Half of Indian Treasury Teams Put Automation First, EY Report Says
Survey of 85 treasury leaders shows 82% see AI as critical, with pilots already underway in cash forecasting and risk management.
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[Image source: Chetan Jha/MITSMR India]
Half of Indian corporate treasury teams rank automation as their top investment priority, according to the EY India Corporate Treasury Survey 2025, which drew insights from 85 treasury leaders.
The report showed Indian treasuries are investing in AI-led transformation, talent development, and shared services as they prepare for “Treasury 2030,” moving well beyond traditional roles in cash and risk management.
“Economic volatility, regulatory shifts, and rapid digitization are forcing treasury teams to do more with less. They must automate without losing control, manage risk while enabling growth, and deliver predictive, real-time insights for strategic decision-making,” said Hemal Shah, Partner and Leader, Treasury & Commodity Advisory – Risk Consulting, EY India.
According to the survey, 82% of respondents said AI is critical to their future strategy. Use cases like forex risk, trade finance, and anomaly detection are gaining momentum. The most advanced use case is AI-led cash forecasting, with 26% already running pilots.
Gap areas and scope of automation
Flagging critical gaps, the report said 70% of treasury teams are using fragmented spreadsheets and historical data, and nearly two-thirds said reporting and dashboarding remain weak, hindering real-time visibility.
The survey also found a growing demand for hybrid skills. About 49% of organizations favour a 50-50 split between finance and technology roles, while 35% opt for 70% functional roles and 30% tech roles.
More than half of respondents highlighted technical capabilities such as data analysis, software skills, and automation as essential.
To support this transition, treasury functions are redesigning operating models. The study reported that 35% of organizations are partially or fully outsourcing tech maintenance; 25% are delegating back-office accounting; and 11% are outsourcing front-office dealing operations.
EY warned that without structured upskilling built into treasury teams, the ambitious push into automation and AI may fall short of its promise. Skills gaps risk undermining efforts to deliver on speed, accuracy, and strategic insight.
“Future-ready treasuries will go beyond liquidity and compliance management to anticipate risks, shape capital allocation, and safeguard organizational resilience,” Shah said.
