TIME on Thursday announced the launch of TIME100 Next India, marking the first-ever international expansion of its TIME100 Next franchise. The initiative, which is being rolled out in partnership with Reliance Industries, will target 100 emerging Indian leaders across sectors and culminate in an editorial list and gala event scheduled for December 2026.
The announcement was made on stage at the TIME100 annual gala in New York by TIME CEO Jessica Sibley and Nita Mukesh Ambani, founder and chairman of the Reliance Foundation.
The inaugural TIME100 Next India list will be curated by TIME editors and will feature 100 emerging leaders from India and the global Indian diaspora.
These individuals are expected to represent a broad cross-section of fields including arts, science, business, sports, advocacy and others reflecting the diversity and dynamism of India’s next generation of change makers.
“We are thrilled to bring TIME100 Next to India for the first time,” said Sibley. “TIME100 Next India reflects our continued commitment to recognize and convene a new generation of leaders who are driving progress across industries and around the world. We are grateful to Reliance for their partnership in making this project a reality.”
Ambani said the partnership is in line with Reliance’s broader vision of innovation and leadership in India. “At Reliance, we are committed to building India’s future by empowering the next generation of talent, ideas and leadership,” she said. “We are thrilled to partner with TIME to bring TIME100 NEXT India for the first time ever to the Nita Mukesh Ambani Cultural Center in Mumbai, India. It has always been our vision to bring the best of the world to India and the best of India to the world.”
Dan Macsai, chief strategy officer and managing editor of TIME, who oversees the TIME100 franchise, said the expansion underscores the growing global importance of Indian talent. “TIME100 Next has become one of the most powerful platforms for identifying the leaders who will define the next decade. Expanding into India allows us to bring this spotlight to an extraordinary generation of emerging talent at a pivotal moment and tell their stories to a truly global audience,” he said.
The launch of TIME100 Next India marks a significant milestone in the broader international expansion of the TIME100 franchise. While TIME100 Next has primarily focused on global emerging leaders, this India edition marks its first country-specific iteration.
To date, TIME is also convening international TIME100 Impact Awards events starting in 2021 and, through its rapidly expanding Global Events division, hosts events across cities on five continents, further strengthening its footprint beyond the United States.
More details on the inaugural TIME100 Next India list and December gala, including the selection schedule, honors categories and program, are expected to be announced in the coming months.
