A System Designed for Yesterday's World
The current international order, largely a product of the post-World War II era, is increasingly failing to reflect today’s geopolitical and economic realities. Institutions such as the United Nations Security Council, the International Monetary Fund (IMF), and the World Bank continue to be dominated by a handful of Western powers, particularly the United States and its closest allies. These structures, once intended to rebuild a war-torn world, have now ossified into mechanisms of power preservation.
Today’s multipolar world, defined by the rise of powers like India, China, Brazil, South Africa, and others, is pushing back against a framework that has long resisted meaningful reform. The need for an alternative or parallel global governance model has never been more urgent.
The Emergence of New Institutions: BRICS and Beyond
The rise of BRICS (Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa) and associated institutions like the New Development Bank (NDB) and the BRICS Contingent Reserve Arrangement (CRA) signal a growing discontent with the Western-dominated financial and political architecture. These institutions are not merely economic alliances; they represent a new political and strategic vision for global governance.
U.S. President Donald Trump and other Western leaders have frequently expressed scepticism or outright opposition to BRICS-led mechanisms, viewing them as attempts to dilute Western hegemony. Sanctions and restrictions imposed by the West on BRICS members, especially Russia and China, often extend to their collaborative institutions, a reflection of the insecurity with which traditional powers view the emergence of alternative frameworks.
Yet, these very actions by the West reveal the inherent flaws in the existing system. Instead of embracing equitable partnerships, dominant nations often resort to punitive measures that alienate emerging economies and push them further toward forming independent power blocs.
The Weaponisation of Sanctions: A Fault Line in the Global Order
Sanctions have become the West’s favourite geopolitical tool, used not only to discipline adversaries but also to suppress independent initiatives from developing countries. Be it Iran, Venezuela, Russia, or China, the pattern is clear: any deviation from the Western-prescribed economic or political path attracts punitive action.
Ironically, many of the same countries that advocate for free trade and globalisation impose tariffs, restrictions, and even tech embargoes when it no longer suits their strategic interests. The recent trade wars, particularly between the U.S. and China, reveal the hypocrisy of this system. What was once promoted as a global, rules-based order is now openly manipulated for nationalistic gain.
The Hypocrisy of Nuclear Power Monopolies
One of the most glaring double standards in global governance lies in the area of nuclear technology. The five permanent members of the UN Security Council (P5), all nuclear-armed states, continue to monopolise the ownership, development, and usage of nuclear power. Through treaties like the Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) and global enforcement mechanisms like the IAEA, they deny others the same technological capabilities.
This behaviour is particularly egregious when countries in the Global South seek to develop nuclear energy for peaceful purposes such as electricity and medical research. Nations like Iran, Pakistan, and even India have faced opposition, sanctions, or diplomatic isolation, not because of war-mongering intent, but because of their desire to access and develop strategic technology.
While the West preaches non-proliferation, it continues to upgrade its own nuclear arsenals, integrating them into defence strategies and international negotiations. This “nuclear apartheid”, where a select few reserve the right to own and dictate global nuclear norms, highlights the deep-rooted inequities in the current world order.
Let it be clear, this is not a call for nuclear war, but rather a call to end the monopolistic and hypocritical behaviour that obstructs global equity, especially when nuclear science is critical for clean energy and modern infrastructure.
The Democratic Voice of the Global South: India’s Role
In a world rife with authoritarianism and geopolitical contestation, India emerges as a unique force, a vibrant democracy, a rising economy, and a trusted global voice, especially in the Global South. Unlike other rising powers, India's democratic credentials, institutional stability, and constructive diplomacy have earned it goodwill across continents.
India has already taken notable steps toward reshaping global governance. Through the Voice of Global South Summit, India brought together 125 developing countries to share ideas on global challenges. During its G20 Presidency, India emphasised inclusive growth, digital transformation, and climate financing for underrepresented nations. Its leadership in vaccine diplomacy, digital public infrastructure, and multilateral trade reform sets a model of responsible global leadership.
As the only truly democratic voice among the world's largest economies, India is uniquely positioned to lead the call for a new international order, one that reflects today’s power balance, encourages technological equity, and respects the sovereignty and aspirations of all nations.
Europe’s Realism vs. America’s Resistance
Interestingly, while the United States continues to resist the diffusion of global power, many European countries have recognised the irreversible rise of India, China, and others. Strategic investments, economic partnerships, and diplomatic overtures from France, Germany, and the EU are evidence of a more pragmatic European approach.
This contrast underlines a key point: American foreign policy remains deeply entrenched in preserving an outdated Cold War-era hierarchy, while Europe is slowly adapting to multipolarity. Unless the United States wakes up to this evolving reality, it risks isolating itself from the new global consensus.
Conclusion: Time for Real Change, Not Tokenism
The world is no longer willing to accept a global system built on outdated principles, unequal privileges, and self-serving moralities. The dominance of a few, the silencing of many, and the hypocrisy that defines key policy areas from nuclear rights to economic justice- have delegitimised the current order in the eyes of billions. Institutions like BRICS, SCO, and regional development banks are not just instruments of economic cooperation; they are signs of a tectonic shift in global politics.
A new international order is not a threat to peace; it is an opportunity to institutionalise equity, plurality, and justice on a global scale. And as the most credible voice of the Global South, India must take the mantle of leadership in this new era, not through confrontation, but through co-creation, diplomacy, and democratic dialogue.
The future will not be dictated; it must be neg
