IMA India is short for International Market Assessment India Pvt Ltd. We are often confused with the Indian Medical Association or the Indian Mountaineering Association, which share our acronym. We’re neither: we are actually about business Insights, not Medicine or Mountains. IMA is a niche economic and business research firm delivering insights and analysis to top CXO audiences for over 30 years. We inform industry leaders, investors and governments through proprietary research, peer-group forums (serving 2,500+ executives from 1,500+ companies), opportunity assessments, market sizing and strategic advisory on India's dynamic economy. No consultations on health or hiking trails - just actionable intelligence to help sharpen your business edge.

IMA India’s principal business is its peer-group forums, which bring together senior business leaders across functions to exchange insights, experiences and perspectives.

Through its CEO, CFO, CHRO, CMO, CFO NxT, Sustainability, HIVE (Her Influence and Voice Exchange) and Policy forums, IMA India enables structured, closed-door engagement among peers facing similar strategic and operational challenges. Members gain access to real-time business intelligence shaped by practitioner experience, not abstract theory.

IMA India differs from traditional industry associations in three ways.

1. It operates through curated peer forums rather than open memberships.
2. Its work is supported by an in-house research function that continuously engages members to generate insight-led outputs.
3. Its nationwide presence and three-decade history provide consistent access to senior decision-makers across sectors and regions.

IMA India’s services are designed for senior business leaders in India, primarily at the C-suite or equivalent executive level.

Its forums cater to leaders responsible for enterprise-wide decision-making across strategy, finance, people, marketing and policy-facing roles. In addition, IMA operates select next-generation forums, such as CFO NxT, aimed at senior financial leaders preparing for expanded responsibilities.

Membership is role-led rather than company-led, ensuring relevance of discussions and peer alignment.

IMA is an amalgamation of all three.

At its core, it is a peer-group forum organisation. This forum structure enables trusted networking and candid discussion. Complementing this, IMA’s research function translates member engagement into structured insights, reports and briefs.

IMA does not position itself as an academic think tank or a social network. Its focus is applied, experience-led intelligence grounded in business reality.

IMA forums are composed of senior leaders from reputable organisations across sectors, ownership structures and geographies.

The member network includes over 2,500 individuals spanning large corporates, multinational subsidiaries, Indian enterprises and emerging leaders. Forum composition is curated to ensure diversity of perspective while maintaining seniority and relevance.

IMA is India-focused in its membership base and primary areas of inquiry.

At the same time, it actively tracks global developments that are relevant to Indian businesses. International trends, geopolitical shifts and regulatory changes are examined where they have direct or indirect implications for India-based decision-makers.

Global coverage is therefore contextual, not generic, and always assessed through an India-relevance lens.

No.

IMA is a neutral, non-advocacy platform. It does not take political positions or represent policy stances on behalf of its members.

Its role is to enable informed discussion by presenting facts, data and structured perspectives, allowing members to form their own views in a confidential and non-partisan setting. Our forums focus on interpretations and implications of policy, not lobbying.

Membership provides access to three core elements: peer engagement, business intelligence and management insights.

Members are invited to participate in:

• Regular closed-door sessions (both in-person and virtual),
• Surveys
• Discussions designed for senior leaders.

They also receive access to IMA’s research outputs, including session summaries, research notes and thematic papers.

Members who contribute to surveys receive complimentary access to select publications that draw on those responses. Membership also provides preferential access to IMA conferences, workshops and publications.

Paid IMA membership provides access to content that is not available publicly, either at all or in its full form.

Included with paid membership:

• Full access to IMA’s proprietary research reports and thematic papers
• Early access to new research before any public release
• Detailed session summaries from closed-door forums
• Member-only research notes and survey-based insights
• Discounted access to select paid publications and reports
• Complimentary copies of specific publications for members who participate in surveys that contribute to those outputs

Available publicly:

• Selected research outputs released after a time lag
• Abridged or high-level versions of reports shared for broader context
• Public-facing articles or summaries designed to highlight themes rather than detailed findings

Full datasets, detailed analysis, and ongoing research series are reserved for members, ensuring relevance and value for active participants in the IMA ecosystem.

IMA memberships are structured on a rolling 12-month basis and are renewable annually. At the end of each term, the organisation may renew its membership and continue participating, either through the existing role-holder or by nominating a successor.

Forum memberships are corporate in nature, with individual members nominated by their companies.

Individual memberships are aligned to a single primary forum based on role and relevance.

Organisation-based memberships may span multiple forums, with different senior leaders participating across functions. IMA encourages this where it strengthens enterprise-wide perspective and engagement.

Yes.

IMA offers membership options for leaders not based in cities where in-person sessions are regularly hosted. These memberships provide access to digital content, research and virtual sessions, with scope tailored accordingly.

Yes.

IMA membership is national in scope. Members may attend sessions across cities, subject to availability and forum alignment.

The frequency of sessions varies by forum.

Our senior leadership forums typically host 6-8 closed-door discussions each year, complemented by virtual sessions, webinars and smaller-format interactions. The emphasis is on relevance and quality rather than fixed schedules.

IMA follows a blended engagement model.

In-person sessions form the core of forum activity, supported by virtual meetings and digital interactions throughout the year. The exact mix varies by forum and geography.

IMA memberships are primarily structured as corporate memberships.

In such cases, when a role-holder exits an organisation, the membership typically transfers to the successor in that role. This ensures continuity of engagement at the organisational level.

Individual memberships, where applicable, remain with the individual and are not transferable.

