Comms isn’t just PR, so why is India Inc still treating it that way

New Delhi: Corporate communications – a role that is omnipresent in India Inc. But this omnipresent role turns out to be highly misunderstood. It is no longer enough for corporate communications teams to just get the quotes cleared. 

In today’s volatile business landscape, their remit spans everything from crisis management to reputation stewardship and stakeholder trust to ESG storytelling. Yet, when it comes to the structural muscle given to these teams, many Indian organisations still tuck them under HR or marketing, clipping their wings just when they need to soar. 

Structure sabotaging strategy

Madan Bahal, Co-founder & MD, Adfactors PR, said the very title “communications” limits the perceived scope of the role. “The value of reputation as a strategic advantage is not adequately understood in India. That’s why the Chief Communications Officer is often not empowered. The word 'communication' does not adequately capture what this role is about,” he said.

Vivek Suchanti, Chairman and Managing Director, Concept Communication, pointed out that while structure varies across organisations, the root cause is often cultural. “Even today, organisations, because of the kind of culture they have, bring in comms only post facto,” he said. “That’s a problem.”

According to Sarvesh Tiwari, Founder & MD, PR Professionals, “the most common structural flaw in Indian organisations is the subordination of communications to marketing, sales, finance, or HR. They operate in the shadow of these functions, rarely contributing to strategic decision-making.” 

He said, “When communications is chained to marketing or HR, it’s like asking a maestro to play second fiddle – set it free to lead the symphony!” 

Echoing this, Mahasweta Sen, Head - Corporate Communications, Emami, pointed out, “The industry still thinks that it’s more of a service function. That they can add value but are not part of strategy.”

She added that there’s also a persistent misunderstanding that corporate communicators or PR can’t be trusted with sensitive information. “There’s this misconception that whatever you tell CorpComm, they go and tell the media everything. That's simply not true,” she said.

Sonam Shah, CEO, Treize Communications, added, “India still has not understood how to use PR or corporate communications in the right manner. Companies see it as press release dissemination followed by interviews. They completely miss capitalising on thought leadership, brand building, and reputation.”

Bringing a corporate lens to the debate, Ashish Tiwari, Chief Marketing Officer, Home Credit India, stressed the need for deep integration. “The true power of corporate communications is unlocked when it’s deeply integrated across all facets of a business. It thrives on close alignment with every function, allowing the comms team to offer strategic guidance across initiatives,” he said. 

Is there a seat at the strategy table?

“There are pockets where comms is seen as a tactical executor,” said Vikram Kharvi, Chief Executive Officer, Bloomingdale PR. “But I’ve worked with many in-house leaders who are shaping boardroom narratives, not just following them.”

Kharvi pointed to a shift in hiring patterns. “Comms heads are increasingly coming with policy experience, financial literacy and cross-functional exposure. These are qualities you don’t look for in a support function but in a strategic advisor.”

A senior communications lead at a top media and entertainment conglomerate, on the condition of anonymity, underscored the need for direct access to leadership. “The most effective structure is one where the communications function reports directly to the executive leadership team. However, in India, unlike many global companies, the function is often the last priority, and the expectation is that they call in the cavalry only when faced with a crisis,” she said. 

From an agency lens, Bahal offered a practical outlook. He noted, “The role is getting elevated in many large organisations. As the understanding of the criticality of reputation grows, so does the standing of the comms function.”

Still, Sen observed that even now, “not every company involves CorpComm in business decision-making. Sometimes you only get to know when something is already signed, sealed, and delivered.”

There are exceptions brewing, however. Sen added that some organisations are recognising the corporate communications function more seriously now, with the role reporting directly to top management or the leadership team.

Suchanti concurred, saying, “The corp comm role has to be straight with the C-suite or the face, what I call the face of the organisation. Because no organisation is faceless. People don’t engage with faceless organisations,” he said.

Ashish Tiwari added that administrative reporting lines do not always dictate strategic value. “The reporting structure is administrative. The real measure lies in the ability to consistently deliver results aligned with broader business objectives,” he said. 

