The World Economic Forum (WEF) Global Risks Report, released on January 14, 2026, reveals a significant shift in global concerns, identifying 'economic confrontation' as the top risk for the year ahead and the next two years, displacing 'armed conflict' from its previous position. This finding is based on a survey of over 1,300 global leaders and experts from various sectors. Experts expressed heightened worry about the consequences of economic tools being used as weapons, such as trade wars, sanctions, and controls over critical resources. This 'geoeconomic confrontation' is seen as a key driver of state fragility and global instability, exacerbated by ongoing geopolitical tensions and strained supply chains. Following economic confrontation, 'misinformation and disinformation' and 'societal polarization' rank as the second and third most pressing short-term global risks, respectively. 'Extreme weather events' and 'state-based armed conflict' also remain high on the list for the immediate future. Looking at a longer 10-year horizon, environmental and technological risks dominate concerns. 'Extreme weather events' continue to be the biggest long-term risk, followed by 'biodiversity loss and ecosystem collapse' and 'critical change to earth systems'. The report also notes a substantial rise in concerns regarding 'adverse outcomes of Artificial Intelligence technologies,' moving from 30th in the two-year outlook to 5th in the ten-year outlook. For India specifically, the WEF report highlights 'cyber insecurity' as the country's top short-term risk, emphasizing threats to critical infrastructure and financial systems. This comprehensive assessment underscores a deteriorating global outlook marked by fragmentation and competition, urging a renewed focus on dialogue and cooperation to address these multifaceted challenges.