Corporate memberships remain with the organisation. If a member changes organisations, the existing membership transfers to the successor within the original organisation. The individual may join IMA again through their new organisation, subject to forum alignment and eligibility.

Yes.

IMA supports account-based participation, where organisations may nominate multiple senior leaders across different forums or sub-forums. This allows broader leadership teams to engage with relevant peer groups.

Nominations for session attendance or representation may also be considered, including participation across cities, subject to review.

There is no fixed eligibility list, but participants are typically CXO, business-unit heads or equivalent senior leaders.

However, IMA forums are designed for senior decision-makers, and nominee suitability is assessed to maintain the level and quality of discussion. Final discretion rests with the forum management team to ensure forum integrity and relevance.

IMA encourages members to share research insights internally where they support organisational decision-making. Research communications typically indicate the intended audience or functional relevance to guide internal circulation.

Access to live sessions, however, remains limited to registered forum participants unless otherwise specified.

In certain situations, memberships may be paused or deferred.

Such requests are reviewed on a case-by-case basis, taking into account forum schedules, engagement history and organisational context. Decisions are guided by practicality and fairness rather than automatic entitlement.

IMA operates a range of function-led forums designed for senior decision-makers.

These currently include the India CEO Forum, India CFO Forum, India CHRO Forum, India CMO Forum, India Policy Forum, India Sustainability Forum, CFO NxT, which is designed for senior finance leaders preparing for expanded leadership roles and HIVE (Her Influence and Voice Exhcnage), a forum tailored for women in leadership

Each forum is curated independently to reflect the priorities and challenges of that function.

Forum placement is primarily determined by a member’s current role and functional responsibility

Member preferences are taken into account, particularly where individuals engage closely with multiple functions or seek exposure to a specific peer group. Final placement is guided by relevance and alignment to ensure the quality and focus of discussions.

Yes, in certain circumstances.

If a member’s role or responsibilities change materially, forum alignment can be revisited. Any such movement is assessed to maintain relevance for the member and coherence within the forum.

IMA forums are function-specific.

Within each forum, sessions may be curated to bring together members from similar industries or operating contexts where it adds value to the discussion. However, the organising principle remains functional rather than sectoral.

IMA sessions are structured, closed-door discussions held in a moderated format.

Sessions are typically hosted over breakfast or dinner in central city locations (usually a major hotel) and are designed to allow time for peer interaction before and after the core discussion. Including Q&A, sessions typically run for 90 minutes. The emphasis is on candid exchange, practical insight and informed dialogue rather than formal presentations.

IMA sessions are strictly off-the-record, and Chatham House rules apply.

While events may be photographed and speakers acknowledged, comments and questions shared during discussions are not attributed externally. Any use of direct quotations or identifiable references is done only with prior consent.

This approach is intended to encourage openness and trust among participants.

Yes.

Member input plays an important role in shaping forum agendas. Suggestions for themes, discussion areas or speakers are actively encouraged. These inputs are reviewed alongside IMA’s internal curation process to ensure relevance, balance and quality.

IMA produces applied, business-facing research designed to help leaders interpret shifts in the operating environment.

This includes session summaries from closed-door forum sessions, thematic research papers and structured reports covering macroeconomic trends, policy developments, consumer and workforce shifts and changing business sentiment. Research draws on a combination of secondary market data and primary inputs from senior business leaders across India.

IMA also collaborates with organisations on co-branded research where there is clear alignment of scope and intent.

IMA research is primarily data-driven.

Quantitative analysis, structured surveys and validated secondary sources form the core of each output. Qualitative inputs are incorporated through structured perspectives from senior leaders, but these are synthesised across datasets rather than presented as individual viewpoints.

IMA does not publish institutional opinions. The analysis focuses on patterns, contrasts and implications emerging from the data.

Yes.

IMA members receive early access to proprietary research outputs and member-only summaries. Members also receive preferential access and pricing for select paid publications and extended reports.

Public versions, where released, are typically abridged or time-lagged.

Research is shared with members on a regular and ongoing basis throughout the year, usually several times a month, though this varies by forum.

This includes a steady flow of short research notes and session summaries, alongside fewer but deeper thematic reports and specialised studies released periodically.

The cadence varies by forum and subject area to maintain relevance rather than volume.

Yes, where the research design warrants it.

Many IMA studies include sector-level cuts, comparisons across business models such as B2B and B2C, and segmentation by company size or scale. The level of sectoral granularity depends on the nature of the question(s) being examined.

Sector insights are presented as part of broader patterns rather than standalone industry forecasts.

IMA regularly covers policy and regulatory developments that affect business operations, compliance and strategic planning.

Political risk is addressed selectively and indirectly, primarily where it intersects with policy direction, regulatory uncertainty or macroeconomic impact. IMA does not engage in political commentary.

The focus remains on business implications rather than political positioning.

IMA research is primarily India-focused.

Comparative or global perspectives are incorporated where they provide context for India-based decision-making, such as international benchmarks, cross-market comparisons or global policy trends with domestic spillovers.

Global analysis is always framed through its relevance to India.

Yes.

IMA undertakes commissioned research for organisations seeking structured insight on specific questions, sectors or strategic themes. These engagements are designed collaboratively and draw on IMA’s research capability and member ecosystem, where appropriate.

The India Policy Forum is IMA’s platform for dialogue between business leaders and policymakers.

It focuses on regulatory developments, governance, reform agendas and the broader political economy.

The forum brings together senior corporate leaders, former policymakers, regulators, economists and domain experts.

It is designed for those who need a deeper understanding of India’s evolving policy environment.