Amazon dethrones Dell to become India’s most trusted brand

Amazon is India’s Most Trusted Brand in 2026. In a major shift at the top, Amazon surged 11 ranks from 12th position last year to claim the top spot in the 15th edition of TRA’s Brand Trust Report, dethroning Dell, which held the top position for six consecutive years, and ranks second this year.

Honda (motorcycle manufacturer) climbed two places to secure the third position, while LG (televisions) recorded a notable 13-rank jump to claim all-India fourth place. Titan (watches) completes the top-5, moving up two ranks from the previous report.

Sony (televisions) stands at sixth position despite a slight dip of two ranks. LG (refrigerators) has moved up three places to rank seventh, and LG (washing machines) has emerged as one of the biggest gainers in the top-10, soaring 30 ranks to secure the eighth position.

Vivo (mobile phones) has made a spectacular 48-rank leap to enter the Top 10 at ninth position, while Flipkart (online retailer – diversified) has risen 24 ranks to close the top-10 at tenth position.

The report reveals fascinating geographic brand trust patterns. Mumbai emerges as India's Trust Capital, hosting the highest concentration of top-ranked brands across financial services, manufacturing, and automobile sectors. Bengaluru follows as the second biggest Trust Hub, with its technology and digital ecosystem brands.

Indian brands dominate the top-50 with 27 brands spanning automobiles to financial services, while the USA, despite just 6 entries, has Amazon's historic rise to No. 1 to take credit for. China matches American representation of six brands, with mobile disruptors Vivo (No. 9) and OnePlus (No. 32) leading a 103-rank surge.

South Korea's 5 brands demonstrate engineering excellence through LG's unprecedented three-category wins in All-India top-10 in the categories of televisions (No. 4), refrigerators (No. 7), and washing machines (No. 8). This geographic rebalancing signals a shift from Western-centric trust to Asian manufacturing leadership.

Category leadership saw dramatic shifts this year, with Google Pay surging past PhonePe to claim the top spot in Digital Payments category after an 88-rank leap. Daikin dethroned Carrier in air conditioners with a 39-rank climb to 31st place, while Usha fans overtook Crompton in the fans category to secure the 30th position.

Other notable climbers include OnePlus, which rocketed 103 ranks to break into the top-50 at 32nd position, and Muthoot Finance, which advanced 67 ranks to 44th place demonstrating that established leaders can be unseated when brands deliver consistent innovation and consumer-centric experiences.

Talking to Bizz Buzz, N Chandramouli, CEO, TRA Research says, "I would put BTR 2026, in its 15th year as the most tumultous in brand ranks. Leaders of many years have had to lose their positions to stable but different brands.”

It’s almost like the consumers have changed their attitudes and beliefs about brands this year. There is some fundamental shift in what the consumer trust this year, he said.

The report reveals consumer electronics as the most contested trust category, with 81 brands across four main categories: televisions (25 brands), refrigerators (18), air conditioners (17), and washing Machines (16). When combined with technology & digital categories - including mobile phones (17), laptops (11), and personal computers (6) – it represents 15.2% of the top- 1000. This concentration signals that Indian consumers are making trust decisions most actively in categories where technology reliability and after-sales service directly impact daily life, underscoring how post-pandemic lifestyle shifts have elevated home-centric durable goods and digital ecosystems to the forefront of brand credibility.

Among other notable performers in the top-20, Whirlpool (refrigerators) has recorded a massive 50-rank surge to rank 13th. boAt (audio equipments) has climbed 25 ranks to reach 17th position, Samsung (refrigerators) has improved by 17 ranks to 18th, and Kent (water purifiers) has advanced 25 ranks to secure 19th place. Honda Activa has also demonstrated strong momentum, rising 29 ranks to 21st position.

Some brands have, however, witnessed noticeable declines. Apple iPhone has seen a sharp drop of 14 ranks to 16th position. Hewlett Packard (laptops) has fallen 32 ranks to 35th position. Samsung (mobile phones) has slipped 38 ranks to 47th place. Maruti Suzuki (four-wheeler – manufacturer) has dropped 23 ranks to 42nd position.