By Krishna Dua 
Ishaan Tharoor Analyzes Global Power Shifts in 2026
Ishaan Tharoor, the Washington Post’s international affairs columnist and one of the most widely read voices on global politics, has delivered a series of sharp, widely discussed assessments in the opening weeks of 2026. Through columns, podcast episodes of “The World” (co-hosted with David Rothkopf), a high-profile virtual lecture at the Council on Foreign Relations and a panel appearance at the Munich Security Conference, Tharoor has offered a clear-eyed, often sobering diagnosis of the world at the midpoint of the decade.
His overarching argument in 2026 can be distilled into a single recurring line he has used 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 attempt resuscitation.”
The New Bipolarity: Democratic vs Authoritarian Capitalist Blocs
Tharoor argues that the much-discussed multipolar world has, in practice, hardened into a new bipolar contest—not between communism and capitalism, but between democratic-market systems and authoritarian-capitalist models.
He identifies four principal theatres where this rivalry is most acute:
- Indo-Pacific Tharoor describes the Quad (United States, India, Japan, Australia) as having evolved from a diplomatic dialogue into a de facto strategic-military axis. He points to the January 2026 announcement of joint production of BrahMos-II hypersonic missiles between India and the United States as “a quiet but profound escalation.” He warns that China’s continued militarisation of artificial islands, grey-zone coercion around Taiwan and the Philippines, and aggressive economic statecraft are pushing regional states toward alignment with Washington.
- Europe & the Eastern Front The war in Ukraine, now in its fourth year, has solidified into a frozen conflict along roughly the current line of contact. Tharoor calls 2026 “the year Europe stopped pretending it can remain strategically autonomous.” Germany’s decision to permanently station 4,800 troops in Lithuania, increased US troop rotations in Poland and the Baltic states, and the UK’s permanent deployment of Challenger 3 tanks in Estonia signal a return to Cold War-style forward presence.
- Middle East Realignment Tharoor highlights the deepening Israel–Saudi normalisation track (despite periodic flare-ups in Gaza) and the gradual expansion of the Abraham Accords to include Oman and potentially Indonesia. He notes that Iran’s enrichment of uranium to 92 % purity has created a “new nuclear threshold state” dynamic, forcing both the United States and Israel into a posture of permanent deterrence rather than meaningful diplomacy.
- Africa & the Global South Africa has become the principal arena of “infrastructure competition” between China’s Belt and Road Initiative and the G7’s Partnership for Global Infrastructure and Investment (PGII). Tharoor cautions that many African governments are playing both sides—accepting Chinese loans while quietly signing security pacts with Western powers or India.
The Internal Decay of Liberal Internationalism
One of Tharoor’s recurring themes has been the self-inflicted weakening of multilateral institutions. In a widely circulated podcast episode released on 19 January he listed three structural blows:
- The near-total paralysis of the UN Security Council, where Russia and China routinely veto resolutions on Ukraine and Gaza.
- The effective collapse of the World Trade Organization after the US–China tariff war and the long-term disabling of the appellate body.
- The fragmentation of climate diplomacy after COP30 in Brazil (2025) ended without binding new emissions-reduction commitments.
He argued that “the liberal international order is decaying from within because its principal guarantors—the United States and Europe—are internally divided, politically fatigued and institutionally sclerotic.”
India’s Multi-Alignment Strategy
Tharoor devoted significant attention to India’s role. In a 26 January op-ed marking Republic Day he wrote:
“India is no longer merely a swing state; it has become a fulcrum state. New Delhi has mastered multi-alignment—remaining firmly 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 identified three risks:
- Over-dependence on Russian military hardware amid Western sanctions and supply-chain disruptions.
- Domestic political polarisation that undermines India’s soft-power narrative as the world’s largest democracy.
- The temptation to prioritise transactional relationships over principled positions on human rights and international law.
Technology, AI and 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 capable of generating hyper-realistic video and audio at industrial scale.
- The unprecedented concentration of frontier AI capability in the hands of a small number of private companies, creating private-sector influence over national security that rivals or exceeds many governments.
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, equitable access to AI benefits and safeguards against weaponisation.
Reactions & Public Discourse
Tharoor’s interventions in January–February 2026 have elicited sharply divided reactions:
- Supporters praise his analytical depth, moral clarity and willingness to criticise both Western hypocrisy and non-Western authoritarianism.
- Critics accuse him of “both-sides-ism,” insufficient condemnation of specific regimes, and an overly academic tone that avoids hard policy prescriptions.
- Indian government-linked commentators have welcomed his recognition of India’s multi-alignment strategy but bristled at his references to domestic polarisation and democratic backsliding.
The phrase “United by Unique” (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
Tharoor has outlined three major forthcoming projects for 2026:
- A book titled “The New Global Disorder” (expected late 2026).
- A multi-part podcast series on AI governance featuring leading scientists, ethicists and policymakers.
- A speaking tour across India’s tier-2 cities to engage younger audiences on foreign policy, democratic resilience and India’s role in a contested world.
In a period that often feels like the world 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 trajectory of nations.