The India BTL Fraud Index 2026: city-by-city rankings of execution accountability

The first annual ranking of India's BTL execution accountability across 30 cities, 16 mediums, and 12 industries. Built on the gOGig platform's verified submission dataset. The reference document for every BTL story published in 2026.

G
gOGig Editorial
··12 min read

India BTL Fraud Index 2026

Cities ranked by Execution Accountability Score. Higher score = lower anomaly rate, higher verification integrity, lower fraud exposure.

30Cities ranked
16Mediums ranked
12Industries ranked
22,500+Submissions analysed

For the first time in Indian marketing, BTL execution accountability has been quantified at the city level. The Index reveals which Indian cities verify what they spend, and which cities still operate on photo proofs and self-reported execution.

Methodology in five steps

Sample

22,500+ field submissions analysed between October 2025 and April 2026 across the gOGig platform. Stratified across 30 cities representing tier-1 metros, tier-2 cities, and tier-3 hubs. Covers 16 BTL mediums and 12 industries.

Verification dimensions

Each submission evaluated across 9 dimensions: GPS integrity, EXIF metadata, server-side timestamp, mock-location flag, image fingerprint uniqueness, accelerometer cross-check, geo-fence violations, clustering anomaly, and image quality.

Execution Accountability Score

100-point scale. Higher score = lower anomaly rate, higher verification integrity. Calculated as: 100 - (weighted anomaly rate x 100), with weighting by anomaly severity.

Tier classification

Cities classified into 5 tiers: A+ (90–100), A (80–89), B (70–79), C (60–69), D (below 60). Cuts are based on natural breaks in the underlying distribution.

Anonymisation

All findings reported by city, medium, and industry in aggregate. No individual brand, agency, or vendor is identifiable. This is a research publication, not an audit disclosure.

The headline ranking: India BTL Fraud Index 2026

RankCityAccountability ScoreAnomaly RateTier
1Mumbai88.611.4%A
2Bangalore87.912.1%A
3Delhi NCR86.313.7%A
4Hyderabad85.714.3%A
5Pune84.815.2%A
6Chennai84.215.8%A
7Kolkata83.416.6%A
8Ahmedabad82.617.4%A
9Chandigarh81.118.9%A
10Coimbatore80.419.6%A
11Surat79.220.8%B
12Gurgaon78.721.3%B
13Noida78.121.9%B
14Jaipur77.522.5%B
15Indore76.423.6%B
16Vadodara75.824.2%B
17Lucknow74.725.3%B
18Nagpur73.926.1%B
19Kochi73.226.8%B
20Visakhapatnam72.627.4%B
21Bhopal71.428.6%B
22Trichy70.829.2%B
23Patna68.931.1%C
24Kanpur67.632.4%C
25Ranchi66.533.5%C
26Raipur65.834.2%C
27Guwahati64.735.3%C
28Bhubaneswar63.536.5%C
29Varanasi61.838.2%C
30Agartala59.440.6%D

A 29.2-point spread separates the top-ranked city (Mumbai 88.6) from the lowest-ranked city (Agartala 59.4). Indian BTL execution accountability is not uniform - it is geographically structural.

Tier breakdown of the 30 cities

Tier A+ (Score 90–100, exemplary accountability): None of the 30 cities reached this tier in 2026. The bar for A+ is set deliberately high to leave room for improvement as the category matures.

Tier A (Score 80–89, strong accountability): 10 cities. Mumbai, Bangalore, Delhi NCR, Hyderabad, Pune, Chennai, Kolkata, Ahmedabad, Chandigarh, Coimbatore. Combined share of platform submissions: 51%.

Tier B (Score 70–79, building accountability): 12 cities including Surat, Gurgaon, Noida, Jaipur, Indore, Vadodara, Lucknow, Nagpur, Kochi, Visakhapatnam, Bhopal, Trichy. Combined share of platform submissions: 32%.

Tier C (Score 60–69, weak accountability): 7 cities including Patna, Kanpur, Ranchi, Raipur, Guwahati, Bhubaneswar, Varanasi. Combined share of platform submissions: 14%.

Tier D (Score below 60, poor accountability): 1 city (Agartala). Reflects very limited supervision density and significant rural BTL exposure. Combined share of platform submissions: 3%.

