Since introducing the Companies Act in 2013, corporates have cumulatively deployed over ₹2.2 lakh crore in CSR initiatives between FY 14–15 and FY 23–24, demonstrating a consistent annual growth rate of 12-15%. In contrast, India’s GST collection for September 2025 alone, was approximately. ₹1.89 lakh crore.

This is not to suggest that the scale of CSR is modest. On the contrary, it’s a reminder that CSR has emerged as a significant source of development finance, going beyond the 2% mandate to create more strategic, catalytic impact. CSR is now acknowledged as patient capital – de-risking investments, enabling crucial research and development, seeding innovation, and driving solutions to complex social challenges, rather than funding standalone projects.

The 7th edition of the State of CSR in India Report, moves beyond the macro analysis and provides an in-depth perspective on five key emerging pathways that have the potential to redefine the next decade of CSR in India.

The insights in this report are designed to equip stakeholders with the critical information needed to navigate the evolving CSR landscape and decide which of these emerging pathways are most relevant to their development strategy, by demonstrating how others are starting to apply them.