Indian leaders embrace AI in corporate treasury and banking operations, nearly 50% rank automation as top investment priority: EY Survey

• 82% Indian treasury leaders view AI as critical
• 52% of them rank technical skills, including software and data analysis as very important
• 35% partially or fully outsourcing treasury technology maintenance

Mumbai, 17 September 2025 – Indian treasury teams are at a pivotal point in their evolution, ranking automation as their top investment priority as per EY India Corporate Treasury Survey 2025. Based on responses from 85 treasury leaders, the survey shows that Indian treasuries are moving beyond their traditional role in cash and risk management, and now investing in AI-enabled transformation, talent upskilling, and shared services to prepare for the treasury of 2030.

AI adoption signals a paradigm shift

The survey highlights a clear inflection point in AI adoption. Overall, 82% of organizations are either planning or actively progressing toward AI adoption. Use cases such as forex risk, trade finance, and anomaly detection are gaining traction. This shift indicates that Indian treasuries are moving from AI experimentation to execution, aiming to reduce operational bottlenecks, improve accuracy, and free up resources for strategic decision-making.

Cash forecasting, where 26% of respondents are already piloting AI-led models, is becoming a high-impact application. Early-stage use cases in foreign exchange risk (9%), trade finance (8%), and working capital optimization (6%) reflect a growing ambition to integrate AI across core treasury processes, potentially unlocking efficiency, reducing errors, and supporting faster, data-driven decisions.

Reflecting on the findings, Hemal Shah, Partner and Leader, Treasury and Commodity Advisory – Risk Consulting, EY India, said: “Economic volatility, regulatory shifts, and rapid digitization are forcing treasury teams to do more with less – automate without losing control, manage risk while enabling growth, and deliver predictive, real-time insights for strategic decision making. Insights from our report show a major shift toward digitally intelligent treasuries. Majority are planning or deploying AI solutions across cash forecasting, trade finance, and risk management, and redesigning operating models. Future-ready treasuries will go beyond liquidity and compliance management to anticipate risks, shape capital allocation, and safeguard organizational resilience.”

Rebalancing skills and redesigning operating models

The survey points to a growing recognition that treasury effectiveness requires a blend of functional and technology skills. 49% of respondents report a 50:50 split between functional and technology roles, while 35% favour a 70:30 split toward functional expertise.

Organizations recognize the need for treasury professionals who can navigate both finance and technology. Modular and hybrid operating models are becoming the norm, with 35% partially or fully outsourcing treasury technology maintenance, 25% outsourcing back-office accounting, and 11% outsourcing front-office dealing operations. Such moves free internal teams to focus on strategy and value-added activities, while reducing the risk of technology mismanagement and operational inefficiency.

Upskilling emerges as a critical enabler

The survey findings reveal that domain knowledge remains foundational in the treasury function, with 50% ranking it as very important, while 52% highlight technical skills – software, data analysis, and automation – as vital. Leadership and change management are increasingly recognized as key to driving transformation. Despite broad ambitions, many treasuries are yet to embed structured upskilling into career frameworks, highlighting a potential risk: without systematic capability building, digital and AI initiatives may not achieve their intended impact.

Key gaps identified

The survey also underscores critical areas that could hinder progress if left unaddressed:

• Over 70% of treasury teams still rely on disparate spreadsheets and disaggregated historical data, reinforcing that automation journeys are still in early stages
• Nearly two-thirds cite weak reporting and dashboarding, pointing to a gap in real-time visibility
• Upskilling and talent transformation lag behind technological investments, and skill-building will be a crucial investment for future.

The 2030 vision for treasury

Looking ahead, the report outlines that the treasury of 2030 will be digitally native, operating on real-time data and intelligent systems, staffed by cross-functional specialists fluent in finance, technology, and transformation. Organizations that invest in platforms, processes, and people will be able to anticipate risks, accelerate decision-making, and capture strategic opportunities faster than their peers.

About the EY India Corporate Treasury Survey 2025

The EY India Corporate Treasury Survey 2025 draws insights from 85 treasury leaders, with a focused lens on India, examining the evolution of treasury strategy, technology adoption, AI integration, operating model design, and human capital development in an increasingly complex financial landscape.

About EY

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