Regional accountability patterns

RegionCitiesAverage scoreAverage anomaly rate
West IndiaMumbai, Pune, Ahmedabad, Surat, Vadodara, Indore, Bhopal, Nagpur79.320.7%
South IndiaBangalore, Hyderabad, Chennai, Coimbatore, Kochi, Visakhapatnam, Trichy78.421.6%
North IndiaDelhi NCR, Gurgaon, Noida, Chandigarh, Jaipur, Lucknow, Kanpur, Varanasi74.425.6%
East & Northeast IndiaKolkata, Patna, Ranchi, Raipur, Guwahati, Bhubaneswar, Agartala67.832.2%

Regional spread highlights

West IndiaBest performing region
East & NE IndiaLowest performing region
11.5 pointsRegional spread

Profile cards: top 5 cities

Mumbai -- Rank 1

MetricDetail
Accountability Score88.6 / 100
Anomaly Rate11.4%
Sample size3,540 submissions
Dominant mediumVisual merchandising, retail audits
Driver of strong scoreHigh supervisor density, mature agency ecosystem, organised retail concentration
Top fraud riskManual reporting manipulation in promoter activations

Bangalore -- Rank 2

MetricDetail
Accountability Score87.9 / 100
Anomaly Rate12.1%
Sample size3,350 submissions
Dominant mediumMall activations, technology sector field force
Driver of strong scoreTech-enabled vendors, high digital infrastructure, structured procurement
Top fraud riskLead generation fabrication at IT-park activations

Delhi NCR -- Rank 3

MetricDetail
Accountability Score86.3 / 100
Anomaly Rate13.7%
Sample size3,120 submissions
Dominant mediumOOH hoardings, transit branding, large-scale activations
Driver of strong scoreConcentration of large enterprises and ad spend
Top fraud riskOOH proof recycling across Gurgaon-Noida-Delhi triangle

Hyderabad -- Rank 4

MetricDetail
Accountability Score85.7 / 100
Anomaly Rate14.3%
Sample size2,070 submissions
Dominant mediumPharma field force, retail visibility
Driver of strong scorePharma cluster discipline, structured retail audits
Top fraud riskMedical representative DCR manipulation

Pune -- Rank 5

MetricDetail
Accountability Score84.8 / 100
Anomaly Rate15.2%
Sample size1,890 submissions
Dominant mediumAuto sector dealer branding, residential society activations
Driver of strong scoreManufacturing belt visibility discipline
Top fraud riskWall painting recycled proofs in Pune-Nashik corridor

Profile cards: bottom 5 cities

Agartala -- Rank 30

MetricDetail
Accountability Score59.4 / 100
Anomaly Rate40.6%
Sample size385 submissions
Dominant mediumWall painting, rural BTL activations
Driver of weak scoreSparse supervision, remote geography, limited verification history
Top fraud riskProof recycling and route deviation in mobile van campaigns

Varanasi -- Rank 29

MetricDetail
Accountability Score61.8 / 100
Anomaly Rate38.2%
Sample size450 submissions
Dominant mediumReligious tourism activations, FMCG retail
Driver of weak scoreFragmented vendor pool, low digital literacy in field force
Top fraud riskGhost retail coverage in semi-urban distribution

Bhubaneswar -- Rank 28

MetricDetail
Accountability Score63.5 / 100
Anomaly Rate36.5%
Sample size485 submissions
Dominant mediumFMCG general trade, OOH hoardings
Driver of weak scoreTier-2 transition still in progress, manual reporting dominant
Top fraud riskDuplicate retailer onboarding in coastal distribution

Guwahati -- Rank 27

MetricDetail
Accountability Score64.7 / 100
Anomaly Rate35.3%
Sample size420 submissions
Dominant mediumNortheast distribution hub, retail audits
Driver of weak scoreGeographic dispersion across NE states, limited verification baseline
Top fraud riskField force productivity leakage on multi-state routes

Raipur -- Rank 26

MetricDetail
Accountability Score65.8 / 100
Anomaly Rate34.2%
Sample size510 submissions
Dominant mediumCement and paint BTL, rural extension activations
Driver of weak scoreDistributor-dominated supply chains, sparse audit infrastructure
Top fraud riskWall painting proof recycling in semi-rural belt

Download the India BTL Fraud Index 2026.

Sixty-page PDF with all 30 city profiles, all 16 medium rankings, all 12 industry rankings, methodology disclosure, and forward-looking trends. Free for industry research, press, brand teams, and investors.

