ET WLF 2025: Economies are shaped by talks at this forum, says Sivakumar Sundaram

The Economic Times World Leaders Forum brings together the kind of leadership that thinks in billions, plans over decades, and believes India's next chapter will be one of confident self-reliance and global influence, whether it is "tareef" (praise) or "tariff," said Sivakumar Sundaram, CEO, The Times of India Group, lacing his welcome address with repartee and references to matters of the moment, including trade, the US-Russia summit and Donald Trump's Florida home.

"I have been given the task of making sure you are all leaning in before the first keynote. But there is no pressure, because this is not Alaska. Unlike those golfers at Mar-a-Lago, we are gathered here today to pay you tareef. And at ET, we are firm believers in reciprocal tareef. So we expect all of you to have high praise for us," Sundaram said to laughter across the room.

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The forum's theme-The Next Global Order: Power, Purpose and Partnership-captures the mood of a volatile world, he said. "This particular PPP theme is both inspiring and daunting, much like the world we live in today. We meet at a time when geopolitical uncertainty has become a daily push notification," Sundaram said. "Trade and tariff dynamics shift faster than interest rates. Zero-sum games are traded like discount coupons, and AI threatens not only to outwork us but to outwit us as well."

The role of ET is to "separate the nutrition-rich news and views from heavily processed brain junk." Defining the conclave's rationale, he said it was "a forum where conversations shape economies and headlines," featuring an extraordinary lineup, including the prime minister, key central ministers, CEOs, thought leaders and global figures.