.png "World Economic Forum (WEF) 2026 in Davos")
- It was chaired by Larry Fink and André Hoffmann.
- It saw record participation with ~3,000 delegates from 130+ countries, including 65 heads of state and over 850 CEOs.
- The biggest headline was the announcement by EU President Ursula von der Leyen that the EU and India are close to a historic Free Trade Agreement (FTA), potentially covering 2 billion people and 25% of global GDP.
- Geopolitical tensions were high, with Donald Trump pressing for Greenland and threatening tariffs, while Canada’s PM Mark Carney urged middle powers to unite.
- India had its largest‑ever presence, with 10 states showcasing pavilions and Union Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw promoting Digital Public Infrastructure for democratizing AI.
- Telangana CM Revanth Reddy launched the Next-Gen Life Sciences Policy 2026–30, aiming for $25 billion investments and 5 lakh jobs, with focus on advanced therapies, a ₹1,000 crore Innovation Fund, and 10 Pharma Villages along the Regional Ring Road.
- Maharashtra signed 19 MoUs worth ₹14.5 lakh crore, creating 15 lakh jobs across key sectors.
- The forum also shifted focus from “AI potential” to “AI execution”, with leaders like Julie Sweet (Accenture) and Jensen Huang (NVIDIA) stressing human‑centric AI and infrastructure needs.
- The Global Risks Report 2026 ranked geoeconomic confrontation as the top immediate risk, overtaking climate change, alongside rising societal polarization and economic downturn.
- Overall, Davos 2026 highlighted trade, AI governance, and new global risk profiles as defining issues for the year.
Question:
Q.1 What was the official theme of the World Economic Forum 2026 Annual Meeting?a) A Spirit of Dialogue
b) Shaping the Future of Growth
c) Global Cooperation in a Fragmented World
d) Building Trust in Technology
Answer: a) The 2026 theme, “A Spirit of Dialogue”, reflected the need for conversation and cooperation amid rising geopolitical and economic fragmentation.
