New Delhi, July 24 (NationPress) Indian businesses are increasingly embracing AI, automation, and green finance to foster innovation and enhance operational resilience, bolstered by domestic structural advantages from one of the world’s fastest-growing major economies, a recent report disclosed on Thursday.

Approximately 79 percent of Indian CFOs and treasurers are convinced that Generative AI and AI-driven tools will facilitate risk mitigation and improve treasury operations, as per the collaborative report from DBS and EY.

The findings indicate that companies are beginning to strategize for the long-term implications of a transforming global environment.

“The new reality is increasingly characterized by uncertainty, and within this framework, a noticeable transition is occurring for treasury and finance leaders who are not merely strategic enablers for their organizations but also custodians of business risk,” stated Divyesh Dalal, Managing Director and Head–Global Transaction Services, DBS Bank India.

In India, 80 percent of enterprises confirmed that sustainable trade finance options such as green bonds and Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG)-linked loans will support green initiatives and adherence to sustainability standards.

With the global focus shifting to India for future growth, these leaders are taking on greater responsibilities as they strive to guide business diversification and related capital allocation while developing resilient supply chains, all while keeping their institutional ESG commitments in mind, Dalal added.

Worldwide, about 69 percent of leaders are investigating Gen AI solutions to optimize inventory forecasting, address extended receivables collection periods, and enhance cash conversion cycles, the report highlighted.

This report is based on insights from 800 financial leaders, including Chief Financial Officers (CFOs) and corporate treasurers, across seven sectors and 14 markets.

Facilitating green initiatives and ensuring compliance with sustainability standards remained a key focus for half of the respondents.

Companies indicated they were exploring various strategies to promote sustainability, which includes employing digital tools to refine ESG reporting (77 percent of participants), collaborating with ESG ecosystem networks (64 percent), and adopting sustainable trade finance solutions (63 percent), the report emphasized.

According to the report, around 50 percent of finance leaders noted that supply chain reconfiguration remains a priority to diversify and reinforce their manufacturing presence closer to customers across different regions.

“Businesses are contending with the intersection of several larger trends that are accelerating concurrently – the omnipresence of AI, climate change, geopolitical uncertainties, and evolving trade challenges,” remarked Santanu Mitra, Managing Director and Country Head–Corporate Banking, DBS Bank India.