capital adequacy, profitability, risk management and governance standards. The jury for this year’s awards is chaired by Dinesh Kumar Khara, former chairman of the State Bank of India, and includes prominent industry leaders and experts. Conducted in partnership with KPMG, the awards are supported by the BT–KPMG Best Banks Study, now in its 30th edition.

The summit will also host discussions on technology-led disruption in banking, including ‘Reimagining Banking in an AI-First World’, focusing on how artificial intelligence is reshaping risk management, compliance systems, talent strategies and customer engagement. Another session, ‘Banking on the Economy’, will examine macroeconomic trends such as growth prospects, inflation and liquidity, offering insights into how financial institutions can balance expansion with stability.

Non-banking financial companies will be in focus during ‘NBFCs for Viksit Bharat’, which will explore their role in expanding credit access and supporting entrepreneurship and infrastructure development. The event will also address financial inclusion through New Models for Microfinance, highlighting sustainable frameworks and governance practices aimed at expanding access to formal finance.

The summit will conclude with Banking’s Next Evolution, reflecting on leadership lessons from the past decade and outlining strategies for building future-ready institutions driven by governance reforms, capital strength and technological innovation.

With participation from policymakers, regulators, industry leaders and academics, the BT Banking and Economy Summit & BT Best Banks Awards 2026 aims to foster meaningful dialogue and actionable insights at a crucial time for India’s financial sector.