Turbulence in 2026: Donald Trump, India and the Tumultuous Global Order | Greenland Issue

In this episode of the ORF Ideas Factory, Harsh V. Pant and Naghma take a comprehensive look at the turbulence redefining the global order as the world heads toward 2026. Donald Trump’s return to power has revived debates over U.S. exceptionalism from his controversial claims on Greenland to renewed pressure on allies and adversaries alike. The discussion examines Europe’s response, particularly France’s sharp comments and the wider European unease over sovereignty and security, alongside Russia’s strategic positioning in this emerging contest.

The conversation moves across key theatres of conflict and competition—China’s growing assertiveness in the Indo-Pacific, Russia’s war in Ukraine, shifting dynamics within BRICS, and the crises in Venezuela and Iran. What do these developments mean for India’s foreign policy and its delicate balance between Washington, Moscow, and Beijing? The episode explores sanctions politics, technology decoupling, energy security, and supply-chain rivalries, assessing how New Delhi can preserve strategic autonomy while strengthening global partnerships.

From Trump’s “America First” doctrine to Europe’s search for agency, and from West Asian tensions to Latin American instability, this dialogue maps the new fault lines of international politics and India’s role as a potential stabilising power in an increasingly fragmented world.

In Conversation:
Harsh V. Pant, Vice President, Observer Research Foundation, India
Naghma Sahar, Senior Fellow, Observer Research Foundation, India

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