Lessons from 2025: Imperatives for 2026
Georg Wilhelm Friedrich Hegel once observed that "the only thing we learn from history is that we learn nothing from history." Though the phrasing varies across translations and popular retellings, the essence of his insight remains unchanged: humanity repeatedly fails to absorb the lessons of its own past, choosing instead to repeat its mistakes. This observation rings painfully true in the times we inhabit. As another year draws to a close — whether we pause to reflect or not — it will be remembered for wars and conflicts, economic disruptions, and violations of human rights, with human greed, ego, and recklessness written large across them all. Yet, as if in balance, the year also bore witness to hope and resilience — to rebuilding and constructive impulses, and to the creativity that so deeply defines the human spirit.
Economically, 2025 offered cautious optimism. Several major economies showed signs of stabilisation as inflationary pressures eased and growth projections improved. India, in particular, consolidated its position as one of the fastest-growing large economies, driven by infrastructure spending, digital expansion, and a growing manufacturing base. Yet job creation, income inequality, and rural distress remained persistent challenges, reminding policymakers that growth figures alone do not translate into shared prosperity.
Geopolitically, the year was fraught with uncertainty. Prolonged conflicts in Gaza and Ukraine continued at great cost to human life, while new fault lines emerged in trade, technology, and energy politics. Multilateral institutions appeared increasingly strained, struggling to keep consensus intact in a world drifting towards strategic fragmentation. On the environmental front, 2025 was sobering. Despite renewed climate pledges and advances in renewable-energy adoption, the gap between commitments and implementation remained wide. If 2025 was a year of reckoning, 2026 must be a year of resolve. The most pressing challenge remains the climate and environmental crisis. The coming year will demand sharper action — stronger climate-adaptation strategies, faster energy transitions, and serious investment in water security, biodiversity conservation, and sustainable agriculture. For countries like India, balancing development needs with ecological limits will be crucial.
As power continues to shift and multipolarity becomes more pronounced, 2026 must prioritise dialogue over division. The world cannot afford endless conflicts draining resources and heaping misery on human beings. Reviving faith in multilateralism — through reform, not rhetoric — will be one of the defining tasks of the year ahead. Economically, 2026 presents both opportunity and risk. Technological advances, especially in artificial intelligence, clean energy, and digital infrastructure, could unlock new growth pathways. The focus must shift towards human-centric growth — ensuring that technological progress enhances, rather than erodes, livelihoods. The lessons of 2025 are clear: complacency is costly, delay is dangerous, and half-measures are insufficient.
