Gurcharan Das & Milan Vaishnav: The Bhagavad Gita, War Ethics, Liberalism, and Global Power Shifts

In this episode of Curiosity Entangled, author and philosopher Gurcharan Das joins political economist Milan Vaishnav for a wide-ranging conversation on the ethics of war, the future of liberalism, and the enduring tensions between statecraft and morality. What begins as a thought experiment—could the targeted assassination of a tyrant prevent a full-scale war?—unfolds into a rich dialogue spanning geopolitics, ancient Indian philosophy, and the fragile norms holding the global order together.Gurcharan draws on the Bhagavad Gita, his utilitarian leanings, and his new AI-powered book project to explore modern warfare, drone ethics, and whether Gandhi and Himmler could really have drawn wisdom from the same sacred text. Milan weaves in contemporary case studies—from Gaza to Gujarat, from Tamil Nadu’s manufacturing boom to the shortcomings of India’s liberal opposition—offering sharp analysis on state capacity, democracy, and economic reform. Together, they examine what it means to wield power responsibly in an era of deep polarization and technological acceleration.5 Questions This Episode Might Leave You With1. Could targeted assassinations of wartime instigators reduce human suffering—or create dangerous moral precedents?2. Can the Bhagavad Gita guide ethical decision-making in modern warfare and politics?3. Is the liberal international order unraveling, or are we taking its historic gains for granted?4. What lessons can India learn from Tamil Nadu’s manufacturing success and China’s bureaucratic incentives?5. Can moral imagination and institutional reform revive democracy in an age of cynicism?Learn More About the GuestsGurcharan DasAuthor, India Unbound and The Difficulty of Being GoodHarvard-Educated Philosopher | Former CEO, Procter & Gamble Indiahttps://gurcharandas.orghttps://x.com/gurcharandasMilan VaishnavDirector, South Asia Program, Carnegie Endowment for International PeaceAuthor, When Crime Pays | Host, Grand Tamashahttps://carnegieendowment.org/people/milan-vaishnavhttps://x.com/milanvTimestamps00:00:27 – Introducing the concept: AI book on the Bhagavad Gita and modern warfare00:05:31 – Drone strikes, utilitarian ethics, and the seduction of surgical warfare00:11:49 – What if the Buddha had guided Arjuna instead of Krishna?00:16:20 – Gandhi, Himmler, and the duality of interpreting the Gita00:20:23 – The moral hazards of targeted assassinations00:24:46 – Kant’s Perpetual Peace and the UN’s mixed legacy00:30:11 – Why liberalism still matters—despite its critics00:34:54 – The need for community: liberalism and the rise of nationalism00:37:17 – India’s economic reforms: missing political champions?00:41:29 – India’s missed industrial revolution—and hope in Tamil Nadu00:45:17 – iPhones, incentives, and the future of Indian manufacturing00:50:27 – Education reform and the politics of short-term thinking00:54:10 – A silent education revolution underway?00:58:16 – Institutions, norms, and fragile democracies01:03:28 – When (if ever) is assassination justifiable?01:07:32 – The need for global legitimacy in precision warfare01:10:46 – Is this the best period in human history—and will we realize it too late?Follow Accelerator Mediahttps://x.com/xceleratormediahttps://instagram.com/xcelerator.media/https://linkedin.com/company/accelerator-media-org

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