Monthly summary · India Buying Intent
August 2026
What moved India’s keenness to buy in August, from the national number down to the brands.
August at a glance
- A second monthly dip, but still +1.1 on August 2025.
- Trust and Desire both at 98.8, each −0.6.
- Technology +13.6%, Automobile +5.1%; Food & Beverage −10.0%, FMCG −8.7%.
- Hyundai gained the most (+301.7); Maruti Suzuki fell the most (−344.5).
- Dell leads on Trust, Desire and Buying Intent.
1 · The national reading
A small dip, and the second one in a row
India Buying Intent moved from 99.4 in July to 98.8 in August. On its own that is a small step. It follows a slip in July, though, and it leaves the index just under its three-month trend of 99.3.
Last August the reading was 97.7, so the market is still ahead of where it stood a year ago. The lowest point in these 17 months was 94.9 in Jan ’26, and the highest was 100.2 in Oct ’25.
All 17 monthly readings
| Month | Trust | Desire | BI | Trend |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aug ’26 | 98.8 | 98.8 | 98.8 | 99.3 |
| Jul ’26 | 99.4 | 99.4 | 99.4 | 99.2 |
| Jun ’26 | 99.7 | 99.6 | 99.6 | 99.1 |
| May ’26 | 98.7 | 98.5 | 98.6 | 97.9 |
| Apr ’26 | 98.8 | 99.1 | 99.0 | 96.7 |
| Mar ’26 | 96.1 | 96.1 | 96.1 | 95.3 |
| Feb ’26 | 95.0 | 95.0 | 95.0 | 96.1 |
| Jan ’26 | 94.9 | 94.9 | 94.9 | 97.3 |
| Dec ’25 | 98.2 | 98.5 | 98.4 | 99.0 |
| Nov ’25 | 98.6 | 98.5 | 98.5 | 98.7 |
| Oct ’25 | 100.1 | 100.2 | 100.2 | 98.4 |
| Sep ’25 | 97.3 | 97.3 | 97.3 | 97.5 |
| Aug ’25 | 97.7 | 97.7 | 97.7 | 98.1 |
| Jul ’25 | 97.7 | 97.5 | 97.6 | 98.3 |
| Jun ’25 | 99.0 | 99.1 | 99.0 | 99.1 |
| May ’25 | 98.3 | 98.5 | 98.4 | – |
| Apr ’25 | 100.0 | 100.0 | 100.0 | – |
2 · Under the surface
Trust and Desire eased together
Trust is how sure people feel about a brand. Desire is how much they want it. In August both slipped by the same amount, so neither one explains the dip by itself.
Brands split almost evenly
Share of brands measured in both July and August whose reading went up. Desire tilted a little more towards gains than Trust did.
How India decided
Close to two in three buying decisions were thought through, not made on impulse. That share has barely changed all year: it has stayed between 62.6% and 62.7% in every month since April 2025.
3 · Categories
The national number hides a split
The national reading moved by 0.6 of a point. Underneath, the super-categories moved by whole percentage points in both directions.
| Super-category | Jul | Aug | vs Jul |
|---|---|---|---|
| Consumer Electronics | 14.1 | 13.7 | ▼ −3.0% |
| Automobile | 10.6 | 11.2 | ▲ +5.1% |
| Food & Beverage | 10.4 | 9.4 | ▼ −10.0% |
| FMCG | 9.5 | 8.7 | ▼ −8.7% |
| Technology | 6.9 | 7.8 | ▲ +13.6% |
| Digital | 7.2 | 7.5 | ▲ +3.2% |
| Gadgetry | 7.6 | 7.3 | ▼ −4.3% |
| BFSI | 6.4 | 5.9 | ▼ −7.3% |
| Personal Accessories | 6.0 | 5.0 | ▼ −15.7% |
| Retail | 3.9 | 3.9 | ▼ −0.4% |
| Consumer Appliances | 2.6 | 3.0 | ▲ +15.1% |
| Manufacturing | 2.4 | 2.6 | ▲ +9.9% |
| Apparels | 2.7 | 2.6 | ▼ −5.9% |
| Sports | 1.7 | 1.6 | ▼ −3.9% |
| Home Care | 1.4 | 1.5 | ▲ +2.8% |
| Healthcare | 0.9 | 1.3 | ▲ +44.4% |
| Fast Moving Electrical Goods | 0.8 | 1.1 | ▲ +34.4% |
| Automobile · Related | 0.9 | 1.0 | ▲ +14.9% |
| TelecomSmall base, read with care | 0.9 | 0.8 | ▼ −10.0% |
| Kitchen CareSmall base, read with care | 0.7 | 0.7 | ▲ +5.7% |
| StationerySmall base, read with care | 0.6 | 0.6 | ▲ +8.2% |
| EnergySmall base, read with care | 0.3 | 0.4 | ▲ +23.4% |
Consumer Electronics is still the largest at 13.7, even after easing from 14.1. Technology made the biggest step among the larger ones, from 6.9 to 7.8.
Automobile has now risen two months running, from 9.0 in June to 11.2. Food & Beverage and FMCG have gone the other way for two months.