Download the Index report

Cities by tier classification

Tier A (10 cities)Tier B (12 cities)Tier C (7 cities)Tier D (1 city)
MumbaiSuratPatnaAgartala
BangaloreGurgaonKanpur
Delhi NCRNoidaRanchi
HyderabadJaipurRaipur
PuneIndoreGuwahati
ChennaiVadodaraBhubaneswar
KolkataLucknowVaranasi
AhmedabadNagpur
ChandigarhKochi
CoimbatoreVisakhapatnam
Bhopal
Trichy

The medium ranking: 16 BTL formats by accountability

RankMediumAccountability ScoreAnomaly Rate
1Bus & cab branding87.912.1%
2Shop name boards85.514.5%
3Visual merchandising83.816.2%
4Vendor work completion83.216.8%
5Pole boards82.117.9%
6Wall painting81.618.4%
7Technician verification81.218.8%
8OOH hoardings80.419.6%
9Retail visibility audits80.319.7%
10RWA / society activation78.621.4%
11Auto rickshaw branding78.121.9%
12Sampling drives75.924.1%
13Mobile van & roadshow73.526.5%
14Promoter activations72.227.8%
15Field sales visits65.834.2%
16Lead generation activation62.437.6%

Most accountable mediums (top 5)

MediumWhy it ranks high
Bus & cab brandingVehicle ID makes duplication detection straightforward
Shop name boardsOutlet-level photo verifiability with before/after
Visual merchandisingOutlet-level photo + compliance checklist combination
Vendor work completionMulti-checkpoint workflow reduces single-point manipulation
Pole boardsGeographic discreteness limits cluster-style fraud

Least accountable mediums (bottom 5)

MediumWhy it ranks low
Lead generation activationLead validity inherently hard to verify, fabrication common
Field sales visitsExecutor = reporter, GPS spoofing common, supervision sparse
Promoter activationsDuration manipulation, fake attendance, idle time inflation
Mobile van & roadshowRoute deviation common, geographic scope creates oversight gaps
Sampling drivesStock movement difficult to track per unit at scale

The industry ranking: 12 industries by accountability

RankIndustryAccountability ScoreAnomaly Rate
1BFSI (banks, NBFCs, insurance)86.413.6%
2Information Technology & ITES85.214.8%
3Telecom & consumer durables83.716.3%
4FMCG (modern trade focus)82.517.5%
5Pharma81.818.2%
6Auto & 2-wheeler79.420.6%
7QSR & multi-outlet retail78.721.3%
8FMCG (general trade focus)76.223.8%
9Edtech74.525.5%
10Real estate & construction72.827.2%
11Cement & paint69.430.6%
12D2C brands67.932.1%

Why BFSI leads industry rankings

DriverImpact on score
Internal audit team strengthHighest in any sector
Regulatory compliance cultureRBI / IRDAI / SEBI oversight extends to vendor relationships
Procurement governance maturity3-way matching applied across categories
CFO engagement on marketingHighest among industries
BRSR Core readinessMost listed entities, earliest mover

Why D2C brands rank lowest

DriverImpact on score
Lean teamsLimited bandwidth for verification
Recent entry to BTLNo legacy verification infrastructure
Fragmented vendor mixMultiple small agencies, no standardised governance
Heavy promoter dependenceFormat with second-lowest accountability
Cash-burn cultureVerification often deprioritised

Cross-section: best city x medium combinations

CityBest-performing mediumMedium-specific score
MumbaiVisual merchandising92.4
BangaloreShop name boards91.2
Delhi NCROOH hoardings89.8
HyderabadTechnician verification89.3
PuneBus & cab branding91.6
ChennaiRetail visibility audits88.5
KolkataPole boards86.7
AhmedabadWall painting85.4

Cross-section: worst city x medium combinations

CityWorst-performing mediumMedium-specific score
AgartalaMobile van routes47.3
VaranasiLead generation51.6
PatnaField sales visits53.4
BhubaneswarPromoter activations55.7
GuwahatiSampling drives57.2
RanchiWall painting58.1
RaipurMobile van routes58.9
KanpurField sales visits59.6

Cross-section: industry x city heatmap

IndustryMumbaiBangaloreDelhi NCRPunePatna
BFSI91.290.889.487.571.4
IT & ITES88.492.187.389.669.8
Telecom & durables87.987.385.784.267.5
FMCG (modern trade)86.585.484.183.766.2
Pharma85.884.784.283.172.1
Auto & 2-wheeler83.683.282.587.468.5
FMCG (general trade)81.480.378.978.262.3
D2C brands76.278.574.172.858.6

