This episode of the ORF Ideas Factory Podcast examines geopolitical reordering, India’s trade agreements, and the implications of the AI Impact Summit for India’s strategic future. As global power dynamics shift, economic partnerships, technological competition, and regional developments are increasingly interconnected in shaping India’s policy choices.

Harsh V. Pant joins Naghma Sahar to discuss India’s evolving trade negotiations, including the India–EU trade talks, and how debates on artificial intelligence governance emerging from the AI Impact Summit may influence economic competitiveness, security, and regulatory frameworks. The conversation also explores developments in India’s neighbourhood, including recent elections in Bangladesh, tensions involving Pakistan and Afghanistan, and the likely approach of the Taliban, as well as the implications of US tariff policies for India.

The discussion assesses whether India can leverage technological capabilities and economic partnerships to strengthen its global position while managing regional uncertainty.

In Conversation

Harsh V. Pant, Vice President, Observer Research Foundation

Naghma Sahar, Senior Fellow, Observer Research Foundation