Introduction
The modern global system was built after the Second World War with the promise of preventing large-scale conflict and promoting global cooperation. The Charter of the United Nations declared its commitment “to save succeeding generations from the scourge of war.” Despite this ambition, the global order continues to face deep structural tensions. Armed conflicts, geopolitical rivalry, economic inequality, and climate instability remain persistent challenges.
The dominant frameworks of global governance struggle to address these challenges effectively. The global order, whose definition can be borrowed from Henry Kissinger, is “a set of commonly accepted rules that define the limits of permissible action and a balance of power that enforces restraint where rules break down.” In practice, however, the global order has often become a ground for power competition, strategic balancing, and resource rivalry among major powers. These patterns reflect the influence of realist thinking in international relations. Realist theory assumes that states compete for power and security in a world of limited resources. Such assumptions shape how states interpret threats, pursue alliances, and structure global institutions.
At the same time, the twenty-first century has witnessed the increasing political and economic importance of the Global South. The term refers broadly to developing regions in Asia, Africa, Latin America, and parts of Oceania. Many of these societies share histories of colonization, economic marginalization, and unequal integration into the global economy. Yet these regions represent the majority of the world’s population-around 80% according to Oxfam-and an expanding share of global economic activity. By 2023, the Global South accounted for 42% of world GDP, 44% of merchandise exports, and 65% of foreign direct investment inflows. At the same time, structural inequalities persist. According to an Oxfam report, countries of the Global North hold 69.3% of global wealth, while the financial system extracted about $921 billion from the Global South in 2023, which is almost four times the amount spent on development aid.
Scarcity, Realism, and Global Politics
Scholars of international relations have long debated the nature of global order and the role of power in shaping cooperation among states. Classical realist thinkers argue that international politics operates within an anarchic system where states compete for survival and influence. According to Hans Morgenthau, national interest defined in terms of power remains the guiding principle of foreign policy. Morgenthau also argued that the selfish nature of human beings perpetuates power competition in world politics. Similarly, Kenneth Waltz emphasized that the structure of the international system compels states to pursue security through balancing behaviour.
Recent global developments illustrate this logic. The growing strategic competition between the United States and China in economic and technological domains, as well as the military rivalry between the United States and Russia, reflects the persistence of great power competition. For realist scholars such as E. H. Carr and John Mearsheimer, such competition is a defining feature of world politics. States compete for power because power allows them to secure their interests in an uncertain international system.
Another strand of literature examines how perceptions of scarcity influence political behaviour. Behavioural economists Sendhil Mullainathan and Eldar Shafir argue that scarcity shapes cognitive processes and decision-making. Their research shows that perceived shortages of resources often produce short-term thinking and competitive responses.
The Problems with the Current Global Order and Global Governance
An argument can be made that realist theory reflects a particular historical experience shaped largely by European power politics rather than a universal pattern of international behaviour. Amitav Acharya, in The End of American World Order, emphasizes the importance of incorporating non-Western intellectual traditions into the study of global order. Acharya argues that emerging powers and diverse civilizational traditions can contribute new ideas to global governance debates.
Arturo Escobar’s critique of development discourse provides another important perspective. In Encountering Development: The Making and Unmaking of the Third World, Escobar argues that post-war development policies constructed the “Third World” as a problem requiring external intervention. Such frameworks often reinforced dependency and marginalized alternative development paths rooted in local societies.
Similarly, Amartya Sen, in Development as Freedom, argues that development should be understood as the expansion of human capabilities rather than merely economic growth. Access to education, healthcare, economic opportunities, and political participation are central to this understanding of development. This perspective is particularly relevant for the Global South, where structural inequalities often limit such freedoms.
Shashi Tharoor, in his article Global South Today and Prospects for Influencing Global Governance, identifies four major crises that weaken existing governance structures:
- A crisis of legitimacy, reflected in the slow reform of the UN Security Council and Bretton Woods institutions.
- A crisis of sovereignty, illustrated by unilateral withdrawals from international institutions.
- A crisis of the collective, where bilateral conflicts weaken regional organizations.
- A crisis of identity, marked by cultural and economic backlash against globalization.
