India’s Leadership in Championing the Global South

India is positioning itself as a key advocate for the Global South, a collective of developing countries that have historically been marginalized in global governance and institutions. By bridging divides between the Global North and Global South, India plays a mediatory role on key issues like climate change, trade, and security. Through its active participation in forums like BRICS, the Quad, and the Voice of Global South Summit, India has emerged as a champion for the priorities of developing nations.

Key Roles India is Playing:

1. Bridging Divides in Global Forums:

   • India’s Role as a Mediator: India has positioned itself as a "Vishwa Bandhu" (friend of the world), advocating for the inclusion of developing nations in global governance structures. India helps to mediate between developed and developing nations on issues of climate change, trade, and security.

   • G20 Presidency (2023): During its G20 presidency, India made strides by securing the African Union’s inclusion as a permanent member, signaling a major shift towards Southern representation at the global level.

2. Advocating for Multilateral Reforms:

   • India has been a persistent advocate for reforms in global institutions, especially the UN Security Council (UNSC), the World Bank, and the International Monetary Fund (IMF). These institutions continue to reflect post-World War II power structures, leaving developing nations underrepresented.

3. Leadership in Sustainability and Climate:

   • As the third-largest producer of solar and wind energy, India is leading the charge on sustainable development and climate justice for vulnerable nations. Initiatives like Mission LiFE (Lifestyle for Environment), the International Solar Alliance (ISA), and the National Green Hydrogen Mission underscore India’s commitment to climate action.

   • India is also advocating for climate finance to support the Global South in addressing climate change impacts despite their minimal contribution to global emissions.

4. Digital and Technological Innovation:

   • India is a global leader in Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI). Systems like Aadhaar and UPI have been adopted by several countries in the Global South, promoting digital equity and inclusion. India’s leadership in this area serves as an example for other developing nations, helping bridge the digital divide.

5. Humanitarian and Development Assistance:

   • India has increasingly become a first responder in global crises, providing humanitarian aid through operations like Operation Dost (Turkey), Operation Karuna (Myanmar), and Operation Kaveri (Sudan).

   • Additionally, Lines of Credit (LOCs) worth USD 12 billion have been extended to 42 African countries, showcasing India’s commitment to fostering development through financial assistance.

6. Strategic Autonomy and Balance:

   • India maintains a policy of strategic autonomy, engaging with both the West and the Global South without aligning rigidly with either bloc. Unlike China’s aggressive approach, India offers a non-threatening, consultative leadership model.

   • India’s Non-Alignment Movement (NAM), a product of the Cold War era, continues to be a guiding principle in its foreign policy, ensuring that developing countries can preserve their sovereignty and independence.

Concerns of the Global South in the Current World Order

Despite growing influence, the Global South faces significant challenges in the current global order:

1. Lack of Representation in Global Institutions:

   • Major global institutions like the UNSC, IMF, and World Bank are still structured based on outdated power dynamics. India, despite being the world’s most populous country and an economic powerhouse, lacks permanent representation in the UN Security Council.

2. Unfair Global Trade Rules:

   • Developing countries continue to face unfair trade practices, such as high tariffs, protectionism, and the paralysis of the WTO dispute resolution system. This disproportionately affects smaller economies, which are heavily reliant on export-oriented growth.

3. Climate Injustice:

   • Developing nations bear the brunt of climate change but have historically contributed the least to its causes. Climate finance promised by the Global North remains insufficient and delayed, exacerbating the vulnerabilities of countries in the Global South.

4. Weaponisation of Interdependence:

   • Geopolitical tensions and disruptions in global supply chains have led to shortages in crucial resources like food, fertilizers, and energy, disproportionately affecting the Global South. Countries in South Asia and Africa, for example, have faced food crises due to disruptions from conflicts like the Russia-Ukraine war.

5. Debt Crisis and Financial Vulnerability:

   • Countries in the Global South, such as Sri Lanka, continue to struggle with unsustainable external debt, worsened by the COVID-19 pandemic and inflation. This has increased vulnerabilities and restricted their capacity to address pressing issues.

6. Inequitable Access to Technology:

   • Developing nations continue to face a digital divide, particularly in emerging technologies like AI, green tech, and semiconductors. This technological exclusion limits the ability of many in the Global South to innovate and compete globally.

7. Normative Double Standards:

   • The Global South often criticizes the West for selective human rights advocacy, acting on issues such as Ukraine while ignoring crises in regions like Gaza. Additionally, interference in the internal matters of developing nations is another point of contention.

South-South Cooperation (SSC): Complementing & Challenging North-South Relations

South-South Cooperation (SSC) has become a vital tool for fostering solidarity among developing nations. India’s leadership in this domain exemplifies how cooperation within the Global South can complement traditional North-South aid models.

Complementary Aspects of SSC:

1. Bridging Development Gaps:

   • SSC provides flexible, context-specific solutions to development challenges that traditional North-South aid often fails to address. For instance, the India-UN Development Partnership Fund has provided demand-driven support to countries in Africa and the Pacific Islands.

2. Promoting SDGs through Local Solutions:

   • SSC focuses on context-specific solutions, aligning with the 2030 Agenda and offering tailored solutions to meet the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). For example, Colombia’s strategies to combat hunger and Brazilian agricultural technology have been successfully replicated in Africa.

