As the world’s political and business elite converge on the Swiss Alps this week, all eyes are on Donald Trump, who is making a comeback to the World Economic Forum in Davos after six years. Trump is set to give a keynote speech on Wednesday, followed by a private reception that will see the gathering of a select list of global business leaders, including seven top Indian CEOs.
Who are the Indian business leaders on the invite list?
The Indian executives invited to Trump’s reception represent some of the country’s most influential corporate groups. They include Natarajan Chandrasekaran, Chairman of Tata Sons; Sunil Bharti Mittal, Chairman of Bharti Enterprises; Srini Pallia, CEO of Wipro; and Salil S Parekh, CEO of Infosys, Sanjiv Bajaj, Chairman and Managing Director of Bajaj Finserv; Anish Shah, Group Chief Executive of Mahindra Group; and Hari S Bhartia, Founder and Co-Chairman of the Jubilant Bhartia Group.
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Why India’s presence matters
The presence of so many Indian executives comes at a time when companies and governments are re-evaluating their supply chains, tech collaborations, and investment decisions. With India and the United States in the middle of trade negotiations for a new trade framework, the presence of these executives at Davos is being closely watched by policymakers and investors.
A tense geopolitical backdrop
Trump’s return to Davos is taking place in a world where tensions are running high. In the past few weeks, the US has launched a large military operation in Venezuela, while Trump’s attempt to annex Greenland has sparked a heated response throughout Europe. The Trump administration has imposed 10% tariffs on eight European countries, including Denmark, the United Kingdom, France, and Germany, with the threat of increasing tariffs to 25% following a rejection of the Greenland plan by European leaders.
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Trump has also criticised French President Emmanuel Macron for opposing what he believes is a necessary change in the balance of power in the world. Adding to the uncertainty, he recently posted a map on social media showing Greenland, Canada, and Venezuela as part of the United States.
What to expect from Trump’s Davos speech
As per a report by NDTV, in his speech, Trump is likely to argue that the world is moving into a new era where the old rules of doing business will not apply. For the business community in Davos, the speech will mean one thing: geopolitics is no longer a distant reality but a reality that must be factored into business decisions.
