India’s next investment boom could be emerging across AI infrastructure, defence and metals. In this episode of The Core Report Special Edition, Abhay Laijawala, MD & Chief Investment Officer, India, Lighthouse Canton, joins financial journalist Govindraj Ethiraj to explain the biggest investment opportunities shaping India’s stock market and economy in 2026.From data centres and AI infrastructure to defence manufacturing, copper, silver and aluminium, Laijawala explains why the next investment cycle may look very different from the one investors have just lived through.India may not dominate the semiconductor or memory chip business yet, but Laijawala argues that the country has a significant opportunity in the wider AI infrastructure ecosystem. Transformers, cooling systems, gensets, electrical equipment and data centre infrastructure could become major beneficiaries as India expands from under 2 GW of data centre capacity today towards an estimated 8 to 10 GW over the coming years.The conversation also looks at why defence manufacturing in India could be at the beginning of a multi-year growth cycle. Rising domestic procurement, stronger order books, exports, missiles, munitions, drones and a growing private-sector defence ecosystem are creating new opportunities outside the traditional large-cap universe.The next major investment theme is metals, particularly copper, silver and aluminium. Copper demand is rising with power grids, renewable energy, electric vehicles and data centres, while constrained global supply could create a significant copper shortage. Silver and aluminium could also benefit from the global shift towards electrification.Laijawala also explains why investors are looking beyond Indian equities towards US stocks, European equities, semiconductors and global diversification, and why gold and silver may deserve a larger place in portfolios as concerns around US debt and the dollar grow.Could India’s next investment boom be driven by AI, defence and metals rather than the traditional market leaders?Govindraj Ethiraj and Abhay Laijawala also discuss whether India could be entering an economic cycle similar to 2003 and 2004, with stronger industrial growth, rising bank credit, corporate investment and potentially higher earnings growth.Watch the full conversation for Abhay Laijawala’s outlook on the India stock market in 2026, AI infrastructure investment, defence manufacturing, copper and silver prices, aluminium, data centres, global equities, portfolio allocation and India’s next investment cycle.Chapters:01:24 What Does Lighthouse Canton Actually Do? 02:47 What Wealthy Investors Want Now 03:54 Are Global Investors Still Committed to AI? 06:27 What Does It Mean When Investors Get Flushed Out? 07:06 Why Power and Copper Matter to India’s AI Future 10:13 Where Will India’s Next Industrial Growth Come From? 11:43 Which Equipment Is on the Approved List? 12:15 Will More Companies Enter This Opportunity? 13:21 How Industry Is Preparing for What’s Next 14:11 Can India Capitalise on Rising Copper Demand? 20:16 Where Are India’s Next Big Investment Themes? 22:56 Why Mining Could Matter More to Investors 24:15 Where Do Copper, Silver and Aluminium Go From Here? 26:54 How Should Investors Allocate Across Asset Classes? 29:00 Where Are the Next Opportunities in Defence? 32:32 What Are India Inc.’s Earnings Telling Investors? Could India’s next investment boom come from AI infrastructure, defence manufacturing and metals? Govindraj Ethiraj and Abhay Laijawala discuss India’s stock market outlook for 2026, data centres, AI investment, defence, copper, silver, aluminium and the next investment cycle shaping India’s economy. Watch The Core Report Special Edition for the investment opportunities investors should be tracking.#IndiaInvesting #AIInfrastructure #DefenceManufacturing #StockMarketIndia #TheCoreReport #TheCore