Cities sorted by sample size

CitySubmissions analysedShare of dataset
Mumbai3,54015.7%
Bangalore3,35014.9%
Delhi NCR (incl. Gurgaon, Noida)3,12013.9%
Hyderabad2,0709.2%
Pune1,8908.4%
Chennai1,6907.5%
Kolkata1,3456.0%
Ahmedabad1,3105.8%
Other tier-1 (Chandigarh, Coimbatore)9454.2%
Tier-2 cluster (Surat, Jaipur, Indore, etc.)1,8208.1%
Tier-3 cluster (Patna, Ranchi, Raipur, etc.)1,4206.3%

Most common anomaly type by city tier

City tierMost common anomalyShare of anomalies
Tier-A (10 cities)WhatsApp metadata-stripped submissions32%
Tier-B (12 cities)Recycled photo / image hash duplicate28%
Tier-C (7 cities)GPS spoofing / mock-location apps34%
Tier-D (1 city)Route deviation in mobile van41%

Industry-specific accountability findings

IndustryTop accountability strengthTop accountability weakness
BFSIInternal audit oversight strongLead generation fabrication at branch events
IT & ITESTech-savvy procurementLimited BTL volume creates control gaps
Telecom & durablesDealer-level structured auditsMall promoter idle time
FMCG (modern trade)Photo-verifiable shelf executionQuick-commerce dark store coverage gaps
PharmaMR call reporting structureDoctor visit timestamp manipulation
Auto & 2-wheelerDealership branding controlRWA activation duplicate submissions
FMCG (general trade)Distributor network maturityGhost retail coverage in tier-3 distribution
D2C brandsDigital-first measurement instinctBTL infrastructure under-developed

Anomaly types ranked by frequency in 2026

Anomaly type% of flagged submissions
GPS coordinate mismatch with EXIF13.1%
Server timestamp deviation12.3%
Mock-location app active7.4%
Image fingerprint duplicate6.6%
Accelerometer inconsistency6.1%
Geo-fence violation5.2%
Clustering anomaly4.5%
Quantity mismatch3.7%
Image quality below threshold3.3%
Sequence anomaly2.8%

Year-on-year forecast for the 2027 Index

City2026 Score2027 ForecastDirection
Mumbai88.691–93Rising (PBP adoption)
Bangalore87.991–93Rising (tech adoption)
Delhi NCR86.389–91Rising (enterprise BRSR pressure)
Hyderabad85.788–90Rising (pharma cluster)
Pune84.887–89Rising
Ahmedabad82.683–85Steady (ghost retail correction in progress)
Patna68.972–74Rising (tier-3 catch-up cycle)
Agartala59.462–65Slowly rising

Expected new entrants to the 2027 Index

Expected entrant cityRegionReason for inclusion
VijayawadaAndhra PradeshRising distribution hub
MaduraiTamil NaduTier-2 retail growth
LudhianaPunjabManufacturing belt
MangaloreKarnatakaCoastal trade hub
DehradunUttarakhandState capital activity
MysoreKarnatakaFMCG hub
NashikMaharashtraAgro-FMCG hub
AurangabadMaharashtraIndustrial activation cluster

Citation guidance for press, research, and analyst use

All findings are free to cite for press, research, and analyst use. Cite the report title, sample size, and analysis window. Full PDF download includes raw tables for downloadable use.

Citation requirementFormat
Report name"India BTL Fraud Index 2026"
PublishergOGig Labs
Sample size22,500+ submissions
Analysis windowOctober 2025 to April 2026
Methodology9-dimension verification engine, conservatively tuned, 1.4% false positive rate
AnonymisationCity, medium, industry-level aggregation only
Update frequencyAnnual (next: 2027 Index in May 2027)
Source format"gOGig Labs India BTL Fraud Index 2026"

What the 2026 Index tells us about India

ThemeQuantified insight
Geographic accountability divergence29.2 points between Mumbai and Agartala
Format accountability divergence25.5 points between Bus & cab branding (best) and Lead generation (worst)
Industry accountability divergence18.5 points between BFSI (best) and D2C (worst)
Regional pattern strength11.5 points between West India (best) and East & NE India (worst)
Best city x medium combinationMumbai visual merchandising (92.4)
Worst city x medium combinationAgartala mobile van routes (47.3)
Largest year-on-year forecast gainBangalore, Mumbai (+3 to 4 points)
Most accountable industryBFSI (86.4)
Most accountable mediumBus & cab branding (87.9)
Most accountable cityMumbai (88.6)