Rows marked small base sit under 1.0, where a change of a tenth of a point shows up as a large percentage.
4 · Brands
The brands that moved most
Twenty biggest gains and twenty biggest drops in Buying Intent from July to August. Each brand is read within its own category.
Biggest gains
| # | Brand · category | Aug BI | vs Jul | Change |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | HyundaiPassenger Vehicles | 818.5 | ▲ +301.7 | +58.4% |
| 2 | DellLaptops | 2,042.3 | ▲ +246.8 | +13.7% |
| 3 | ToyotaPassenger Vehicles | 516.2 | ▲ +214.4 | +71.0% |
| 4 | HondaMotorcycle · Manufacturer | 1,081.8 | ▲ +196.9 | +22.2% |
| 5 | HDFC BankBank · Private | 657.9 | ▲ +190.8 | +40.8% |
| 6 | ApplePersonal Technology | 341.4 | ▲ +185.1 | +118.3% |
| 7 | VoltasAir Conditioners | 566.3 | ▲ +184.6 | +48.4% |
| 8 | TVSMotorcycle · Manufacturer | 705.6 | ▲ +181.5 | +34.6% |
| 9 | LenovoLaptops | 813.4 | ▲ +168.7 | +26.2% |
| 10 | Royal EnfieldMotorcycle · Manufacturer | 438.3 | ▲ +145.3 | +49.6% |
| 11 | IFBRefrigerators | 239.1 | ▲ +142.5 | +147.6%◦ |
| 12 | LGAir Conditioners | 487.0 | ▲ +140.6 | +40.6% |
| 13 | LGDiversified | 204.5 | ▲ +137.1 | +203.4%◦ |
| 14 | MicrosoftSoftware Products | 202.3 | ▲ +129.6 | +178.4%◦ |
| 15 | GoogleInternet Search | 597.3 | ▲ +125.1 | +26.5% |
| 16 | L’OréalHair Colour | 172.0 | ▲ +118.9 | +223.6%◦ |
| 17 | ToshibaWashing Machines | 166.0 | ▲ +117.4 | +241.6%◦ |
| 18 | Apple MacBookLaptops | 626.0 | ▲ +115.5 | +22.6% |
| 19 | WhirlpoolRefrigerators | 403.1 | ▲ +107.4 | +36.3% |
| 20 | Hewlett PackardLaptops | 826.5 | ▲ +107.2 | +14.9% |
Biggest drops
| # | Brand · category | Aug BI | vs Jul | Change |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Maruti SuzukiPassenger Vehicles | 845.6 | ▼ −344.5 | −28.9% |
| 2 | TitanWatches | 524.7 | ▼ −288.7 | −35.5% |
| 3 | AmulMilk | 484.0 | ▼ −259.7 | −34.9% |
| 4 | State Bank of IndiaBank · PSU | 593.3 | ▼ −256.9 | −30.2% |
| 5 | Tata MotorsPassenger Vehicles | 984.0 | ▼ −255.7 | −20.6% |
| 6 | LGWashing Machines | 487.3 | ▼ −252.8 | −34.2% |
| 7 | Blue StarAir Conditioners | 259.9 | ▼ −250.5 | −49.1% |
| 8 | SonyAudio Equipments | 36.8 | ▼ −231.1 | −86.3%◦ |
| 9 | LGRefrigerators | 553.4 | ▼ −227.9 | −29.2% |
| 10 | SuzukiMotorcycle · Manufacturer | 80.9 | ▼ −206.6 | −71.9%◦ |
| 11 | LICLife Insurance · PSU | 681.3 | ▼ −200.9 | −22.8% |
| 12 | HitachiSteel Industry Solution | 38.8 | ▼ −196.4 | −83.5%◦ |
| 13 | BoATAudio Equipments | 216.8 | ▼ −185.3 | −46.1% |
| 14 | Bajaj FinanceFinancial Services | 140.2 | ▼ −179.9 | −56.2% |
| 15 | WhirlpoolWashing Machines | 322.2 | ▼ −157.1 | −32.8% |
| 16 | AirtelMobile Service Provider | 147.7 | ▼ −155.2 | −51.2% |
| 17 | Ambuja CementCement | 154.8 | ▼ −152.5 | −49.6% |
| 18 | AcerLaptops | 288.5 | ▼ −148.6 | −34.0% |
| 19 | BataFootwear · Retail | 724.0 | ▼ −148.5 | −17.0% |
| 20 | Peter EnglandMenswear | 22.3 | ▼ −148.4 | −86.9%◦ |
◦ Small base: the brand read under 100 in July or August, so its percentage change looks larger than the move behind it.
What the lists say
Cars appear on both lists. Hyundai and Toyota made the largest gains, while Maruti Suzuki and Tata Motors fell furthest. Within a category, the movement this month was brand by brand.
Motorcycles leaned up. Honda, TVS and Royal Enfield all rose. Suzuki was the one motorcycle maker among the drops.
Laptops rose almost across the board. Dell, Lenovo, Apple MacBook and HP all gained. Acer fell.
