India’s Strategic Balance Between Global South and West

This editorial is based on “BRICS signals strong Global South, less dependence on West” which was published in The Indian Express on 08/07/2025. The article brings into picture the BRICS Rio Declaration 2025, highlighting India's role in advocating for Global South representation while balancing its strong economic ties with the West.  

For Prelims: BRICS Rio Declaration 2025, Global South,  UN Security Council,  African Union,  International Solar Alliance (ISA), National Green Hydrogen Mission, Voice of the Global South Summit, NATO,  Paris Agreement, India’s Digital Public Infrastructure .  

For Mains: Key Factors Driving India's Role as a Leader of the Global South, Key Hurdles for India in Managing Aspirations of the Global South with Its Western Aspirations.

The BRICS Rio Declaration 2025 marks a pivotal moment as emerging economies, now representing over 40% of the world's population, demand greater representation of the Global South in global institutions from the UN Security Council to the IMF. India finds itself at the crossroads of this transformation, serving as a strong advocate for Global South interests while maintaining deep economic ties with the West worth $130 billion in trade with the US alone. As India prepares to chair BRICS in 2026, it faces the delicate challenge of harmonizing its multipolar aspirations with Western partnerships, positioning itself as a bridge-builder rather than a divider in the emerging global order. 

What are the Key Factors Driving India's Role as a Leader of the Global South?  

• Economic Growth and Trade Influence: India's economic ascent has significantly strengthened its position as a leader in the Global South, driven by robust growth and diversification.  
  • As the fifth-largest economy globally (potentially the fourth), India is a major player in South-South trade and economic development, emphasizing its capacity to lead economic initiatives. 
  • India’s trade with the Global South has surged, with trade volumes with Africa increasing from $5 billion in 2001 to $90 billion in 2020.  
    • Also, India was the seventh largest supplier of goods to Latin America with $20.22 billion in 2024, showcasing its expanding economic partnerships. 
• Diplomatic and Geopolitical Leadership: India’s strategic positioning allows it to serve as a diplomatic bridge between the Global South and the developed world, emphasizing multilateralism and global governance reforms.  
  • India actively advocates for the inclusion of emerging economies in major global institutions, such as the UN Security Council, to ensure equitable representation. 
  • During its G20 presidency in 2023, India succeeded in elevating the African Union to a permanent member, reinforcing its leadership in global decision-making.  
    • India’s role in forums like BRICS and the Quad further underscores its diplomatic capacity to balance relations with both the Global North and South. 
• Commitment to Sustainable Development: India’s leadership in renewable energy and climate change action has positioned it as a crucial actor in promoting sustainable development within the Global South. 
  • India’s initiatives like the International Solar Alliance (ISA) and the National Green Hydrogen Mission showcase its commitment to sustainable growth and energy transition.  
  • As the world’s third-largest producer of wind and solar energy, India is setting ambitious targets to expand clean energy capacity, aiming to install 500 GW of non-fossil fuel energy by 2030.  
    • The country's focus on green growth supports climate justice and facilitates collaboration among developing nations on environmental challenges. 
• Technological and Digital Innovation: India's digital transformation, exemplified by innovations like Aadhaar and UPI, has cemented its position as a global leader in digital public infrastructure.  
  • India’s Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI) model, now being shared with 50 countries, is a case study in how technology can drive inclusive growth. 
  • India’s success in expanding financial inclusion through UPI has inspired many nations in the Global South, with over 12 countries now adopting similar systems.  
    • This digital revolution enables more equitable access to government services, strengthening India’s influence in promoting digital equity globally. 
• Humanitarian Leadership and Development Assistance: India's humanitarian response to crises and its development aid programs reflect its commitment to improving the welfare of the Global South.  
  • India’s “Vaccine Maitri” initiative, which provided COVID-19 vaccines to over 100 countries, showcased its role as a first responder in global health crises.  
  • India's humanitarian efforts in 2023 include Operation Dost for earthquake relief in Turkey, Operation Karuna for Cyclone Sitrang in Myanmar, and Operation Kaveri for aid in Sudan.  
    • India also pledged $12.25 billion for development projects in Africa 
• Advocacy for Global South in Multilateral Institutions: India's persistent advocacy for reforms in multilateral institutions highlights its leadership role in representing the Global South’s interests.  
  • India has called for reforms in the World Bank and IMF to ensure better representation of developing countries in global economic governance. 
  • India's efforts to reshape the multilateral order were evident during the 2024 Voice of the Global South Summit, where it proposed a comprehensive “Global Development Compact” focusing on trade, capacity-building, and concessional finance.  
• Strong Historical and Cultural Ties: India’s historical leadership in post-colonial movements and its cultural diplomacy have played a crucial role in solidifying its leadership within the Global South.  
  • As a founding member of the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM), India’s role in advocating for sovereignty and self-determination for newly independent nations has endured into the present (even with Palestine).  
  • India continues to engage in cultural diplomacy through initiatives like the Indian Council for Cultural Relations (ICCR), which strengthens ties with Africa, Latin America, and Southeast Asia.  
    • These cultural exchanges foster deeper solidarity and mutual understanding, reinforcing India’s status as a moral and diplomatic leader. 
• Resilient Foreign Policy with Strategic Autonomy: India’s foreign policy, characterized by strategic autonomy, enables it to navigate complex geopolitical dynamics while leading the Global South.  
  • Unlike China, which pursues an aggressive economic diplomacy, India maintains a balanced approach, fostering relations with both the West and the Global South. 
  • India’s neutral stance on conflicts like the Russia-Ukraine war has enabled it to strengthen ties with Russia while enhancing strategic partnerships with Western powers.  
    • India’s foreign policy flexibility, coupled with its economic prowess, ensures it remains a strong voice for the Global South in shaping global policies. 

