The Hindu Huddle 2026 LIVE updates: India is a pivotal power; value lies in preserving communication channels, says Nirupama Rao

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A session on 'The Power of Words: Diplomacy at a time of conflict' at The Hindu Huddle 2026 on June 5. | Photo Credit: K. Muralikumar

The sixth edition of the ideas conclave of The Hindu Group, The Hindu Huddle, is being held in Bengaluru on June 5 and 6. It was formally inaugurated by Karnataka Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar on Friday morning (June 5, 2026).

This event brings diverse panels of experts to explicate and engage with the audience on complex and pertinent issues of recent times including the impact of tariffs on the Indian economy, the role of diplomacy in managing crises such as the war in West Asia, and how artificial intelligence is reshaping multiple aspects of life, from jobs to mental health.

Themed “A world in transition” to reflect the tectonic shifts that have transformed lives over the past year and more, The Hindu Huddle has a bevy of Chief Ministers and other Ministers from across the country. The event also brings prominent and authoritative voices from across the private sector, civil society, and media to discuss and engage candidly with the audience on the changing mores of culture, technology, and business impacting issues such as balancing ecological restoration with development, the use of chatbots in mental health, and the influence of OTT platforms on acting careers, and how art holds meaning and space especially during times of socioeconomic stress.

The post-lunch session on Day 1 of The Hindu Huddle 2026 is on ‘The Architecture of Leadership: Designing blueprints for a volatile world’.

Moderated by L.V. Navaneeth, CEO, The Hindu Group, the panel includes:

R. Ganesan, Senior Vice President & Head - Corporate Centre, L&T

Praveen Someshwar, MD and CEO, USL & Member, Global Diageo Executive Committee

At the end of the session, N. Ram poses a question to Nirupama Rao: “You spoke about pivots. A pivot that I notice is the present Indian government’s pivot to Israel, specifically the Israel of Bibi (Benjamin Netanyahu). What do you make of tha