Despite a challenging economic climate marked by an 8.5% depreciation in the Indian rupee and a 9.5% slip in the stock market, India’s top 100 billionaires showed remarkable resilience, retaining a combined net worth of $1 trillion, according to the 2026 Forbes India Rich List.
In a key leadership swap at the top, Adani Group Chairman Gautam Adani reclaimed the No. 1 position after spending three years at No. 2. A $20.7 billion surge pushed the Adani family fortune to $112.7 billion, driven by aggressive expansion across infrastructure and green energy, along with a planned $100 billion investment in AI infrastructure.
Mukesh Ambani, Chairman of Reliance Industries, moved to the second spot with a net worth of $86.3 billion—a decline of $18.7 billion—impacted by margin pressures in retail and petrochemicals. However, Reliance is gearing up for the upcoming IPO of Jio Platforms, which could mark one of the largest public offerings in Indian history.
Savitri Jindal, matriarch of the O.P. Jindal Group, retained her title as India’s richest woman at No. 3 with $39.8 billion. Meanwhile, steel tycoon Lakshmi Mittal emerged as the biggest percentage gainer, climbing eight spots to No. 4 as his net worth surged 74% to $34.7 billion.
More than half of the listees saw their fortunes shrink over the year, with tech titans like Shiv Nadar, Azim Premji, and Narayana Murthy facing headwinds from AI-led automation in the IT services sector. The minimum net worth required to qualify for this year’s list eased slightly to $3 billion, paving the way for four newcomers—including Indo-MIM’s Krishna Chivukula—and seven returnees to make the cut.
