Oxford Economics Global Cities Index 2026: Indian Cities Strengthen Their Economic Presence

Oxford Economics’ 2026 Global Cities Index highlights the growing importance of Indian cities in the global urban economy. The index evaluates 1,000 of the world’s largest cities across five categories—Economics, Human Capital, Quality of Life, Environment and Governance. Oxford Economics says Chinese and Indian cities are expected to remain at the forefront of global growth, supported by population scale, productivity gains and rising incomes.

Indian metropolitan centres such as Hyderabad, Mumbai, Chennai, Delhi and Bengaluru are part of this broader growth story. Bengaluru has been included among the report’s “Cities to Watch”, reflecting its strong economic momentum, particularly its technology and IT-driven expansion. Oxford Economics also projects substantial GDP growth for several Indian cities through 2050, although the report notes that infrastructure, quality of life and environmental challenges remain important areas for improvement.