Appliance brands moved differently from one product to the next. LG rose in air conditioners but fell in washing machines and refrigerators. Whirlpool rose in refrigerators and fell in washing machines. Voltas gained in air conditioners while Blue Star fell.
Money brands mostly slipped. HDFC Bank rose, while State Bank of India, LIC and Bajaj Finance fell.
5 · Leaders
Who people trust most, and want most
| 1 | DellLaptops | 2,042.3 |
| 2 | SonyTelevisions | 1,110.6 |
| 3 | HondaMotorcycle · Manufacturer | 1,081.8 |
| 4 | VivoMobile Phones | 1,081.0 |
| 5 | AmazonOnline Retailer · Diversified | 1,073.0 |
| 6 | Tata MotorsPassenger Vehicles | 984.0 |
| 7 | Apple iPhoneMobile Phones | 883.0 |
| 8 | OppoMobile Phones | 862.4 |
| 9 | Maruti SuzukiPassenger Vehicles | 845.6 |
| 10 | Hewlett PackardLaptops | 826.5 |
| 1 | DellLaptops | 1,715.3 |
| 2 | HondaMotorcycle · Manufacturer | 1,323.8 |
| 3 | SonyTelevisions | 994.4 |
| 4 | VivoMobile Phones | 966.4 |
| 5 | AmazonOnline Retailer · Diversified | 949.4 |
| 6 | FlipkartOnline Retailer · Diversified | 921.0 |
| 7 | Hewlett PackardLaptops | 866.2 |
| 8 | TVSMotorcycle · Manufacturer | 855.3 |
| 9 | LGTelevisions | 790.1 |
| 10 | LenovoLaptops | 788.8 |
| 1 | DellLaptops | 1,944.2 |
| 2 | Tata MotorsPassenger Vehicles | 1,029.3 |
| 3 | SonyTelevisions | 992.8 |
| 4 | AmazonOnline Retailer · Diversified | 973.6 |
| 5 | VivoMobile Phones | 969.8 |
| 6 | Apple iPhoneMobile Phones | 931.8 |
| 7 | Maruti SuzukiPassenger Vehicles | 920.8 |
| 8 | OppoMobile Phones | 816.5 |
| 9 | Apple MacBookLaptops | 718.6 |
| 10 | HyundaiPassenger Vehicles | 715.5 |
Dell leads on all three, and its Buying Intent of 2,042.3 is well ahead of the next brand, Sony televisions at 1,110.6. Mobile phones take three of the ten Buying Intent places: Vivo, Apple iPhone and Oppo.
Honda ranks second on Trust but is outside the Desire top ten. Tata Motors ranks second on Desire but is outside the Trust top ten.
Leaders inside the larger super-categories
Top three brands by Buying Intent in each, August 2026.
Consumer Electronics
- 1SonyTelevisions1,110.6
- 2LGTelevisions781.8
- 3SamsungTelevisions710.7
Automobile
- 1HondaMotorcycle · Manufacturer1,081.8
- 2Tata MotorsPassenger Vehicles984.0
- 3Maruti SuzukiPassenger Vehicles845.6
Food & Beverage
- 1AmulMilk484.0
- 2BisleriPackaged Drinking Water406.6
- 3Dabur HoneyHoney401.8
FMCG
- 1LakmeCosmetics318.2
- 2NiveaSkincare292.8
- 3ColgateToothpaste224.9
Technology
- 1DellLaptops2,042.3
- 2Hewlett PackardLaptops826.5
- 3LenovoLaptops813.4
Digital
- 1AmazonOnline Retailer · Diversified1,073.0
- 2FlipkartOnline Retailer · Diversified825.8
- 3Google PayDigital Payments614.5
Gadgetry
- 1VivoMobile Phones1,081.0
- 2Apple iPhoneMobile Phones883.0
- 3OppoMobile Phones862.4
BFSI
- 1LICLife Insurance · PSU681.3
- 2HDFC BankBank · Private657.9
- 3State Bank of IndiaBank · PSU593.3
Personal Accessories
- 1BataFootwear · Retail724.0
- 2TanishqJewellery559.4
- 3TitanWatches524.7
Retail
- 1D MartHypermarket · Indian702.4
- 2ZudioValue Fashion341.5
- 3Godrej InterioFurniture293.2
Consumer Appliances
- 1KentWater Purifiers461.5
- 2CromptonFans248.4
- 3UshaFans203.7
Apparels
- 1ZaraFast Fashion349.3
- 2BibaEthnicwear · Women338.9
- 3RaymondFabric To Brands334.5
6 · For marketers
What to take from August
- Read your category, not only the national number. India moved −0.6, while Technology rose +13.6% and Food & Beverage fell 10.0%.
- Automobile has momentum. It has risen two months running, but that is the category as a whole. Individual brands moved in both directions.
- Food & Beverage and FMCG have softened for two months. Brands there may find people harder to move this season.
- Trust and Desire can part ways. Honda leads on Trust but not on Desire, and Tata Motors the other way round. Check which of the two your brand is short on.
See where your brand stands
Any brand’s Buying Intent, Trust and Desire, free to read.
Read your brand’s reading →