The headlines screamed this morning. Trade wars escalating. New tariffs in the West. Supply chains fracturing in the East. If you look only at the global tickers, 2026 looks like a year to retreat to the bunkers and wait for the dust to settle.
But I’ve been in this game for over two decades, built brands through recessions and launched businesses during bubbles. And my experience tells me something different: I believe 2026 is a paradox. For the world, it is a year of turbulence; For India, it is the year when “safe bet” becomes the riskiest move you can make.
While the world fragments, India is consolidating. We are no longer just the “back office” or the “alternative market.” We are becoming the anchor. I’m seeing it in the boardrooms I sit in—global partners aren’t just looking for cheap labor anymore; they are looking for Thought, effort, predictability and scale. They are looking for a partner who can build a fighter jet, code a digital payment stack, and vaccinate a continent, all while maintaining democratic stability.
Why 2026 is India’s Year of Courage.
Because the “China Plus One” strategy has finally matured from a PowerPoint slide into real factory floors in Tamil Nadu and Gujarat. It is relevant because our Digital Public Infrastructure isn’t just a domestic convenience anymore; it’s an exportable diplomatic tool to the Global South.
So, what does this mean for us?
It means the era of “copy-paste” business models is dead. The opportunities in 2026 belong to the Courageous.
- Courage to manufacture high-value defence components, not just assemble phones.
- Courage to build brands that speak to the world from day one, not just as an afterthought.
- Courage to invest in deep tech and renewables when interest rates are high.
My Bet on the Bold of Business this Year; Stop Waiting for ‘Stability.’ In 2026
If you are waiting for the geopolitical waters to calm down, you will miss the boat. This turbulence is the opportunity. The gaps left by shifting alliances are ours to fill:
- Energy Security: How Indian solar and wind manufacturing is becoming a “national security” asset, not just a climate goal.
- Software to Hardware: For SMEs and startups to become vendors in these high-compliance, high-margin supply chains.
- Education: IB SCHOOLs across INDIA
- Health: Wellness Tourism
- Manufacturing: Loaded with GCCs + R&D
This year, I’m not advising my clients to play defence. I’m advising them to push the envelope. The world is rewriting its rulebook. Let’s make sure India holds the pen.
As we celebrate Makar Sankranti this week, take a moment to look at the skies. Remember that a kite never rises with the wind—it rises against it.
The geopolitical headwinds of 2026 are not here to ground us. They are here to provide the lift we need to reach new heights—but only if we have the courage to hold the string tight and navigate the turbulence.
Happy Makar Sankranti/ Pongal/ Bihu.. Let’s soar… Lets be Bold… Lets be Courageous…
#India2026 #GlobalEconomy #Leadership #Geopolitics #CourageInBusiness #HinduNewYear
For a macro view, this BCG report on “Geopolitical Forces Shaping Business in 2026” is essential reading for every leader this month: https://www.bcg.com/publications/2025/geopolitical-forces-shaping-business-in-2026