The much-anticipated 2025 edition of the NDTV World Summit kicked off on Friday, bringing together an impressive lineup of global leaders, cultural icons, and visionaries for a two-day dialogue centered on navigating complexity with clarity and conscience. The flagship event features Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Sri Lankan Prime Minister Harini Amarasuriya, former UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, former Australian PM Tony Abbott, and former G20 Sherpa Amitabh Kant, among others.
Setting the tone for the summit, former Australian Prime Minister Tony Abbott praised cricket diplomacy, calling Sachin Tendulkar a “genius” and expressing optimism about the upcoming India-Australia clash. Abbott emphasised the shared cultural bonds between India and Australia, underscoring cricket’s role as a unifying force.
On geopolitics, Abbott took a firm stance on India-Pakistan relations, stating, “America’s fundamental interests lie in a strong friendship with India rather than Pakistan. While Pakistan cooperated with the US on terrorism, it also gave Osama Bin Laden a home for nearly a decade. India is totally different—it stands with democracies.” He urged the US to recognise where its true friends lie and expressed concerns over rising racial attacks on Indians in Australia, attributing some issues to immigration numbers and crime rates.
Abbott also hailed India as a strategic counterweight to China. “India’s rapid infrastructure growth and its democratic values make it a key player in balancing China’s ambitions,” he said. “The 21st century belongs to both India and China.”
British High Commissioner to India, Lindy Cameron, highlighted the burgeoning India-UK defence and technology partnership. “We want to collaborate with India, one of the greatest technology and defence nations of the future,” she noted. Cameron also shared her enthusiasm for Bollywood, revealing plans for new films shot in the UK and expressing eagerness to meet superstar Shah Rukh Khan.
On the ongoing Middle East conflict, Cameron expressed cautious hope for peace following the release of hostages in Gaza, emphasising the challenges ahead in implementing any agreements.
German Ambassador to India Philipp Ackermann voiced deep concern over the Russia-Ukraine war, describing recent incursions into NATO territory as a “wake-up call” for Europe. “Europe feels increasingly under threat,” Ackermann warned, adding that Germany is boosting its defence spending in response. He praised Ukrainian drone warfare capabilities and highlighted the complexity of migration policies in Europe, especially regarding skilled Indian workers.
Ackermann also commented on US policies affecting Indian migrants, including new H-1B visa curbs and tariffs, saying, “Our Indian community is growing, and we need legal migrants across sectors, not just IT.” On US-Russia diplomacy, he expressed guarded optimism but noted that “it’s not yet a peace process.”
The NDTV World Summit 2025 emerges as a platform where inherited realities meet future possibilities, fostering conversations that challenge existing paradigms and inspire innovative solutions to global challenges. The confluence of political minds, cultural ambassadors, and business leaders aims to chart a course toward truth, hope, transformation, and reconciliation in a rapidly changing world.