Reputation needs radar

Kharvi was quick to explain that reputation is “too fluid and critical to be filtered through a single business vertical.” 

He added, “It touches policy, finance, operations, supply chain, investor relations, and more. Which is why communicators need both autonomy and proximity to the top leadership. Placing comms under marketing or HR may work on an org chart, but it rarely works in a crisis. And in today’s climate, we’re never too far from one.”

Sarvesh Tiwari chimed in, saying, “Reporting under marketing or HR significantly waters down the strategic voice of corporate communications. They lose their autonomy and are reduced to serving narrow agendas.” 

Suchanti agreed that comms should be built into the risk radar. “It is a leadership function at critical times when it’s got anything to do with capital raising, investor relations, or crisis,” he said.

Home Credit’s Tiwari noted that seeking direction from leadership is not a flaw but a strength. “The true strength of a communications team in a crisis lies in its ability to seamlessly integrate with leadership, translate strategic directives into action, and maintain a consistent external voice,” he said. 

The senior comms lead in the M&E sector framed it as a visibility versus resilience problem. “In India, the expectation is still that they step in only during a crisis or when marketing budgets are low, and hence the job is assigned to communications to create a miracle at the eleventh hour,” she said. 

Sen reinforced that the function must be aligned closely with leadership to be effective in moments of crisis. “Unless the leadership team has faith in you, they will not empower you. Trust doesn’t come overnight. It has to be cultivated continuously,” she told BestMediaInfo.com. 

Bahal believes it’s not merely about executing a media plan but interpreting risk. “A good chief reputation officer is trained to look at everything through the lens of public interest. This person helps stakeholder policy development, and that leads to smoother business conduct,” he said. 

The hybrid model

So, is the modern comms head a strategist, a spokesperson, or a risk manager? “All three at once,” said Sen. “You cannot manage risk unless you have a strategy in mind. And you are the official face of the company. You need to have an authentic voice, fact-based but told beautifully,” said Sen. 

“The comms professional has to view the role from a value creation point. That's when they've truly got the plot,” said Suchanti. 

Kharvi framed the modern role succinctly. He explained, “We need to stop seeing comms as a ‘soft’ function. It’s a reputational engine, stakeholder interface, and increasingly, a risk navigator.”

Bahal expanded on the complexity, saying, “It’s not an easy job. You’re an advocate on one hand and a conscience keeper on the other. It’s a challenging role, especially because it deals with everything that happens in the world and its impact on the organisation.”

The cost of keeping comms an afterthought

When communication isn’t structurally empowered, the costs might be invisible, but they’re significant.

“There is a cost associated with not giving communications direct access to leadership. It’s an unseen cost, often only visible when a crisis hits. But by then, friction had already built between the organisation and stakeholders,” Bahal warned. 

He added, “Good reputation management is 90% behaviour and only 10% communication. Mature organisations understand this.”

Sarvesh Tiwari concurred, saying, “Indian communications professionals are ready to take the helm. They just need the green light.”

Is there future readiness?

Shah was optimistic about where things are headed. “We are getting there. Martech, AI, and new-age media solutions are transforming the landscape. In the coming years, we’ll have better, streamlined corporate communications processes,” she said. 

According to her, a future-ready team must be led by someone with decision-making authority, backed by members across content, outreach, digital, and stakeholder management.

Sen echoed the need for balance in teams. “You need a good mix – young people evolving with trends and senior folks who bring maturity. And you need a team that trusts each other and supports each other,” she said. 

And yet, she warned, “There’s still much to be achieved. Sometimes you're involved from the start, and you see great results. But in other instances, you’re brought in at the last minute and expected to do magic.”

Ashish Tiwari added that tomorrow’s comms leaders must upskill for the boardroom. He explained, “It demands a comprehensive business acumen, data, finance, analytics, and planning, so that communication efforts can translate into business outcomes.”

India Inc. has a strong bench of communications talent, but unlocking their strategic value hinges on structure, mindset, and, most importantly, trust. If organisations want to future-proof their reputation, the time to restructure isn't tomorrow. It was yesterday.