26% are already piloting AI-led cash forecasting models, while early-stage adoption is emerging in forex risk, trade finance, and working capital optimization.
FinTech BizNews Service
Mumbai, 18 September 2025 – Indian treasury teams are at a pivotal point in their evolution, ranking automation as their top investment priority as per EY India Corporate Treasury Survey 2025. Based on responses from 85 treasury leaders, the survey shows that Indian treasuries are moving beyond their traditional role in cash and risk management, and now investing in AI-enabled transformation, talent upskilling, and shared services to prepare for the treasury of 2030.
AI adoption signals a paradigm shift
The survey highlights a clear inflection point in AI adoption. Overall, 82% of organizations are either planning or actively progressing toward AI adoption. Use cases such as forex risk, trade finance, and anomaly detection are gaining traction. This shift indicates that Indian treasuries are moving from AI experimentation to execution, aiming to reduce operational bottlenecks, improve accuracy, and free up resources for strategic decision-making.
Cash forecasting, where 26% of respondents are already piloting AI-led models, is becoming a high-impact application. Early-stage use cases in foreign exchange risk (9%), trade finance (8%), and working capital optimization (6%) reflect a growing ambition to integrate AI across core treasury processes, potentially unlocking efficiency, reducing errors, and supporting faster, data-driven decisions.
Reflecting on the findings, Hemal Shah, Partner and Leader, Treasury and Commodity Advisory – Risk Consulting, EY India, said: “Economic volatility, regulatory shifts, and rapid digitization are forcing treasury teams to do more with less – automate without losing control, manage risk while enabling growth, and deliver predictive, real-time insights for strategic decision making. Insights from our report show a major shift toward digitally intelligent treasuries. Majority are planning or deploying AI solutions across cash forecasting, trade finance, and risk management, and redesigning operating models. Future-ready treasuries will go beyond liquidity and compliance management to anticipate risks, shape capital allocation, and safeguard organizational resilience.”
Rebalancing skills and redesigning operating models
The survey points to a growing recognition that treasury effectiveness requires a blend of functional and technology skills. 49% of respondents report a 50:50 split between functional and technology roles, while 35% favour a 70:30 split toward functional expertise.
Organizations recognize the need for treasury professionals who can navigate both finance and technology. Modular and hybrid operating models are becoming the norm, with 35% partially or fully outsourcing treasury technology maintenance, 25% outsourcing back-office accounting, and 11% outsourcing front-office dealing operations. Such moves free internal teams to focus on strategy and value-added activities, while reducing the risk of technology mismanagement and operational inefficiency.
Upskilling emerges as a critical enabler
The survey findings reveal that domain knowledge remains foundational in the treasury function, with 50% ranking it as very important, while 52% highlight technical skills – software, data analysis, and automation – as vital. Leadership and change management are increasingly recognized as key to driving transformation. Despite broad ambitions, many treasuries are yet to embed structured upskilling into career frameworks, highlighting a potential risk: without systematic capability building, digital and AI initiatives may not achieve their intended impact.
Key gaps identified
The survey also underscores critical areas that could hinder progress if left unaddressed:
The 2030 vision for treasury
Looking ahead, the report outlines that the treasury of 2030 will be digitally native, operating on real-time data and intelligent systems, staffed by cross-functional specialists fluent in finance, technology, and transformation. Organizations that invest in platforms, processes, and people will be able to anticipate risks, accelerate decision-making, and capture strategic opportunities faster than their peers.
