Grand Tamasha

BJP Ascendant at Home, Tested Abroad

Episode Summary

Milan Vaishnav, Sadanand Dhume, and Tanvi Madan discuss whether India is becoming a “one-party state,” the current state of the opposition, and the headwinds facing the Indian economy. Plus, the three discuss Pakistan’s diplomatic moment, Trump’s recent China trip, and Marco Rubio’s visit to India.

Episode Notes

After the latest round of state elections, India’s political landscape looks more lopsided than at any time in the post-2014 era. The BJP claimed big wins in West Bengal and Assam—continuing its march across eastern India and solidifying its status as a hegemonic party.

But politics at home is only part of the story. 

Overseas, India is facing a turbulent moment—from the Iran war and Pakistan’s diplomatic resurgence to Trump 2.0’s approach to China and the uncertain future of the Quad. 

To talk about the BJP’s dominance, the opposition’s crisis, and India’s positioning in a rapidly shifting world, Milan is joined this week by Grand Tamasha regulars, Sadanand Dhume and Tanvi Madan. 

Sadanand is a senior fellow for India, Pakistan, and South Asia at the Council on Foreign Relations. He is also a regular columnist for the Wall Street Journal. 

Tanvi Madan is a senior fellow in the Center for Asia Policy Studies in the Foreign Policy program at the Brookings Institution.

The trio discuss whether India is becoming a “one-party state,” the current state of the opposition, and the headwinds facing the Indian economy. Plus, the three discuss Pakistan’s diplomatic moment, Trump’s recent China trip, and Marco Rubio’s visit to India.

Episode notes:

  1. Sadanand Dhume, “Why Would Anyone Trust Pakistan to Mediate With Iran?” Wall Street Journal, May 20, 2026.
  2. Sadanand Dhume, “India’s Ruling Party Beats the Odds,” Wall Street Journal, May 6, 2026.
  3. Sadanand Dhume, “Pakistan Has Put Itself Back on the Diplomatic Map,” Wall Street Journal, April 8, 2026. 
  4. [Audio] “Flash Episode: India's 2026 Elections Explained (with Yamini Aiyar and Neelanjan Sircar),” Grand Tamasha, May 8, 2026. 
  5. Tanvi Madan, “India’s China Strategy in an Uncertain Strategic Environment,” in Milan Vaishnav, ed., India and a Changing Global Order: Foreign Policy in the Trump 2.0 Era (Washington, D.C.: Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, 2026) 
  6. [Video] “Udit Misra Explains | Forex Fears? What PM Modi’s Big Appeal Actually Says About India’s Economy,” Indian Express, May 12, 2026. 
  7. “From UP to Karnataka: Six Routes Around the 1991 Places of Worship Act,” The Wire, May 17, 2026.