Fabiano Caruana, the world's No. 3 ranked chess player, has shared his perspective on the rise of young Indian chess Grandmasters, including the World Champion D Gukesh and Arjun Erigaisi. Caruana's comments, made on his C-Squared podcast following the Norway Chess tournament, offer an "honest" assessment of their current standing in the global chess hierarchy.

Caruana acknowledged the strength of the Indian players, stating, "These Indian players are very strong. I think we'll be competing on more or less equal terms for a while." However, he added a caveat, expressing that he doesn't find them "scary yet." He elaborated on this point, explaining that in his encounters with players like Arjun or Gukesh, he feels he can "outplay them significantly and get a lot of winning chances."

He further stated, "I don't think they can outplay me in the same way. Although they will get winning chances, it then comes down to other factors. This is my honest opinion...It's not about playing them down. They can definitely outperform me in various ways. But my feeling is that in a long match, while they're great fighters, they also give a lot of chances. And for them, it can be frustrating to play against someone who gives very few.”

Caruana's remarks came after the Norway Chess tournament, where he defeated Gukesh in the final round. This victory dashed Gukesh's hopes of winning the title and allowed Caruana to secure second place behind Magnus Carlsen. Arjun Erigaisi finished in fifth place.

Caruana expanded on his views, suggesting that a generational shift in chess is not imminent. He pointed out that established players like Levon Aronian (who is older than Caruana) and Hikaru Nakamura (who is five years older) are still competing on equal or stronger terms with these young talents. He also emphasized Magnus Carlsen's continued dominance as a clear indication that the Indian players have not yet taken over the top spots.

Despite his assessment, Caruana acknowledged the potential of the Indian prodigies, noting that they have not yet reached their full potential. He emphasized that his intention was not to diminish their achievements but to provide an honest evaluation of their current level relative to the top players in the world.

It's worth noting that the rise of Indian chess has been a significant topic in recent years. There are currently four Indian players among the top-rated chess players, with Gukesh holding the World Champion title. Caruana himself is ranked fourth, between Arjun Erigaisi and Gukesh in the FIDE rankings as of June 2025. In April 2025, Arjun Erigaisi overtook Caruana to become world number four after wins in the German League.

Caruana's comments provide a contrasting viewpoint, suggesting that while the Indian players are undoubtedly strong, they still have strides to make before they can be considered dominant forces in the chess world.