Archive · 20 Jan 2026
India's Trade Challenges and Manufacturing Push
Rajiv Memani, the head of the Confederation of Indian Industry, talked about important things happening in the world economy at Davos 2026.
He said that the bigger concerns for businesses are not just about AI, but also about geopolitics, trade problems, and making tough investment decisions in an unpredictable world.
He mentioned that the India-US trade deal is stuck, but India is still open to a fair deal.
He also talked about how China is exporting a lot, which is a challenge for India.
He said that India needs to focus more on making things locally to reduce imports.
He also talked about how AI will take time to show results but is important for the future.
He urged India to move faster on trade, manufacturing, and policy execution to stay competitive.
Rajiv Memani highlighted geopolitical risks, trade volatility, and tough investment decisions as major concerns for businesses at Davos 2026.
He admitted that expectations for the India-US trade deal were higher last year, but stressed the need for a fair and equitable agreement.
Memani noted that investments are flowing into India, particularly in tech-led sectors like AI, data centers, and semiconductors, but manufacturing exports remain vulnerable to external shocks.
He warned about China's massive export surge and called for quicker trade remedies and anti-dumping measures to protect India's manufacturing sector.
Memani emphasized the need for a laser focus on boosting domestic manufacturing in the upcoming Union Budget to reduce the $450 billion import bill and drive up AI infrastructure.
- Who
- Rajiv Memani, President of the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII)
- What
- Discussion on geopolitical risks, trade volatility, investment challenges, and the need for domestic manufacturing boost
- When
- 2026
- Where
- Davos 2026
- Why
- To share insights on global economic trends and their impact on India and the world
- Event
- Davos 2026
- Speaker
- Rajiv Memani, President of the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII)
- Date
- 2026
- Topics Discussed
- Geopolitics, trade volatility, investment challenges, India-US trade deal, manufacturing, AI, domestic reforms
- Key Points
- Geopolitical risks, trade volatility, China's surplus capacity, AI's long-term impact, need for domestic manufacturing boost
Sources
Richard Lesser at Idea Exchange: ‘It’s in India’s interest to be an innovator in the green economy space, China is already winning’
Davos 2026: Nadir Godrej sees AI as growth engine, urges tax cuts and trade clarity
Davos 2026: CII president flags China surplus, trade frictions as key risks to India’s manufacturing push
