Davos 2026 Delegates Are Panicky As Trump Is Set To Explode His Policy Bomb On January 21

The annual summit of World Economic Forum began in the Alpine hills of Davos in Switzerland on January 19 with the European leaders and the businessmen rattled over the confrontationist approach taken by the U.S. President Donald Trump on Greenland annexation. After imposing 10 per cent tariff on the EU countries taking position against Trump, the President now has threatened to hike this to 25 per cent.

Trump will be addressing the Davos meet on January 21 on the third day of the five day summit. He is attending the meet heading the U.S. delegation which is so far the largest consisting of all the key secretaries including Marco Rubio, Howard Lutnick and Scott Bessent. The WEF is generally dominated by the European CEOs. They are apprehensive that the U.S. President will use the Davos meet to take forward the confrontation with Europe further adding to disruption in global business and collaboration. The U.S. delegation consists of all big American CEOs including some of the CEO’s of Indian origin like Satya Nadella.

The theme of the Davos meet is “A spirit of Dialogue” but the main speaker on whom everyone at the summit is looking at- Donald Trump is the very enemy of this spirit which he has shown in his actions in the last one year of his second term. In 2025, Trump addressed the Davos meet virtually three days after his inauguration by declaring war against Europe by asking the NATO member countries to hike their defence spending by minimum 2 per cent of their budgets and warning that the US will not subsidise the expenditure on security for Europe any more.

It was the beginning and in the last one year, the Greenland issue has emerged as the one in which Trump has challenged the honour and sovereignty of a NATO member nation. The EU members have to take a position at the Davos meet after Trump comes up with something more damaging to the honour of the EU nations. Ukrainian President Zelensky is attending the Davos meet. On the Ukraine peace formula, Zelensky has just been blamed by Trump for slow progress and his lack of intention in stopping the war while the EU members have been supporting Zelensky extending assistance to his war efforts. The dividing line between the U.S. and the Europe has widened too far and it may widen further after Trump’s Davos address on Wednesday.

The WEF has chosen the theme Spirit of Dialogue but the business leaders on their own have little confidence in this Spirit. A large number of business leaders who were asked about their preferred theme for the future opted for geo economic confrontation not the Dialogue which is the official theme. This means that the real issues belong to this domain as to how to wriggle out from this geo political hostile environment and adopt policy measures for global economic stability.

The confrontation is not just economic and political which takes place a number of times. But in 2026, there are apprehensions of a military confrontation between USA and Europe over Greenland. EU nations have asked for mobilization of their troops along the Denmark border. This is just a warning. But Trump has gone berserk. Though the EU nations are trying their best to avoid any military confrontation with the U.S., it all depends on Trump. Trump has said that he will only decide whether the option is war or not.

NATO chief Mark Rutte and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen will be attending. Much depends on their expertise in negotiating with Trump and the U.S. delegates at the session. At the NATO leaders meeting last year, Rutte tried his best to appease Trump, but it seems that NATO has not got the results the leaders wanted. French President Macron and the German Chancellor Frederic Merz will be the main European leaders to talk to Trump if the U.S. President gives them time. It is a pathetic situation for the European nations. Their status lies in tatters at the hands of Trump.

Another toothless international figure who will be attending is the United Nations Secretary General Antonio Guterres. The UN has been converted into a talking shop. Nobody cares for it, not even the developing countries of Global South. Trump has just marginalized the 80 year old UN and floated his own world charter challenging the UN. His composition of Gaza Peace Board and the accompanying directions are nothing but the beginning of Trump’s own United Nations.

In such a global turmoil what is India’s position regarding the Davos summit.? Prime Minister Narendra Modi is not attending but his ministers are the part of the big Indian delegation. Chief ministers like Devendra Fadnavis, C Chandrababu Naidu and Revanth Reddy are attending, Many state governments are showcasing their investment potential. Most of the big industry people are attending. CII is the partner of this WEF Davos meet since its inception.

Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharief is attending with a big delegation. This will give Pakistan a big diplomatic advantage as against India. Sharief will be meeting a number of heads of countries and explain Pakistan’s stand vis a vis its dispute with India. India’s position will remain unrepresented. The industry delegation of India can not do the political job which Sharief can do. So that way, New Delhi has to be alert and vigilant. The Indian diplomats based in Geneva can do a follow up job to neutralize Pak propaganda.

For now, all the global attention is on Trump’s January 21 address at the WEF. It will be seen whether that is given in the spirit of dialogue or that imparts further edge to confrontation in Europe. (IPA Service)