Opinion | Trump-Xi Meet To G20 In Florida, What India Is Looking Forward To In 2026 |
The past year was one of the most momentous in recent times, made so by the arrival of a US president who is bent on transforming the world to his own image. The year not only saw a short India-Pakistan aerial war, but also an unexpected dent in the growing strategic ties between India and the US. The geopolitical result of this was a somewhat unexpected revival of the India-Russia friendship, which made a routine Putin-Modi summit stand out. Meanwhile, the Israel-Hamas war has wound down to a shaky ceasefire, even as peace negotiations continue to end the longer war between Ukraine and Russia.
This was the year China successfully displayed its strength vis-à-vis the United States, and also the one country where renewables have surpassed coal as a source of electricity worldwide. It will begin its ambitious 14th Five Year Plan in 2026 to consolidate its technical-industrial might. As for Pakistan, there will be little change in the country, which is living within illusions of its own creation. The year 2025 saw the terrible terrorist strike at the Baisaran meadow in Pahalgam, which led to Op Sindoor and the suspension of the Indus Waters Treaty by India.
When we look ahead to 2026, we can see the predictable sequence of annual meetings, visits and summits. You can be sure that the celebration of the 250th anniversary of........