Pollution a bigger economic threat to India than tariffs, says Gita Gopinath at WEF 2026

Pollution poses a far greater economic risk to India than trade tariffs or external protectionist measures, Harvard University professor and former IMF chief economist Gita Gopinath said at the World Economic Forum, underscoring environmental degradation as one of the country’s most pressing macroeconomic challenges. Speaking at Davos, Gopinath said that while global trade tensions and tariffs often dominate policy debates, the economic costs of pollution for India are deeper, more persistent and harder to reverse. She described tackling pollution as a “top mission” for India, warning that unchecked environmental damage could significantly undermine productivity, health outcomes and long-term growth.