The World Economic Forum (WEF) has released its Global Risks Report 2026, based on the Global Risks Perception Survey involving responses from over 1,300 global leaders and risk experts. The report highlights a clear shift towards an “age of competition”, marked by rising geopolitical, economic and societal tensions.
Overall Global Outlook
Both the short-term and long-term outlooks of global leaders and experts point to “turbulent” to “stormy” times ahead.
Top Global Risks: Short Term
The report identifies the following as the top three short-term global risks:
- Geoeconomic confrontation
- Mis- and disinformation
- Societal polarization
Notably, geoeconomic confrontation has risen sharply, moving up two positions compared to last year to become the number one global risk, while State-based armed conflict has slipped to second place.
Top Global Risks: Long Term
In the long-term outlook, environmental risks dominate, underscoring growing concerns over:
- Climate change
- Extreme weather events
- Biodiversity loss
- Environmental degradation
India-Specific Risk Assessment
The risk landscape for India differs from the global average. According to the report:
- Cybersecurity is identified as India’s top risk
- Followed by income and wealth inequality
Other significant risks for India include:
- Insufficient public services and social protections
- Economic downturn
- State-based armed conflict
Key Observations
- India’s risk profile reflects the challenges of a rapidly digitising economy
- Rising inequality and pressures on public services remain critical domestic concerns
- The elevation of geoeconomic confrontation reflects heightened global fragmentation
Source: WEF
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