TLDR;
Okay ji, here's the summary of the article about PepsiCo's CEO visit to India:
- PepsiCo's global CEO, Ramon Laguarta, met with PM Modi in India, showing how important India is for PepsiCo's future growth.
- Despite some challenges like higher taxes on sugary drinks and trade issues, PepsiCo is still positive about doing well in India.
- India is expected to drive a big chunk (85%) of PepsiCo's growth because of its large market and potential.
[PepsiCo CEO Meets PM Modi Amidst Trade Tensions]
PepsiCo's CEO, Ramon Laguarta, along with the company's board, met with Prime Minister Modi in India. This meeting happened during a time of trade tensions and new GST taxes. This visit shows that India is very important to PepsiCo, as they expect a lot of growth from the Indian market in the future.
[PepsiCo's Board Visits India for Quarterly Meeting]
This is the first time in about ten years that PepsiCo has brought its entire global board to India. They are in India for a three-day quarterly executive committee meeting. The meeting includes a day in Delhi and two days in Hyderabad, where PepsiCo’s GCC headquarters is located. Earlier, in April, Laguarta had visited with senior executives from the snacks division.
[India as a Core Market for PepsiCo's Growth]
PepsiCo considers India as one of its 13 core global markets. The company expects India to contribute more than 85% of its future growth. This is because India has a low penetration of soft drinks and a growing snacks market. In the April–June 2025 quarter, PepsiCo reported a 4% revenue growth in its international convenience foods business, with "good performance in markets such as India."
[Trade Tensions and GST Impact]
There were speculations that the meeting might get cancelled because of ongoing trade tensions. The GST Council recently increased taxes on sugary aerated drinks from 28% to 40%, including low-sugar and fruit-based drinks. However, with the 12% compensation cess, this change is not expected to affect consumer prices.
[India-US Trade Talks]
On Tuesday, India and the US also had trade talks in New Delhi, led by the US trade representative for South Asia, Brendan Lynch. These discussions happened after US President Donald Trump put 50% tariffs on Indian exports, citing trade deficits and India’s Russian oil purchases, calling India “a dead economy.” But last week, Trump said he was hopeful about reaching a trade agreement with India.
[PepsiCo India's Financial Performance]
PepsiCo India reported revenue of Rs 8,877 crore and a profit after tax of Rs 883.4 crore for the 12 months ending December 31, 2024. The company mentioned that these numbers can't be directly compared to the previous year because they switched from a financial year to a calendar year reporting system. The beverages business saw a decline in the 12 weeks leading up to June 14, due to early and heavy rains, which offset 1% volume growth in the international business.