WEF flags supply chain volatility

STRUCTURAL SHIFT FORCING GOVTS & COMPANIES TO RE-EVALUATE STRATEGY

- BARUN JHA

GLOBAL SUPPLY CHAINS have entered an era of structural volatility, forcing companies and governments to reevaluate how and where they invest and produce, and three in four business leaders are now prioritising resilience as a driver of growth, a new report said on Monday.

The World Economic Forum report, released ahead of its annual meeting 2026 here, said this volatility reflects a fundamental rewiring of global value chains, driven by geopolitics, industrial policy, the energy transition and technological acceleration.

The Global Value Chains Outlook 2026 drew insights from more than 100 consultations with leaders from industry, government and academia, alongside survey data from over 300 senior executives.

It called for defining strategic imperatives for industry and a blueprint for industrial policy -- while a complementary interactive tool helps businesses and governments assess manufacturing risks, strengths and gaps.