At the ABP Network Ideas of India Summit 2026, one of the most thought-provoking sessions unfolded around a pressing theme ‘The World in Ferment A Question of Leadership’.
Renowned scholar Monica Duffy Toft, Professor of International Politics and Director of the Centre for Strategic Studies at The Fletcher School of Law & Diplomacy, offered a sharp and historically grounded perspective on the turbulence shaping global affairs today.
The conversation, moderated by Vir Sanghvi, delved into shifting alliances, economic insecurity, and the evolving definition of leadership in a fragmented world order.
Opening the discussion, Professor Toft reflected on the instability of gripping the international system. From prolonged wars to strained partnerships between nations, the geopolitical climate appears unsettled. She observed that institutions once considered pillars of global stability are increasingly struggling to command public trust.
Long-held diplomatic assumptions that shaped international engagement for decades are now being questioned. This, she suggested, raises a fundamental concern: what does credible leadership truly look like both within nations and on the global stage?
Professor Toft noted that when asked to examine the current state of world leadership, she felt as though she had been listening both to the past and the future a telling remark about the cyclical nature of global politics.
Drawing from history, Professor Toft pointed to the enduring idea of “spheres of influence,” a concept that has shaped power politics for centuries. Powerful nations, she explained, have traditionally sought to exert dominance over specific regions, often limiting the strategic independence of smaller states.
She clarified that such dominance is not merely about controlling currency or direct governance. Instead, it involves influencing foreign policy decisions, regulating cross-border movement, and shaping trade and personnel flows.
According to her, today’s geopolitical landscape signals a renewed phase of these power spheres a shift that echoes patterns from earlier eras while unfolding in a modern context.
While traditional measures of power such as military capability remain relevant, Professor Toft stressed that geography continues to play a decisive role. She referenced China’s strategic positioning and Taiwan’s geographic importance, alongside the relative insulation of the United States in the Western Hemisphere.
Yet she cautioned against viewing global influence solely through a military lens. Economics, she argued, has always been a cornerstone of power, but its importance has intensified in shaping leadership today. Trade flows, economic interdependence, and financial leverage are increasingly central to how nations assert influence.
Her broader concern centred on the sustainability of global leadership amid visible fractures of weakening alliances, rising economic instability, and declining institutional credibility. As the diplomatic foundations of the past undergo reassessment, the world stands at a crossroads, compelled to rethink how authority and responsibility are defined in the 21st century.
The fifth edition of the Ideas of India Summit, hosted by ABP Network, commenced today on February 27–28, 2026, bringing together an influential mix of policymakers, global strategists, industry leaders and cultural icons. The two-day summit aims to examine India’s journey so far while charting its course toward 2047, when the country will mark 100 years of independence.
With the theme “The New World Order,” this year’s edition will spotlight India’s evolving role in a rapidly transforming geopolitical and economic landscape. As the nation approaches its centenary milestone, discussions are expected to focus on self-reliance, economic transformation, grassroots narratives, and India’s growing global influence.
Monica Duffy Toft is a distinguished scholar in international politics. She currently serves as Professor of International Politics and Director of the Center for Strategic Studies at The Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy.
Before joining Fletcher, she taught at Oxford University's Blavatnik School of Government and Harvard University's John F. Kennedy School of Government. At Harvard, she led the Initiative on Religion in International Affairs and served as assistant director of the John M. Olin Institute for Strategic Studies.
She holds an MA and PhD in political science from the University of Chicago and a BA in political science and Slavic languages and literature, summa cum laude, from the University of California, Santa Barbara. Earlier in her career, she spent four years in the United States Army as a Russian linguist.
Her research spans international security, civil wars, ethnic and religious violence, and political demography. Among her notable books are Securing the Peace (Princeton), Political Demography (Oxford), and God's Century (Norton).
Viewers can watch the Ideas of India 2026 summit live on the ABP Live website at news.abplive.com. The event will also be streamed on the network’s official YouTube channel and Facebook page. Additionally, audiences can visit the dedicated microsite, www.abpideasofindia.com, for live coverage and updates.