The current global order faces several structural limitations. Recent global developments illustrate these structural weaknesses. Conflicts such as the Russia-Ukraine war and continuing tensions in the Middle East have disrupted global supply chains and affected the availability of essential commodities. Russia and Ukraine together accounted for nearly 30% of global wheat exports before the war, which significantly affected global food supply. The Food and Agriculture Organization reported that the global Food Price Index reached a record level in March 2022 as a result of these disruptions.
The COVID-19 pandemic also exposed serious limitations in global governance. International institutions struggled to coordinate collective responses to the crisis. According to the World Health Organization, by the end of 2021 nearly three-quarters of global vaccine doses had been administered in high-income countries, while many low-income countries received only a small share. These inequalities revealed deep structural imbalances in the international system.
India’s Alternative Model of Global Governance
Although India is a major actor within the liberal-realist global system, it has increasingly emerged as a voice of the Global South. India’s diplomatic discourse often draws on civilizational ideas rooted in its philosophical traditions. Two concepts frequently highlighted are Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam, which means the world is one family, and sarva jana sukhay, sarva jana hitay, which emphasizes the welfare and well-being of all people. These ideas promote cooperation, ethical restraint, and collective prosperity rather than domination or rivalry.
This paper examines whether these civilizational principles can contribute to a different approach to global governance. It explores how ethical ideas can be translated into practical development mechanisms for the Global South.
Scarcity and conflict are undeniable realities, and India is well aware of them, having experienced the consequences of both. However, India emphasizes that ethical discipline and social responsibility can reduce destructive competition. Restraint and moderation are therefore seen as necessary virtues for stable societies.
India’s Emerging Leadership Role
India’s unique global position, bridging both the North and the South, has enabled it to increasingly present itself as a representative voice of the Global South. India’s presidency of the G20 in 2023 provided an important platform for this vision. The summit adopted the theme “One Earth, One Family, One Future,” reflecting the idea of Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam. The summit addressed issues such as sustainable development, digital public infrastructure, and climate action. India also supported the inclusion of the African Union as a permanent member of the G20, thereby expanding the representation of developing countries in global economic governance.
India has also supported institutional initiatives that promote cooperative development. One example is the International Solar Alliance, which promotes solar energy deployment and technology sharing among developing countries.
In addition, India has proposed the idea of a Global Development Compact for the Global South. The proposal includes four key elements:
- Trade for development
- Capacity building for sustainable growth
- Technology sharing
- Concessional finance and development assistance
These initiatives seek to strengthen economic cooperation among developing countries while addressing structural inequalities in global development.
India’s Support for Multilateral Engagement
India increasingly relies on multilateral diplomacy to advance the concerns of the Global South. One important example was the Voice of Global South Summit organized in 2023, which brought together representatives from more than 125 developing countries to discuss issues such as debt relief, climate finance, food security, and sustainable development.
India also promotes cooperation through organizations such as BRICS, which established the New Development Bank in 2014 to finance infrastructure and sustainable development projects in emerging economies.
Similarly, the International Solar Alliance, launched in 2015, now includes more than 120 member countries, most of them from the Global South. The alliance aims to mobilize large-scale investment for renewable energy infrastructure.
India also works through forums such as the Indian Ocean Rim Association to promote cooperation among developing countries.
From Competition to Cooperative Development
Growing cooperation between India and countries of the Global South has begun to produce measurable outcomes across several dimensions of the global development divide. Infrastructure financing, technology training, renewable energy partnerships, and digital connectivity initiatives have expanded development opportunities in many regions.
Programmes such as the Indian Technical and Economic Cooperation (ITEC) scheme strengthen human capital and institutional capacity. Similarly, renewable energy cooperation through the International Solar Alliance supports climate mitigation while improving energy access in developing economies.
