Breaking PR’s glass ceiling: What’s holding back the 10X surge?

Let’s start with some good news—the Indian PR industry is growing fast. According to PRCAI, Ipsos, and Astrum, the industry hit Rs 2,500 crore in FY23 and is projected to double to Rs 5,000 crore by FY30. That’s solid progress.

But here’s what excites me—if we’re already on track for 2X growth, why stop there? Why not aim higher—why not push for 10X?

Look at how industries around us have exploded. Digital marketing in India has transformed from a niche experiment to an industry valued at Rs 90,000 crore. AI startups are scaling at warp speed. Meanwhile, PR—an industry that literally shapes narratives—is growing steadily, but not at the pace it could.

Now, Ipsos did a fantastic job identifying the next big levers of growth for PR. And honestly, I couldn’t agree more.

Acquisitions & collaborations: 68% of PR leaders say growth will come from partnerships, global reach, and service diversification. The more we integrate PR with core business functions, the more indispensable it becomes.

Digital-first approach: In the next three years, we expect PR budgets allocated to digital to jump from 9.5% to 15.7%. That’s a shift we should be leaning into!

AI & big data: 90% of PR professionals believe AI is a game-changer. But here’s the catch—only 13% have made serious investments in AI tools. There’s a gap between belief and action that we need to close.

Shifting from media metrics to business impact: 90 percent of corporate communicators now prioritise business results over media exposure. This is a big shift—PR is finally being measured like sales and marketing, and that’s exactly where it should be headed.

So, we’re moving in the right direction. But the real question is—what’s stopping us from scaling PR to its true potential?

The future of PR: From doubling to 10X growth

India has some of the world’s most ambitious companies—startups going global, legacy brands rebranding for new markets, and unicorns shaping entire industries. But how many of them treat PR as a serious growth function?

Right now, PR in India is highly fragmented, largely manual, and underutilised beyond large corporations. It’s time to change this.

Let’s build more and commit to bigger growth:

• Belief in PR as a business growth enabler: The first step is within our own industry—we need to believe that PR is a critical growth lever, not just a visibility tool. When PR professionals see their work as directly impacting business success, more companies will start seeing it that way too.

• And this belief will create a virtuous cycle—stronger PR teams, more investment, and ultimately, industry-wide growth. We need talent that understands business and positions PR from that perspective.

• PR should not be an afterthought: Every time I talk to a founder about what kicked off PR for them, they say the same thing—“Oh, it started with our fundraising”. PR as an afterthought is like ordering dessert before figuring out the main course! PR needs to be a core function inside every company—not just a service outsourced to an agency. The more we talk about the tangible impact of good PR—how it improves the funnel, attracts better talent, builds leadership positioning—the more companies will see its value.

• Tech in PR? It’s not about replacing relationships with robots—it’s about giving PR professionals superpowers. People often ask me, “Why does PR need tech? Isn’t it a business of relationships"? Scoff, ahem. It’s so much more. A tech-powered PR ecosystem—one that tracks, measures, and predicts reputation in real-time—will not replace relationships; it will enhance them. The real problem? Many companies don’t even know where to start if it’s not linked to fundraising. We’re at the stage where an AI-powered PR operating system could help any company kick off PR seamlessly. More on this soon!

• Industry leaders must commit to change: This one is big. If we, as industry leaders, commit to pushing PR beyond traditional boundaries, we can change the way it’s perceived and used in India. I’m all in.

India’s PR industry isn’t just growing—it’s transforming. The real question isn’t if it can get bigger, but how fast we can make it sharper, smarter, and unstoppable.

The companies and leaders that embrace this shift today will define the future of PR tomorrow. Let’s build it together. Whether you want to build tech, grow PR within your business, or shift the industry mindset, we can start today.

(Our guest author, Aakriti Bhargava, is the cofounder of Wizikey, which is pioneering AI-driven PR and transforming communications with technology and data-led insights.)