Davos Summit 2026

Davos Summit 2026

Why in News? 

The Davos Summit 2026 (World Economic Forum’s 56th Annual Meeting) in Davos-Klosters, Switzerland, is currently underway, uniting leaders from over 130 countries to address global economic and technological challenges. All the global leaders are discussing global cooperation, innovation, and rising geopolitical tensions.

Davos Summit 2026: Key Events & Focus Areas 

The World Economic Forum Annual Meeting 2026 in Davos‑Klosters, Switzerland is marked by heightened geopolitical tension and high‑level dialogue. Leaders from nearly 130 countries, including 400 political figures and heads of state, are attending. 

• • Geopolitical Tensions: Davos 2026 became a focal point for geopolitical tensions, with the U.S. President Donald Trump leading the largest-ever American delegation, accompanied by senior Cabinet officials. Trump’s presence heightened debates on sovereignty, trade and global cooperation, with his rhetoric sparking strong responses from other leaders. European and middle‑power countries challenged unilateral stances, asserting the importance of rules‑based order, multilateral diplomacy and alliances amid rising global risks.
  • Global Risks & Slowing Growth: Leaders highlighted slowing global growth and rising risks from wars, protectionism and technological disruption. WEF President Børge Brende stressed that avoiding conflict escalation was essential to sustain economic momentum, projecting that if diplomacy held, global growth could reach over 3 % in 2026.
  • World Order Rupture: In a standout address, Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney warned of a “rupture in the world order,” urging middle powers to unite around shared principles such as human rights and sovereignty. Carney’s comments, viewed as a response to changing diplomatic norms, called for coordinated action to uphold multilateral frameworks and avoid fragmentation, earning widespread applause at the forum. 
  • Soft Power & Economic Resilience: The United Arab Emirates used its Davos platform to emphasize the importance of soft power and economic diversification, highlighting that non‑oil sectors represent 77.5 % of its GDP and that FDI inflows reached USD 45.6 billion in 2024. UAE leaders highlighted legal and regulatory reforms designed to safeguard investors and enhance its role as a global business hub connecting Asia, Africa, the Middle East and Europe.
  • China’s Trade Position & Market Openness: At Davos, Chinese Vice Premier He Lifeng clarified that China never intentionally pursued trade surpluses, instead positioning the country as a reliable global partner committed to expanding imports and upholding World Trade Organization (WTO) principles despite protectionist pressures. He defended China’s development model rooted in reform and innovation, encouraging foreign companies to invest.

• Launch of Horizon1000: The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and OpenAI announced the launch of Horizon1000, a $50 million partnership designed to integrate artificial intelligence into healthcare systems across Africa. The project aims to equip 1,000 primary health clinics and their surrounding communities across several African nations with advanced AI tools by 2028. The program will pilot in Rwanda, leveraging the country’s recently established AI health hub in Kigali.

• AI & Technology: A major focus across multiple sessions was the strategic integration of Artificial Intelligence (AI) into the global economy, including discussions about deploying innovative technologies at scale and responsibly. Leaders explored AI’s impact on sectors like finance, energy, and real‑estate, highlighting opportunities for productivity gains, smart grids and sustainability outcomes, but also cautioned about disparities.
• Climate, Innovation: Beyond geopolitics, sessions focused on climate resilience, biotechnology, quantum computing, and new energy systems, underscoring how emerging technologies could reshape jobs, public welfare and sustainable development. Reports highlighted the need for innovation frameworks that expand economic opportunities.

India’s Major Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs) & Investment Deals

• Maharashtra: Maharashtra Government secured a historic ₹14.5 lakh crore (~USD 173 billion) in MoUs, spanning infrastructure, AI, renewable energy, digital infrastructure, shipbuilding and maritime services. These deals are expected to generate over 15 lakh jobs and signal strong global investor confidence. 
  • Within this, Adani Group signed separate MoUs worth ₹6 lakh crore (~USD 60 billion) with Maharashtra across data centres, renewable energy, semiconductors, and urban infrastructure — projected over the next 7‑10 years.
  • Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA): Secured 10 MoUs valued at USD 96 billion (~Rs 8.7 lakh crore) on the first day, set to generate ~9.6 lakh jobs, focusing on urban digital ecosystems, logistics hubs, AI, sports medicine, and net‑zero development.
• Uttar Pradesh (UP): Uttar Pradesh (UP) showcased its ambition by securing strategic MoUs worth ₹9,750 crore (~USD 1.2 billion) emphasizing future‑ready sectors such as clean energy, artificial intelligence (AI), digital infrastructure, and defence manufacturing. The state delegation, led by Finance Minister Suresh Kumar Khanna, signed key agreements that include:

• An ₹8,000 crore clean energy deal with SAEL Industries to establish 500 MW of agriculture waste‑to‑energy capacity, which will tackle pollution and promote renewable power generation across paddy‑producing regions.
• A ₹1,600 crore AI and data infrastructure MoU with NASDAQ‑listed Sify Technologies, aimed at building an AI‑ready data centre in Noida and initiating an integrated “AI City” ecosystem focusing on advanced compute capabilities.
• A ₹150 crore defence manufacturing agreement with Yeoman to strengthen indigenous capability in weapons systems integration and related technology.
• Additionally, on the investment front, UP struck its largest single MoU of $25 billion (~₹2.27 lakh crore) with AM Green for the construction of a 1 GW hyperscale AI data centre in Greater Noida — a transformative project expected to house over 500,000 advanced chipsets, generate high‑skill jobs.

• Telangana: Telangana made a dynamic debut at Davos 2026 under the banner of “Telangana Rising”, using the summit to attract major global players and articulate a bold vision to expand its economic footprint. Under Chief Minister Revanth Reddy, the delegation engaged with corporate giants like Google, Philips, and Unilever, as well as government representatives from the UAE and Saudi Arabia. Key announcements included:
  • Google’s interest in supporting technology solutions for traffic management, climate resilience and cybersecurity in the state, indicating early momentum toward digital innovation hubs.
  • Proposed partnership frameworks with UAE officials around Bharat Future City projects and agri‑food clusters, aimed at boosting rural economies.
  • A Saudi Arabia‑based Expertise Group initiative to train 5,000 workers annually in partnership with Young India Skills University, underlining a multi‑nation approach to skilling India’s future workforce.
  • L’Oréal announced the establishment of its first global AI-powered Beauty Tech Hub in Hyderabad. Total₹3,500 crore (€350 million) to be deployed through 2030. The hub will create 2,000 highly skilled advanced technology jobs.
• Andhra Pradesh: The Andhra Pradesh delegation, led by Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu, secured a seminal agreement with the United Arab Emirates (UAE) to establish a food processing cluster, reflecting growing bilateral economic ties. The UAE’s commitment includes not only the food cluster but also prospective investments from around 40 UAE businesses in areas such as logistics, port handling, and related infrastructure sectors.

• Assam: In its first Davos appearance, Assam aims to sign MoUs near ₹1 lakh crore focusing on green energy, semiconductors, and tourism infrastructure — leveraging state economic growth and strategic Northeast positioning. Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma emphasised Assam’s robust growth trajectory, integrating IMF‑revised projections of India’s expanding economy to attract investors beyond traditional hubs.
• Madhya Pradesh: The state is engaging investors across agriculture, renewable energy, biotech, logistics and defense, with proposed collaborations including partnerships with Adani Defence, international firms and a Centre for the Fourth Industrial Revolution (C4IR) with WEF.