World No 1 Magnus Carlsen lauded the rising generation of Indian chess grandmasters, including D Gukesh, R Praggnanandhaa, and Arjun Erigaisi, while maintaining an impressive lead at Norway Chess 2025.

The tournament kicked off on May 27 with a much-anticipated encounter between Carlsen and reigning World Champion, D Gukesh. It marked their first classical game since Gukesh’s historic world title victory. Carlsen, returning to individual classical chess after nearly a year, seized the spotlight with a commanding win.

"The future is very bright for Indian chess": Carlsen

Speaking to news agency ANI on the sidelines of the event, Carlsen said, “Honestly, it's not only Gukesh and Praggnanandhaa. There's obviously Arjun as well, Aravindh, who's now progressing, and a ton of others who will be competing in many years to come. So the future is certainly very bright for Indian chess. Right now, I’m just trying to stay ahead while I can.”

On the role of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in modern chess, Carlsen said AI has revolutionised the game in recent years.

“AI certainly has affected the game a lot since it was introduced about six years ago. It's enhanced our understanding of the game a lot, but it's also been a great equaliser. It’s now easier to obtain knowledge early in your career,” he said.

The Norway Chess 2025 tournament continues to be a key battleground. As the rounds progress, all eyes remain on whether the Indian prodigies can close the gap on the world’s best.