The NDTV World Summit 2025 commenced on October 17, 2025, at Bharat Mandapam, drawing an elite assembly of global leaders, policymakers, innovators, and cultural icons to deliberate on pressing challenges under the theme "Edge of the Unknown: Risk, Resolve, Renewal." This flagship two-day event, NDTV's premier platform for international dialogue, opened with a focus on navigating geopolitical uncertainties, technological disruptions, and societal transformations, positioning India as a pivotal force in reimagining global futures.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi is slated to deliver the closing address on Day 1 in a session titled "Unstoppable Bharat: The Force of Now", underscoring the nation's role in fostering resilience amid volatility. The summit, streaming live across NDTV's TV and digital channels from 10 a.m. IST, promises unscripted conversations blending analysis with actionable visions for hope, transformation, and reconciliation.
Day 1 highlights feature two serving Prime Ministers—India's Narendra Modi and Sri Lanka's Harini Amarasuriya—alongside former UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak and ex-Australian PM Tony Abbott, who praised India's expanding global influence in a pre-event statement, calling it a "beacon of stability in the Indo-Pacific." Amarasuriya, arriving amid strengthening bilateral ties, held discussions with India's External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar on economic collaboration, digital innovation, and educational exchanges, setting the tone for South Asian synergy. Sunak expressed enthusiasm for the platform, noting its timeliness in an era of "contradiction and creativity".
Complementing political heavyweights, former G20 Sherpa Amitabh Kant will explore sustainable development pathways, while business titans like Raymond Chairman Gautam Singhania and Vedanta's Anil Agarwal address economic renewal and resource equity. The agenda spans geopolitics, climate action, AI ethics, and cultural diplomacy, with sessions challenging outdated paradigms to blueprint equitable progress.
Cultural and sporting luminaries add vibrancy to the discourse, including Grammy-winning composer Ricky Kej on creativity's role in renewal, actor Samantha Ruth Prabhu on social equity and mental health, and BCCI Chief Selector Ajit Agarkar on navigating uncertainty in high-stakes environments like cricket's generational shifts. Mastercard South Asia President Gautam Aggarwal and MIT FutureTech Director Neil Thompson will spotlight digital revolutions and tech-driven risks, emphasising inclusive innovation.
As the world grapples with instability—from shifting power dynamics to ecological crises—the summit fosters cross-sectoral exchanges, with Arab star Balqees set to perform, symbolising cultural bridges. NDTV CEO and Editor-in-Chief Rahul Kanwal described the event as a "crucible of influence", where ideas converge to propel decisive action.
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Organised amid India's ascent as a global convener, the summit reflects NDTV's commitment to a "new India"—forward-looking and collaborative—hosting over 3,000 attendees virtually and in person. Real-time buzz on X underscores anticipation, with posts from NDTV handles teasing leader arrivals and thematic previews, amassing thousands of views.
As Day 1 unfolds, expect breakthroughs on Indo-Pacific strategies, AI governance, and climate resilience, with Modi's keynote poised to articulate India's vision for a multipolar world. The event not only amplifies voices from the Global South but also charts paths from exhaustion to emergence, urging collective resolve for a renewed global order.
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