3. Triangular Cooperation:

   • Triangular cooperation, where Southern nations lead initiatives with Northern backing, has become a practical middle ground. This collaborative approach combines the strengths of both the Global South and Global North.

4. Solidarity During Crises:

   • India’s vaccine diplomacy during the COVID-19 pandemic and other solidarity-driven actions underscore the potential of SSC to provide much-needed support to countries when North-South aid is insufficient or slow.

Challenging Aspects of SSC:

1. Geopolitical Realignment:

   • SSC is challenging the traditional power dynamics by promoting intra-South trade and fostering new alliances, particularly with emerging powers like India and Brazil. This realignment is shifting global economic gravity and contesting the centrality of the North.

2. Critiquing Conditionality:

   • Developing countries in the Global South often criticize the West’s use of conditionality in aid. SSC, on the other hand, presents a non-conditional alternative that respects sovereignty and ensures policy independence.

3. Redefining Development Leadership:

   • With emerging Southern powers like India leading initiatives such as the International Solar Alliance (ISA), the Global South is redefining what development leadership looks like, challenging the notion that solutions must come from the Global North.

Measures to Strengthen the Global South’s Voice with India’s Leadership

India, through its leadership, can strengthen the collective voice of the Global South in various ways:

1. Building Collective Platforms:

   • India should institutionalize forums like the Voice of the Global South Summit as regular, high-level platforms to ensure a united voice in global governance.

2. Reforming Global Institutions:

   • India can continue to lead efforts to push for reforms in UNSC, IMF, and the World Bank, ensuring that developing nations are fairly represented in decision-making.

3. Mobilizing Development Finance:

   • India can advocate for the creation of a Global South Development Fund to finance infrastructure, digital transformation, and climate resilience projects across the South, with support from Japan and multilateral banks.

4. Driving South-South Trade and Connectivity:

   • India can reduce trade barriers, promote intra-South trade agreements, and expand initiatives like the Asia-Africa Growth Corridor (AAGC) to ensure more equitable trade flows.

5. Coordinated Peace and Security Role:

   • India can mobilize the Global South to take a greater role in UN peacekeeping, conflict mediation, and inclusive peacebuilding, showcasing the South’s contributions to global stability.

6. Balancing Global Partnerships:

   • India’s multi-alignment strategy allows the Global South to engage constructively with the Global North, ensuring that their concerns are not sidelined in Western-dominated forums.

What is the Global South?

The term Global South broadly refers to the regions of the world that are economically underdeveloped, low-income, and often politically or culturally marginalized. These regions are primarily located in Latin America, Asia, Africa, and Oceania, and are often contrasted with the Global North, which includes economically advanced nations like those in Europe and North America.

Origin of the Term

The term Global South was first coined by American academic Carl Oglesby in 1969 to describe countries that were being dominated by the economic and political power of the Global North. The South, according to Oglesby, suffered from exploitation, often through colonialism, imperialism, and economic dependency.

The Brandt Line:

The Brandt Line is a visual representation of the global economic divide between the wealthy North and the poorer South, based on measures like GDP per capita. It was proposed by Willy Brandt in the 1970s as part of his work on North-South relations. The line roughly divides the world at a latitude of 30° North and highlights the economic disparity between the countries above (the Global North) and those below (the Global South).

Regions of the Global South:

• Latin America: Countries in Central and South America, like Brazil, Argentina, and Mexico.

• Asia: Primarily South Asia (India, Pakistan, Bangladesh), Southeast Asia (Vietnam, Cambodia), and parts of East Asia (China, despite its rapid economic growth, is still often considered a leading power of the Global South).

• Africa: Most African countries, including Nigeria, Kenya, and South Africa.

• Oceania: Including countries like Papua New Guinea and Fiji.

Key Characteristics of the Global South:

1. Economic Challenges:

   • Countries in the Global South often face economic inequality, poverty, underdeveloped infrastructure, and reliance on agriculture or natural resources. Many have limited access to capital, technology, or global markets.

2. Colonial History:

   • Many countries in the Global South were colonized by European powers and, after independence, struggled with issues like political instability, economic dependency, and social divisions.

3. Political and Social Marginalization:

   • Countries in the Global South often face political marginalization in global forums, such as the UN Security Council, where they are underrepresented. Their concerns—such as climate justice, trade imbalances, and debt—can be overlooked by wealthier, more powerful nations.

4. Development and Growth:

   • Some countries in the Global South, like India and China, have shown rapid economic growth, but overall, many remain in the low-income or lower-middle-income brackets by global standards. The Global South is working towards economic empowerment, technological advancement, and improved governance.

5. Environmental and Climate Issues:

   • Countries in the Global South often bear the brunt of climate change impacts despite contributing the least to global emissions. They face the greatest risks from natural disasters, rising sea levels, food insecurity, and water scarcity

Conclusion

India’s leadership in championing the Global South is not only a strategic move to enhance its geopolitical influence but also a demonstration of its commitment to creating a more inclusive and equitable global order. By fostering unity, providing credible leadership, and pushing for fair representation in global governance, India can help transform the Global South from a passive observer into an active shaper of the world’s future. Guided by the principles of Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam (“One Earth, One Family, One Future”), India is paving the way for a more balanced and inclusive global community