In a changing world, it is ‘small tables, big dividends’

On January 26, 2026, Kartavya Path will send a signal that goes beyond ceremony. The chief guests at the Republic Day parade will be the European Union (EU)’s institutional leadership, representing a 27-member bloc rather than a single capital. That break with tradition points to a wider truth about 2026. Bilateral diplomacy will remain demanding. The neighbourhood will require constant attention, and ties with Washington and Beijing will keep producing friction, from trade disputes to sharper strategic competition. India’s best openings may, therefore, lie in diplomatic white spaces. Think of them as gaps in global leadership. Problems need coordination, but no major power can credibly take charge. They are crowded rooms without a convenor. In such spaces, India can work through coalitions to shape rules and deliver global public goods, provided it chooses priorities that it can sustain. #### Working with Europe Europe is the first test. The presence of Ursula von der Leyen and António Luís Santos da Costa on January 26 signals the intent to push forward the long-pending India-EU Free Trade Agreement. While ties with Berlin, Paris or Rome matter, India’s decisive engagement will be with the EU’s collective trade, competition and climate policy. This is not only about customs duties. It is about market access rules, data standards and sustainability requirements. If India treats the agreement as a de-risking compact, the payoff is threefold. It strengthens access to Europe, positions India in reworked value chains, and offers some insurance against United States trade pressure. But it will raise compliance burdens for firms. ## Related Stories • Diplomatic spat between India and Poland as Foreign Ministers spar over Pakistan and Russia Diplomatic spat between India and Poland as Foreign Ministers spar over Pakistan and Russia • India-Germany ties can only soar higher India-Germany ties can only soar higher • India-Europe ties growing, can bring stability to global politics: Jaishankar India-Europe ties growing, can bring stability to global politics: Jaishankar • GTRI urges India to press European Union on non-tariff barriers in FTA GTRI urges India to press European Union on non-tariff barriers in FTA • India-EU FTA will be the ‘mother of all deals’, says Piyush Goyal India-EU FTA will be the ‘mother of all deals’, says Piyush Goyal The European window is open because the EU wants to reduce exposure to China and hedge against U.S. unpredictability by deepening partnerships with India. Delhi needs to move quickly. Windows close. #### The next is BRICS and the Quad Europe is the technocratic test of India’s white space diplomacy. BRICS is the political one. BRICS in 2026 is not what it was. Expansion has widened its reach but blurred its focus because members do not want the same things at the same speed. That raises the key question: what is BRICS actually for, and can India help define it? The demands BRICS represents are real. Many members want a stronger voice for the Global South, fairer representation and credible alternatives in development finance. Yet, the group’s direction is contested. As chair and host in 2026, India can steer BRICS toward delivery through better use of New Development Bank guarantees and practical toolkits that turn communiqués into action. External risks also matter. Washington’s tariff threats against countries seen as aligning with BRICS raise the cost of careless signalling. India gains little by letting the group drift into anti-West rhetoric or a de-dollarisation crusade, which would undercut its effort to attract western capital and technology. India’s task is to hold the balance. Reform is not the same as rejection. The third white space is the Quad. If India hosts a Quad leaders’ summit, it could be hosting U.S. President Donald Trump. That would add political weight and raise the stakes for delivery. The Quad’s agenda on maritime domain awareness and resilient ports matters to Indian Ocean littoral states that want capacity without being drawn into great power rivalries. India can make the Quad useful by turning capabilities into services that others can access. India’s Operation Sagar Bandhu following Cyclone Ditwah in Sri Lanka showed the value of having assets that can be retasked quickly without diplomatic drama. Success, however, will depend on Washington managing trade differences with partners without disrupting broader cooperation. All this underlines a hard truth about large forums. The United Nations remains essential for legitimacy and norm-setting, but it is a weak instrument for delivery when major powers are at odds. Outcomes are shifting to coalitions that can move even when the centre cannot. The G-20 shows the same strain. In theory, it is the premier table for economic coordination. In practice, it is increasingly exposed to domestic politics and agenda fights. The U.S. boycott of the Johannesburg G-20 summit in 2025 and the push to narrow the agenda under the U.S. presidency in 2026 could sideline Global South priorities and make the forum feel less inclusive. Amid global volatility, India’s momentum in 2026 will come from turning white spaces into working arrangements. Europe is about standards, BRICS is about functionality, and the Quad is about public goods. #### The message for India The AI Impact Summit in Delhi (February 2026) is India’s chance to get governments, companies and researchers together to bridge differences where interests overlap. As Washington experiments with new forums, including Mr. Trump’s proposed ‘Board of Peace’ that is focused on peace building, Delhi will need to choose carefully. An invitation for India to join Pax Silica, a U.S.-led capability club for Artificial Intelligence and semiconductor supply chains, is reportedly in the works and shows how fast these new tables are multiplying. In a divided world, it is rarely the biggest table that shapes the future. It is the smaller tables where things actually get done. In 2026, India’s advantage will lie in making the tables that it chooses work. Syed Akbaruddin is a former Indian Permanent Representative to the United Nations and, currently, Dean, Kautilya School of Public Policy, Hyderabad Published - January 20, 2026 12:08 am IST ### Related Topics Republic Day / European Union / Europe / diplomacy / USA / China / India / trade agreements / climate change / Sustainability / finance (general) / technology (general) / Australia / Japan / oceans / cyclones / Sri Lanka / G20 / South Africa