The world is changing - and India is being forced to make choices. China has transformed itself into an economic and strategic superpower. The United States is still the world's dominant power, but its relationship with China is changing. Russia remains a major geopolitical force. And the Global South is demanding a greater say in how the world is governed. So where does India stand? In the run-up to India's BRICS 2026 Summit, Bharatvaarta brings together perspectives from three of India's leading thinkers and practitioners to examine India's position in this emerging world order. From India's economic race with China to the future of US-China relations, from BRICS and the Global South to strategic autonomy and India's ability to become a power that can choose its own path — this is a conversation about the choices that will shape India's next chapter. ⏱️ TIMESTAMPS (00:00) — India, China & the changing world order (00:36) — Why did China pull so far ahead of India? (02:43) — The policy risks that powered China's rise (03:41) — Why India's size can become a weakness (05:21) — How can India become export competitive? (06:23) — What China did differently (10:34) — Can India reach 9–10% growth? (10:53) — How should India deal with China? (11:54) — The future of US-China relations (13:17) — Why India cannot afford a confrontation with China (16:09) — China's rise and the challenge to American power (16:38) — Can the West accept a powerful India and China? (18:07) — India, Russia & China: a new geopolitical equation (18:35) — Who are the real hegemons? (19:43) — Is the West trying to keep India down? (20:06) — Was bringing China into the WTO America's biggest strategic mistake? (21:41) — The Thucydides Trap: Is US-China conflict inevitable? (24:12) — Is American power declining? (24:26) — India between the US and China (24:40) — Where does India go from here? (25:00) — The difficulty of strategic policy in a democracy (26:35) — India's battle-tested military advantage. (27:06) — What India needs to get right. ABOUT THE GUESTS 👤 MANISH SABHARWAL- Economist, entrepreneur and public-policy thinker. Co-founder of TeamLease Services, economist and public policy thinker. He has served on multiple government and policy bodies, including the RBI Board, and writes extensively on employment, education, economic growth and India's reform agenda. Connect: LinkedIn → https://www.linkedin.com/in/manish-sabharwal-187827176 👤 NEELKANTH MISHRA Chief Economist, Axis Bank and Head of Global Research, Axis Capital. A prominent economist and policy thinker, Mishra has spent over two decades working across Indian and global markets, with a particular focus on India's growth, capital formation, productivity and economic policy. Connect: X → https://x.com/neelkanthmishra LinkedIn → https://www.linkedin.com/in/neelkanth-mishra-46629b 👤 AMBASSADOR DR. MOHAN KUMAR A veteran Indian diplomat with 36 years in the Indian Foreign Service, Ambassador Dr. Mohan Kumar served as India's Ambassador to France and Bahrain. He was also India's lead negotiator at GATT and the WTO, dealing with issues including trade, intellectual property, services and dispute settlement. He brings the perspective of a practitioner who has spent decades negotiating India's interests in a changing international system, and examines the choices confronting India between the world's major powers. Connect: X → https://x.com/AmbMoKumar LinkedIn → https://www.linkedin.com/in/dr-mohan-kumar-76027834 Website → https://ambmokumar.com 👤 VIKRAM SOOD Former Secretary of India's Research and Analysis Wing (R&AW), where he served from 2000–2003. He is currently an adviser at the Observer Research Foundation and the author of The Unending Game and The Ultimate Goal. His work focuses on intelligence, geopolitics, national security and strategic affairs. Connect: X → https://x.com/Vikram_Sood LinkedIn → https://www.linkedin.com/in/vikram-sood-1b009715 FULL EPISODE LINKS: 1. Manish Sabharwal: Deregulation, Civil Service Reform & India's Growth Story (https://youtu.be/f1hRTb6MIZ8) 2. Neelkanth Mishra: India vs China: What's Holding Us Back? (https://youtu.be/d4ouuGUv6mQ) 3. Ambassador Dr. Mohan Kumar: Former Ambassador Reveals What Happens Inside India's Toughest Global Negotiations (https://youtu.be/Ys99H7_WjcM) 4. VIKRAM SOOD: Understanding the Deep State | Former R&AW Chief Vikram Sood (https://youtu.be/TomnFVq3Bt4) ABOUT BHARATVAARTA Bharatvaarta is a long-form podcast focused on politics, policy and culture in India. We bring together policymakers, founders, officers, technologists, writers and thinkers for honest, in-depth conversations about what is happening around us — and what it means for India's future. If this conversation made you think, subscribe to Bharatvaarta. Join this channel to get access to perks: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCfBfBd-1kvCOPxVll8tBJ9Q/join