What are the Key Hurdles for India in Managing Aspirations of the Global South with Its Western Aspirations?  

• Balancing Strategic Autonomy with Western Engagement: India’s pursuit of strategic autonomy often puts it in a difficult position, as it seeks to balance its deepening ties with Western countries while maintaining solidarity with the Global South.  
  • India has avoided subscription to formal security alliances, such as NATO as part of its non-alignment stance, but its growing ties with the US and Europe sometimes clash with its leadership in the Global South.  
  • For example, India’s decision to abstain from voting on the Russia-Ukraine war in the UN highlights the delicate diplomacy balancing Western expectations and Global South solidarity.  
• Economic Dependencies on the West vs. South-South Cooperation: India’s trade and economic ties with Western countries remain robust, with the US alone accounting for $130 billion in bilateral trade, yet India’s growing role in South-South cooperation demands a shift toward self-reliance and equitable partnerships.  
  • India’s trade with Africa has risen from $5 billion in 2001 to $90 billion in 2020, but its trade dependency on the West remains high. The challenge lies in mitigating the economic leverage of the West while advancing Global South interests. 
• Confronting Geopolitical Tensions with China and the West: India’s geographical proximity to China and its territorial disputes complicate its diplomatic efforts to act as a neutral bridge between the Global South and the West.  
  • While India strengthens its ties with the US-led Quad to counter China’s influence in the Indo-Pacific, this has strained its diplomatic ties with Beijing, which is a significant partner to the Global South.  
  • On the other hand, China's development initiatives in the Global South, often facilitated through the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) have led to significant infrastructure projects and economic partnerships that has caused concerns to India.  
• Competing Sustainability Models: Green Growth vs. Western Pressures: India’s green growth strategy (phase down of coal sector rather than phase out), is at odds with Western pressure to meet stringent environmental standards while promoting industrial growth.  
  • While India and the countries of Global south, aims to balance economic growth with climate goals, they face criticism from the West for their reliance on coal, a key part of its energy mix.  
  • India’s target to expand non-fossil fuel energy to 500 GW by 2030 showcases its commitment, but its increasing coal usage—over 70% of India’s energy needs are met through coal—adds complexity to its climate diplomacy.  
  • This creates friction with both the West and the Global South, which expects faster climate justice. 
• Domestic Socio-Political Disparities vs. Global Leadership: India’s domestic socio-political challenges, particularly concerning inequality, poverty, and communal tensions, undermine its credibility as a leading voice for the Global South on the world stage.  
  • While India champions equitable global governance and South-South cooperation, its internal struggles with economic disparity, as seen in the Oxfam India report (2021) showing that India's richest 1% hold more than four-times the wealth held by 953 million people who make up for the bottom 70 per cent of the country's population. 
  • India’s global advocacy for poverty alleviation faces pushback when its own social development indicators show stagnation, challenging its moral authority in international forums. 
• Climate Change vs. Western Financial Commitments: India's climate action strategy faces hurdles due to Western countries' failure to meet their financial commitments to developing nations, particularly in addressing climate change.  
  • India’s leadership in climate justice through the ISA and its own ambitious renewable energy targets are undermined by the lack of adequate funding from the Global North.  
  • Despite its commitment to the Paris Agreement, India and the global south continues to face funding gaps.  
    • India’s own renewable energy capacity is growing, but the lack of global financial support for these initiatives exacerbates the divide between India’s green goals and Western promises. 