The following initiatives illustrate how South–South cooperation can help reduce economic, technological, and environmental inequalities between the Global North and the Global South-
| Dimension of North-South Divide | Indian Initiative / Cooperation | Empirical Evidence | Source |
| Economic Disparities | Development Lines of Credit (LoC) for infrastructure and industry | India has extended 196 Lines of Credit worth about $12 billion to 42 African countries supporting power, transport, agriculture, and industrial projects. | Ministry of External Affairs – https://www.mea.gov.in/Lines-of-Credit-for-Development-Projects.htm |
| Technological and Knowledge Gaps | Indian Technical and Economic Cooperation (ITEC) Programme | Since 1964, the programme has trained over 200,000 professionals from more than 160 countries in governance, technology, banking, and agriculture. | Indian Technical and Economic Cooperation Programme – https://itecgoi.in |
| Health Inequalities | Pan-African e-Network (telemedicine and tele-education) | The project connected 48 African countries with Indian universities and hospitals to provide remote medical consultation and higher education services. | Pan African e Network Project – https://mea.gov.in |
| Environmental Inequalities | International Solar Alliance renewable energy cooperation | The alliance has 120+ member countries, most from the Global South, promoting solar technology and renewable energy investment. | International Solar Alliance – https://isolaralliance.org |
| Climate Justice | Renewable energy transition support through ISA | Solar energy cooperation under ISA aims to mobilize $1 trillion in solar investments by 2030 for developing countries. | International Solar Alliance – https://isolaralliance.org |
| Development and Dependency | South-South development partnership model | India has provided development assistance worth over $48 billion to more than 65 developing countries through grants and concessional finance. | Observer Research Foundation – https://orfamerica.org/newresearch/india-foreign-assistance-priorities |
| Debt and Structural Adjustment | Concessional development finance through LoC projects | Indian financing generally supports project-based infrastructure development without policy conditionalities, unlike structural adjustment loans. | ORF – https://www.orfonline.org/research/india-s-lines-of-credit-development-cooperation-and-g20-presidency-a-primer |
| Trade and Investment | Trade and investment partnerships | India–Africa trade reached around $100 billion annually, creating new economic opportunities within developing regions. | https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/business/india-business/india-africa-ties-trade-tops-100-bn-in-2024-25-new-delhi-among-top-five-investors/articleshow/123545790.cms |
India’s Geopolitical Engagement with the Global South
India’s engagement with the Global South also has geopolitical significance. Historical solidarity remains an important foundation, but current dynamics are shaped by strategic cooperation, regional security concerns, and changing global power structures.
One important dimension is the Indian Ocean region, which carries a large share of global trade and energy transport. India has articulated its maritime vision through the Security and Growth for All in the Region (SAGAR) framework. The policy promotes maritime cooperation, disaster response, and sustainable development among Indian Ocean states.
India’s relations with neighbouring countries such as Afghanistan, Nepal, Bhutan, Sri Lanka, and Bangladesh also form an important part of its engagement strategy. Infrastructure development, connectivity initiatives, and economic cooperation aim to strengthen regional stability.
India’s role must also be viewed within the broader dynamics of the Indo-Pacific region, which has become a major arena of global strategic interaction. India seeks to balance cooperation with major powers while preserving strategic autonomy and supporting an inclusive regional order.
Challenges and Limitations
Despite its promise, this vision faces several challenges. The Global South is not a homogeneous group. Countries differ widely in economic capacity, political systems, and strategic interests.
Internal inequalities within developing countries also complicate development efforts. Rapid economic growth does not always translate into equitable social outcomes.
Geopolitical tensions remain another obstacle. Competition among major powers often influences regional politics and development projects.
Finally, translating civilizational ideas into practical policy requires sustained political commitment, strong institutions, and capable human resources.
Conclusion
The contemporary global system faces multiple crises. Inequality, climate change, and geopolitical rivalry continue to challenge global stability. Many existing governance frameworks struggle to address these problems effectively.
India’s alternative approach to global governance does not reject existing institutions. Instead, it seeks to complement them with ethical principles rooted in civilizational traditions.
If implemented effectively, these ideas could help the Global South move from the margins of global governance toward a position of constructive leadership. A world order guided by cooperation rather than scarcity-driven competition may provide a more sustainable path toward peace and shared prosperity.
References
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Acharya, A. (2014). The end of American world order. Polity Press.
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Lin, F., Li, X., Jia, N., Feng, F., Huang, H., Huang, J., Fan, S., Ciais, P., & Song, X.-P. (2023). The impact of Russia–Ukraine conflict on global food security. Global Food Security, 36.
INSTITUTIONAL SOURCES:
Ministry of External Affairs, Government of India. (2024). Lines of credit for development projects. https://www.mea.gov.in/Lines-of-Credit-for-Development-Projects.htm
New Development Bank. (2024). About the New Development Bank. https://www.ndb.int
International Solar Alliance. (2024). About the International Solar Alliance. https://isolaralliance.org
Oxfam. (2025). Takers not makers. https://www.oxfam.org
United Nations Development Programme. (2023). Human development report. https://hdr.undp.org
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