Ishaan Tharoor Shares Insight on Global Politics in 2026

Ishaan Tharoor Shares Insight on Global Politics in 2026

Ishaan Tharoor, the Washington Post columnist, podcast host and one of the most widely followed voices on international affairs, delivered a series of high-profile interventions in early 2026 that have shaped much of the current discourse on global politics. In a combination of long-form columns, podcast episodes of “The World” (co-hosted with David Rothkopf), panel appearances at the Munich Security Conference and a widely shared virtual lecture at the Council on Foreign Relations, Tharoor offered a sobering yet analytically sharp assessment of the world at the midpoint of the decade.

His central thesis in 2026 can be summarised in one line he repeated across platforms: “The post-Cold War liberal order is not dead, but it is on life support—and the attending physicians are arguing over whether to pull the plug or double down on resuscitation.”

The Return of Great-Power Rivalry

Tharoor opened his 28 January column titled “2026: The Year the Multipolar Illusion Shattered” with a stark observation: the much-heralded multipolar world has instead coalesced into a new bipolar contest—this time not between communism and capitalism, but between democratic-market systems and authoritarian-capitalist models.

He identified four interlocking theatres where this rivalry is most visible:

1. Indo-Pacific Tharoor argued that the Quad (US, India, Japan, Australia) has moved beyond symbolic cooperation into a de facto military-strategic axis. He pointed to the January 2026 announcement of joint production of BrahMos-II hypersonic missiles between India and the US as a “quiet but profound escalation”. He warned that China’s continued militarisation of artificial islands and grey-zone coercion around Taiwan and the Philippines are pushing regional states toward alignment with Washington.
2. Europe & the Second Cold Front The war in Ukraine, now in its fourth year, has hardened into a frozen conflict along the current line of contact. Tharoor described 2026 as “the year Europe stopped pretending it can remain strategically autonomous”. Increased US troop rotations in Poland and the Baltic states, coupled with Germany’s decision to permanently station 4,800 troops in Lithuania, signal a return to Cold War-style forward deployment.
3. Middle East Realignment Tharoor highlighted the deepening Israel–Saudi normalisation track (despite Gaza flare-ups) and the Abraham Accords’ expansion to include Oman and potentially Indonesia. He noted that Iran’s accelerated uranium enrichment to 92 % purity has created a “new nuclear threshold state” dynamic, forcing both the US and Israel into a posture of permanent deterrence rather than diplomacy.
4. Africa & the Global South He described Africa as the principal arena of “infrastructure competition” between China’s Belt & Road Initiative and the G7’s Partnership for Global Infrastructure and Investment. Tharoor cautioned that many African states are playing both sides, accepting Chinese loans while quietly signing security pacts with Western powers.

The Crisis of Liberal Internationalism

One of Tharoor’s recurring themes in 2026 has been the weakening of multilateral institutions. In a widely circulated podcast episode on 19 January, he listed three structural blows:

• The paralysis of the UN Security Council, where Russia and China routinely veto resolutions on Ukraine and Gaza.
• The erosion of the World Trade Organization after the US–China tariff war and the collapse of the appellate body.
• The fragmentation of climate diplomacy after COP30 in Brazil (2025) ended without binding new emissions targets.

He argued that “the liberal international order is not collapsing under external assault alone; it is decaying from within because its principal guarantors—the United States and Europe—are internally divided and fatigued.”

India’s Role in the Emerging Order

Tharoor devoted considerable attention to India’s positioning. In a 26 January op-ed marking Republic Day he wrote:

“India is no longer a swing state; it is a fulcrum state. New Delhi has mastered multi-alignment—remaining in the Quad while deepening defence ties with Russia, expanding trade with China while confronting it on the LAC, and leading the Global South without breaking from the West.”

He praised the government’s balancing act but warned of three risks:

• Over-dependence on Russian military hardware amid Western sanctions.
• Domestic polarisation undermining India’s soft-power narrative as a plural democracy.
• The temptation to prioritise transactional relationships over principled positions on human rights and international law.

Technology, AI & the New Arms Race

In a virtual address to the Munich Security Conference on 16 January, Tharoor described artificial intelligence as “the new nuclear technology of the 21st century”. He highlighted three emerging dangers:

• Lethal autonomous weapons systems (“slaughterbots”) already being tested by multiple militaries.
• AI-enabled disinformation campaigns that can now generate hyper-realistic video and audio at scale.
• Concentration of frontier AI capability in the hands of a few private companies, creating unprecedented private-sector influence over national security.

He called for an urgent global framework on military AI, similar to the Biological Weapons Convention, and urged India to lead a Global South coalition demanding transparency and equitable access to AI benefits.

Reactions & Public Discourse

Tharoor’s interventions in January–February 2026 have elicited sharply divided responses:

• Supporters praise his analytical depth and willingness to criticise both Western hypocrisy and non-Western authoritarianism.
• Critics accuse him of “both-sides-ism” and insufficient condemnation of specific regimes.
• Indian government-linked commentators have welcomed his recognition of India’s multi-alignment strategy but bristled at his references to domestic polarisation.

The “United by Unique” framing he borrowed from World Cancer Day resonated widely on social media, with many users applying it metaphorically to geopolitical identities: “Every nation is unique, but the need for survival and dignity is universal.”

Looking Ahead

As 2026 progresses, Tharoor has indicated three major forthcoming projects:

• A long-form book on “The New Global Disorder” (expected late 2026).
• A multi-part podcast series on AI governance with leading scientists and policymakers.
• A speaking tour across India’s tier-2 cities to engage younger audiences on foreign policy and democratic resilience.

In a world that often feels like it is accelerating toward fragmentation, Ishaan Tharoor’s voice in early 2026 remains one of measured realism, moral clarity and a stubborn belief that ideas—and not merely power—still shape the future.