The Omnicom–IPG acquisition confirmed what many already knew: the PR industry has been operating with an outdated global model. 

Clients now expect integrated delivery, deeper advisory capability and teams that can operate seamlessly across markets. This is the natural follow-up to my earlier argument that India is not the back office. The industry now has to build what comes next.

This moment feels deeply personal. But it is not a reflection on individuals or teams; it is a reflection of an industry in transition. Other professional services sectors have been here before.

I saw this firsthand with my client Pangea3. Its two co-CEOs were up against an entire industry as they helped pioneer legal process outsourcing. The model involved labor arbitrage and faced skepticism and disruption early on. What ultimately made it work was not cost alone. It was the trust between clients and teams, and an organizational culture built around learning, adaptation and growth. They understood the value of cultural fluency and built systems and processes that kept teams cohesive. That foundation allowed talent to move from execution into judgment-driven work, meet commercial goals and ultimately challenge a venerable industry and the billable hour itself. Eventually, the rest of the industry had to adapt.

The deal has brought real disruption and, for many people, real loss. That deserves to be acknowledged. The layoffs are painful and real. They also point to a deeper structural shift underway across the industry and what it is being forced to change.

What makes a PR agency successful today is its ability to integrate expertise across markets, disciplines and time zones. Clients value context, consistency and speed. They want teams that can operate as one, anticipate risk and deliver clear counsel in moments that matter.

The same opportunity exists for the PR industry now. Many U.S. firms already have a presence in India. What changes next is how those teams are integrated, supported and retained. Retention is key to the India market. When teams lack cultural fluency, pay equity, learning opportunities and a strong employer brand that inspires purpose and builds trust, talent leaves. Institutional knowledge leaves with it.

The idea that India is not the back office has become an operating reality. By 2026, firms that continue to treat India teams as execution-only will struggle with retention, quality and risk. Firms that integrate India as a strategic partner will be better positioned to serve global clients and manage complexity more effectively.

The India PR industry has been building capability for years, and its role in global work will continue to expand. But this requires skilling and cultural fluency on both sides. Compliance and ethical standards vary widely across markets; what is acceptable practice in one country may be unacceptable in another. India teams must grow from technicians into strategic counselors, possessing the ability to support policy-related and risk-aware work. U.S. teams must develop cultural fluency and collaborate closely with their India counterparts. This is not outsourcing. It is building long-term capability. Without cultural fluency, it is difficult to even define the problem correctly.

The strongest PR firms have a global presence because multiple perspectives strengthen the work. In a globalized industry, that strength depends on how well teams learn from one another and apply judgment across markets. Learning and development must be supported by strong systems and processes, shared standards and clear feedback loops that allow teams to operate as one.

Clients are responding to AI adoption and integration, and so is the PR industry. But how AI diffuses is shaped by geopolitics, regulation and the rules that govern how organizations operate. That makes cultural fluency and judgment critical to how work flows across teams and markets. Technology can accelerate work, but it cannot replace trust, context or accountability.

By 2026, firms will need a shared cross-border governance framework grounded in transparency and accountability. This approach must serve both clients and talent. It must integrate workflows, support innovation and allow teams to respond quickly to crises through real-time risk management and scenario planning.

These shifts are unfolding against the backdrop of a U.S.–India partnership that is recalibrating after recent tariff tensions. U.S. multinationals continue to expand into the India market at scale. You would be hard-pressed to find a U.S. company today with no exposure to India. As many as 2,500 additional global capability centers are expected to be established in the coming years, deepening India’s role in global operations and client decision-making.

This expansion will require far more than market-specific communications support. It will demand client support built around integrated public affairs and corporate affairs capabilities that connect India to the U.S., the broader Asian region and the Middle East. Decisions made in New Delhi increasingly shape outcomes across regions, supply chains and policy environments, and vice versa.

Ongoing learning and development are essential. Training is central to this shift; this is how technicians become strategic counselors and how global teams build the judgment needed to act decisively when risk surfaces. Culture and talent remain top leadership concerns.

Prediction

By 2026, the PR firms that succeed will be those that replace fragmented global delivery with integrated teams, ongoing skilling, cultural fluency and shared cross-border governance grounded in transparency and accountability. That work requires sustained investment in learning and development and real integration across U.S., India and global teams.

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