The India BTL Fraud Index 2026 is not about which city is "bad." It is about where verification infrastructure has reached, and where it has not. Every laggard city is an investable opportunity for the next decade.

india btl fraud index 2026
FAQ

Frequently Asked Questions

Glossary
India BTL Fraud IndexAnnual ranking published by gOGig Labs measuring execution accountability across Indian cities, mediums, and industries. First published 2026.
Execution Accountability Score100-point measure of verification integrity for a city, medium, or industry. Higher = lower anomaly rate, more reliable proof, stronger procurement controls.
Anomaly ratePercentage of submissions failing one or more verification checks. Inverse-correlated with Accountability Score.
Tier classificationA+ (90–100), A (80–89), B (70–79), C (60–69), D (below 60). Used to group cities, mediums, or industries into accountability bands.
Field Execution IntelligenceThe category of verification platforms that produces the dataset for the Index. WhatsApp-native capture, AI-verified at submission.
Blind TrustOperating standard the Index measures against. Paying for on-ground work based on the executor's self-report.
Ground TruthWhat actually happened on the ground, independently verified. The reference state the Accountability Score moves cities toward.
Proof Before PaymentProcurement clause tying invoice approval to verified execution. The mechanism by which Index scores improve year-on-year.
BRSR CoreSEBI sustainability reporting framework. Drives audit-grade verification adoption, accelerating Index improvement among listed companies.
Verification dimensionsNine independent checks applied to each submission: GPS, EXIF, timestamp, mock-location, image fingerprint, accelerometer, geo-fence, clustering, image quality.
Sample weightingMethodology decision to not over-weight high-fraud submission types. Headline scores reflect natural mix on platform.
False positive rate1.4%. The platform's verification engine flags fewer authentic submissions as anomalous than competing approaches.

Download the India BTL Fraud Index 2026

Sixty-page PDF. All 30 city profiles. All 16 medium rankings. All 12 industry rankings. Full methodology. Forward-looking trends. Free for industry research, press, brand teams, and investors.

30

Cities ranked

16

Mediums ranked

12

Industries ranked

Written by

G

gOGig Editorial

Was this article helpful?

Your feedback helps us write better content.

Related Articles

Mobile van campaign routes in Pune: tier-1 areas, tech parks, and tracking guide (2026)

A practical 2026 mobile van campaign planning guide for Pune-focused brand managers, SaaS + edtech + fintech growth leads, real estate launch teams, FMCG sampling campaign heads, retail store opening managers, political + civic communication strategists, and agency planners running branded LED + T-shape + L-shape + canter vans across Pune's IT corridors, education hubs, residential belts, and manufacturing clusters. Built around the city's 6M+ metropolitan population, 5L+ daily IT commuters, route-design economics for IT park morning + evening windows, education hub student-density timing, manufacturing belt night-shift opportunities, top vendor agency landscape, and the 2026 GPS + AI verification stack that turns mobile van deployment into auditable, route-verified, dwell-time-measured advertising.

3 min read

Shop name board installation in Ahmedabad: vendor network, approval process, 2026 guide

A practical 2026 retail branding guide for FMCG brand managers, automobile + electronics dealer marketing teams, pharma + healthcare chains, agri-input companies, and CFOs running shop name board (storefront fascia) programs across Ahmedabad's ~60-80,000 retail and dealer outlets. Built around AMC (Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation) permission framework + Advision AMC outdoor licensing process, the city's vendor ecosystem from acrylic fabricators to channel letter manufacturers, the 3-phase workflow (Survey → Reiki → Installation) that turns scattered WhatsApp-photo chaos into structured retail branding, and the per-format pricing reality across Ahmedabad's 9 commercial zones.

3 min read

Bus branding in Mumbai: BEST fleet routes, costs, and real-time tracking (2026)

A practical 2026 media planning guide for Mumbai-focused BFSI marketing heads, premium real estate launches, FMCG and OTT brand managers, government civic-campaign teams, airline + travel marketers, and OOH agency planners running BEST bus branding campaigns across India's most valuable transit network. Built around BEST's current 2,911-bus fleet (transitioning to 8,000 electric by 2027), zone-wise route economics, format-specific pricing (full wrap, super king/queen, panel, interior), the 50-strong electric double-decker premium inventory, top vendor agency landscape, and the 2026 GPS + AI + real-time tracking stack that turns large BEST campaigns into auditable, route-verified advertising.

3 min read
← Back to all posts