INDIA'S WORLD

CHINA RETURNED TO DAVOS THIS YEAR, BUT INDIA HELD ITS OWN

-  SIDDHARTH ZARABI

 

JUST OVER FOUR months after a gathering of the G20 nations shone the spotlight on a spruced up New Delhi, India was once again the focus at the annual greeting of the global elite at the World Economic Forum in Davos earlier this January.

The government of India, some of the nations' biggest states, and top information technology companies dotted the promenade of the popular ski resort. Their dozen-odd booths vied for eyeballs with those from the Middle East, but it was hardly a contest.

While Saudi Arabia's futuristic Neom real estate development dream set up one of the largest displays on the promenade, it was no match for the star power that India's Infosys managed to showcase by squeezing in no less than Bill Gates into a narrow booth with Aadhaar pioneer Nandan Nilekani for a discussion on navigating the new world disorder.

China made it back to Davos this year, ending its self-imposed isolation to mingle back with the international community. Dubbed as a 'pseudo-state visit', Beijing's Davos delegation is said to have included 10 state ministers and many business bosses. Despite the charm offensive, the focus remained on China's underperforming economy and its troubled relations with the US.