PepsiCo’s global chairman and CEO Ramon Laguarta met Prime Minister Narendra Modi in New Delhi on September 16, marking their first-ever interaction in India, as per the confirmed sources. The meeting holds particular significance, coming amid Indo–US trade frictions and ongoing negotiations over a bilateral trade pact.
The high-profile engagement coincides with PepsiCo’s decision to bring its entire global board to India for the first time in nearly a decade. The leadership team is in the country for a three-day schedule as part of its quarterly executive committee meeting, which rotates across key markets. After a day in New Delhi, the delegation will continue to Hyderabad, home to the company’s Global Capability Centre. The timing of the meeting — a day before Prime Minister Modi’s birthday — further underscored the importance attached to the visit.
India has been identified by PepsiCo as one of 13 anchor global markets, expected to contribute more than 85% of the company’s future growth. During PepsiCo’s Q1 2025 earnings call, Laguarta noted: “The international business continues to be the largest growth engine for the company, and we continue to invest in that business.” The international division reported 11% revenue growth in Q1, with India playing a key role in driving its convenience foods portfolio.
In the April–June 2025 quarter, PepsiCo’s international convenience foods segment posted 4% revenue growth, with India again highlighted as a strong contributor. Last year, Laguarta told analysts that India remained a “big growth space and investment area,” citing the massive long-term opportunity and the company’s ongoing investments in infrastructure and brand-building.
This visit follows an April 2025 tour led by Laguarta with over two dozen global executives from PepsiCo’s snacks business, reinforcing India’s position at the center of PepsiCo’s global growth ambitions.
