At a time when the world is grappling with wars, geopolitical tensions and economic instability, the National Council meeting of the Swadeshi Jagran Manch (SJM) is set to take place in Jaipur on 7–8 March 2026. The meeting comes amid growing uncertainty in the global economic order and increasing concerns about the weakening of multilateral trade institutions such as the World Trade Organization (WTO).
The global trading system is witnessing unprecedented stress as powerful nations increasingly bypass or challenge established international trade rules. Tariffs, sanctions, supply chains and financial systems are being used strategically by major powers, creating what many analysts describe as an era of “economic weaponisation.” In this backdrop, the SJM’s National Council meeting is expected to review the rapidly changing global scenario and deliberate on policy choices that can safeguard India’s economic sovereignty.
For more than 35 years, the Swadeshi Jagran Manch has consistently raised concerns against the forces of globalization and what it describes as economic imperialism. Since the introduction of India’s Liberalization, Privatization and Globalization (LPG) reforms in the early 1990s and the establishment of the WTO following the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT) negotiations, SJM has maintained that the global trade architecture has been unequal and skewed in favour of developed economies.
According to the organization, countries such as the United States and several European nations pushed developing economies to open their markets for foreign goods and capital, while simultaneously strengthening intellectual property regimes and investment rules that benefit multinational corporations. These arrangements, SJM argues, limited the ability of emerging economies like India to protect domestic industries and agriculture.
Recent global developments appear to be reinforcing such concerns. Voices questioning globalization have grown stronger worldwide. At the annual conference of the World Economic Forum (WEF), Canada’s Prime Minister Mark Carney recently remarked that the instruments of globalization—tariffs, financial systems and global value chains—are increasingly being used as tools of geopolitical competition rather than neutral economic mechanisms. He noted that global integration, once widely celebrated as a virtue, is now being perceived as a potential vulnerability.
Against this background of wars, trade disruptions and shifting geopolitical alignments, the SJM National Council is expected to examine the evolving global economic landscape and explore strategies for strengthening India’s self-reliance or “Aatmanirbhar Bharat.” Key areas likely to be discussed include tariffs, global value chains, access to rare earth materials, semiconductor supply chains, payment systems and emerging technologies—many of which are increasingly being weaponized in global power rivalries.
The Council is also expected to discuss the implications of the recent decision by the United States Supreme Court to dismiss a majority of tariffs imposed earlier by former President Donald Trump, a development that could have significant implications for global trade dynamics.
Another important issue on the agenda is the growing influence of Artificial Intelligence (AI), which is widely regarded as one of the most disruptive technologies of the modern era. While AI presents enormous opportunities for innovation, productivity and economic growth, it also raises concerns about job displacement and widening inequalities.
SJM believes that India must not merely respond to AI’s challenges but position itself as a global leader in harnessing the technology for public welfare. Discussions are expected to focus on developing Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI) to democratize access to AI and ensure that its benefits reach the poorest sections of society. India, which has already demonstrated leadership in digital governance, could potentially offer a global model for using advanced technologies to deliver social services and empower citizens.
Beyond technological disruption, the meeting will also address broader socio-economic challenges facing India and the world. Climate change, environmental degradation, rural-to-urban migration, widening inequalities and the rising burden of non-communicable diseases are among the pressing issues likely to be deliberated upon.
According to SJM, many of these challenges are rooted in the development model that has dominated the world since the industrial revolution. Often referred to as the Western model of development, it prioritizes rapid industrial growth and consumption but has also led to ecological imbalance, social disparities and unsustainable production patterns.
The organization argues that India must rethink this approach and evolve a development model rooted in Indian civilizational values and ethos. Such a model would not only emphasize economic growth but also ensure equitable distribution, environmental sustainability, decentralized economic structures and appropriate technology choices aligned with local resources.
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