WEF Davos 2026: South Asia leads emerging markets, India anchors growth

South Asia has emerged as the most optimistic growth region among emerging markets, according to the World Economic Forum’s latest survey of chief economists. In the WEF’s Chief Economists’ Outlook: January 2026 , two-thirds of respondents projected strong or very strong growth for the region, marking a notable rise in confidence compared to September 2025. The report highlights that South Asia remains the brightest growth spot among emerging regions, with India leading the way.

India remains the key anchor for growth in South Asia, even as it faces trade headwinds such as US tariffs on Indian exports. The report points to India’s strong macroeconomic performance, backed by the Reserve Bank of India ’s assessment of a “goldilocks” economy, where growth is high and inflation remains unusually low. The RBI’s assessment was based on 8.2 per cent year-on-year GDP growth in the September quarter, along with near-zero inflation. RBI Governor Sanjay Malhotra described this phase as a rare economic moment of both strong growth and price stability.

The report also notes India’s reform momentum, particularly in easing employment restrictions, and highlights rapid AI adoption with significant investments from US technology firms. Over one-third of economists surveyed believe AI will significantly boost growth over the next two years. Along with India, the WEF highlighted Bangladesh as another major growth story in South Asia, driven by strong exports and a growing industrial base.

Inflation expectations for South Asia have improved, with 69 per cent expecting moderate inflation and 28 per cent expecting low inflation, while those anticipating high inflation dropped from 18 per cent to 3 per cent. On policy, 68 per cent of economists expect monetary policy to remain unchanged, and 85 per cent do not foresee major fiscal changes in the region in the year ahead. Globally, however, 53 per cent of respondents expect economic conditions to weaken, while only 19 per cent expect improvement.

The findings come ahead of the 56th Annual Meeting of the World Economic Forum in Davos , scheduled from January 19 to 23, 2026 , under the theme “A Spirit of Dialogue”. The meeting will bring together nearly 3,000 leaders from over 130 countries amid geopolitical tensions, economic uncertainty and rapid technological change. Davos is one of the world’s most influential annual gatherings, shaping global policies and business decisions through high-level discussions and collaborations.

The programme is shaped by ongoing geopolitical realignments, slowing global growth, trade frictions and accelerating technological change. Discussions will focus on renewing cooperation amid strained alliances, managing trade and financial risks, and shaping responsible deployment of transformative technologies such as generative AI and advanced computing.

Davos 2026 is expected to see record government participation, with around 400 political leaders including nearly 65 heads of state and government. The list of attendees includes Donald Trump , Mark Carney , Friedrich Merz , Ursula von der Leyen , He Lifeng , Javier Milei , Prabowo Subianto , Pedro Sanchez , Shehbaz Sharif , and Volodymyr Zelenskyy . International institutions will also be represented, including Antonio Guterres , Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala , Ajay S. Banga , and Kristalina Georgieva .

Around 1,700 business leaders will attend, including nearly 850 CEOs and chairpersons, and close to 100 unicorn founders and tech pioneers. Prominent technology voices expected include Jensen Huang , Satya Nadella , Dario Amodei , Demis Hassabis , and Sarah Friar .

Last year’s Davos saw top leaders and CEOs such as Xi Jinping , Emmanuel Macron , Rishi Sunak , Ursula von der Leyen , Mark Zuckerberg , Tim Cook , Sundar Pichai , Satya Nadella , and Jensen Huang among the attendees. This year, the focus will be on new leaders and technology pioneers, along with the continued presence of major global CEOs and policymakers.

From India, key representatives attending Davos 2026 include Nirmala Sitharaman (FM), S. Jaishankar (EAM), Nandan Nilekani (Co-founder, Infosys), Sundar Pichai (CEO, Google and Alphabet), and Satya Nadella (CEO, Microsoft). Other Indian business leaders and policymakers are also expected to participate, reinforcing India’s growing influence in global economic discussions.

More than 200 sessions will be live-streamed as part of an open digital media experience, allowing global audiences to follow discussions and engage through the Open Forum. As geopolitical tensions rise and economic and technological transformations accelerate, Davos 2026 aims to bring together a diverse mix of sectors, governments and generations to surface long-term solutions, unlock new opportunities for growth and resilience, and help move the world forward together in the year ahead.