Held under the theme “Closing the delivery capability gap in Indian infrastructure: From national ambition to predictable on-ground execution,” the roundtable examined how India’s infrastructure ecosystem can enhance execution capability, develop future-ready project talent, and improve delivery outcomes amid rising project complexity and expanding investment scales.
Speaking on the growing significance of project management in infrastructure delivery, Amit Goyal, Managing Director, PMI South Asia, stated that India’s infrastructure growth trajectory will increasingly depend on the effectiveness of on-ground execution. He emphasized that as infrastructure projects become larger, more interconnected, and highly time-sensitive, organisations will require skilled professionals capable of managing complexity, aligning multiple stakeholders, and optimising resources to ensure consistent and precise outcomes. He further noted that building future-ready project talent and strengthening delivery capability will be essential to achieving the “Viksit Bharat” vision, ensuring infrastructure investments generate long-term economic and social impact.
According to the Construction Project Management Talent Gap Report by PMI, 2026, demand for construction project professionals across South Asia is projected to accelerate significantly by 2035, driven by sustained infrastructure and industrial investment across the region. Under high-growth scenarios, the South Asia construction talent gap is expected to expand from 291,000 professionals today to 558,000 by 2035. India alone is projected to require nearly 395,000 construction project professionals during the same period.
During the session, Yash Singh, Partner, Business Consulting at KPMG India, stated that India’s infrastructure and construction sector is entering a high-growth phase, making substantial investment in skilled project talent essential for delivering projects efficiently and sustainably. He also highlighted PMI’s partnership in advancing knowledge initiatives and strengthening dialogue on execution excellence.
The discussion further underscored the operational and financial consequences of weak project execution across the sector. A 2020 global PMI survey revealed that 72 percent of projects exceed budgets, 73 percent face delays, and 70 percent experience scope creep. The survey also found that nearly 127 million US dollars is lost for every 1 billion US dollars invested due to inefficiencies in project performance, with cost overruns impacting profitability, stakeholder confidence, and long-term competitiveness.
As part of PMI South Asia’s broader Construction Roundtable series, the initiative aimed to create a collaborative platform for industry leaders to identify capability gaps, exchange best practices, and explore interventions to strengthen infrastructure delivery outcomes across the region. The series builds on the first Construction Roundtable held during PMSAC24 in September 2024, which convened C-suite leaders and representatives from leading infrastructure organisations.
PMI is recognised as the leading authority in project management, dedicated to enabling project success. Since 1969, PMI has highlighted the importance of project management and the professionals behind global projects. With a worldwide community, gold-standard professional certifications, and lifelong learning opportunities, PMI empowers project professionals and organisations with knowledge and resources to lead effectively and create meaningful impact in the communities they serve.
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