The year 2025 left behind a year that refused to settle into a single mood. It was rough in its own right and unexpectedly tender in others, marked by open confrontation, quiet recalibration and moments of loss that reshaped public life. Power shifted through tariff wars and elections, through institutional friction and diplomatic resets, while technology accelerated faster than governance could keep pace. There were fistfights in policy and politics, but also gestures of accommodation and repair. The year asked economies to stay resilient, societies to stay alert, and governments to choose between short-term comfort and long-term clarity. Let’s dive in.
Our first editorial notes that 2025 marked a break in the global trade order. The US shift towards reciprocal tariffs and bilateral deals has injected uncertainty into commerce, with India directly hit by a sharp tariff increase under President Donald Trump. A durable US-India trade agreement in 2026 has therefore become central to India’s outlook. Parallel talks with the European Union and others could cushion exporters, but only if India sustains its recent push towards tariff rationalisation, deregulation and greater openness. At home, new CPI and GDP series are expected in 2026, addressing gaps in inflation measurement and the informal economy. External pressures on the rupee and capital flows, however, keep trade and stability firmly in focus.
Ajay Kumar writes that the India-AI Impact Summit 2026 offers the country a rare chance to shape global AI norms, an area historically dominated by small, advanced-economy groupings. He argues that India must focus on outcomes by positioning itself as the Global South’s representative, embedding concerns such as access to compute, data gaps, informal economies and linguistic diversity into global frameworks. Concrete deliverables are essential, alongside regulatory reform, assured procurement and long-term capital mobilisation to strengthen India’s AI ecosystem.
Stay tuned!