What Measures can India Adopt to Balance Global South Leadership with Western Engagement?  

• Strategic Multi-Alignment in Foreign Policy: India should continue its policy of strategic multi-alignment, where it doesn’t commit to any single bloc but maintains active engagement across multiple fronts—Global South, BRICS, G20, and partnerships with the West.  
  • This approach ensures that India remains flexible, leveraging its position to advocate for South-South cooperation without alienating key Western allies.  
  • By navigating these relationships like a "thali and not a bowl" India can harmonize its diverse interests, much like how different elements complement each other on the same plate, as noted by Shashi Tharoor.  
    • India’s diplomacy can thus remain inclusive while asserting leadership for the Global South in forums like the UN and G20. 
• Strengthening South-South Cooperation through Technical and Developmental Leadership: India should enhance its role as a development partner by prioritizing capacity-building initiatives and technical assistance to the Global South.  
  • This would involve a deepening of South-South cooperation, ensuring that India provides practical solutions in sectors like renewable energy, healthcare, and digital infrastructure.  
  • The promotion of technology transfer and knowledge sharing, while emphasizing India's democratic values and development experience, would enhance its moral authority as a bridge-builder between the Global South and Western powers. 
• Promoting Global South Representation in Multilateral Institutions: India can further advocate for the reform of global institutions like the UN Security Council and the IMF, pushing for more equitable representation for the Global South.  
  • By combining its role as a leading voice for emerging economies with pragmatic alliances with Western powers, India can position itself as a catalyst for reform, ensuring that the interests of the Global South are considered in the global governance structures without antagonizing the West.  
  • This would require India to balance critique with constructive engagement, aiming for a more inclusive multilateral system. 
• Inclusive Climate Diplomacy to Bridge Development and Sustainability: India should lead the charge in bridging the divide between development and sustainability by advocating for climate justice while ensuring that the economic growth aspirations of the Global South are met.  
  • By emphasizing inclusive climate diplomacy, India can push for equitable financing from the West, while also positioning itself as a leader in green technologies for emerging economies.  
  • This approach allows India to assert its leadership on climate change in a manner that resonates with the Global South, while also collaborating with Western nations to meet global environmental goals. 
• Leveraging Technology for Digital Sovereignty and Global Partnerships: India should take the lead in building digital infrastructure for the Global South while advancing its own technological sovereignty.  
  • By promoting India’s Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI) model globally, India can provide solutions that enhance connectivity, financial inclusion, and governance, particularly in underdeveloped regions. 
  • This would not only solidify its role as a technology leader but also create a platform for dialogue with the West, balancing its tech aspirations with its leadership in the Global South. 
• Enhanced Defense and Security Cooperation with Global South and the West: India can increase its role in global peace and security by promoting defense and security cooperation both within the Global South and with Western powers, thereby fostering stability in critical regions like the Indo-Pacific and Africa.  
  • This would involve deepening defense ties with the US and European nations while promoting peace-building and conflict resolution within the Global South, positioning India as a regional security provider.  
• Fostering Cross-Cultural Diplomacy for Soft Power Expansion: India’s cultural diplomacy should be strengthened to create bridges between the Global South and the West, with a focus on promoting shared values of democracy, pluralism, and mutual respect.  
  • This approach would see India using its cultural assets—such as Bollywood, yoga, and its rich heritage—to enhance people-to-people ties, while also fostering stronger economic and educational exchanges.  
  • By positioning itself as a cultural ambassador for both the Global South and the West, India can play a central role in shaping global perceptions and creating common ground for collaboration. 
• Enhancing Trade and Investment Partnerships with a Global Framework: India should develop a comprehensive, inclusive trade and investment framework that balances the needs of the Global South with the demands of Western markets.  
  • This could involve advocating for fairer trade agreements that ensure mutual benefits, address developmental challenges, and promote sustainable growth.  
  • By taking the lead in creating a global economic architecture that respects both the Global South's developmental goals and the West’s market-oriented approach, India can position itself as a key player in global trade negotiations.

Conclusion:

In navigating its leadership role in the Global South while maintaining strategic engagement with the West, India must balance multiple global relationships with finesse. As India’s External Affairs Minister Dr. S Jaishankar aptly puts it, “This is a time for us to engage America, manage China, cultivate Europe, reassure Russia, bring Japan into play, draw neighbours in, extend the neighbourhood and expand traditional constituencies of support.” By leveraging its diplomatic agility, India can position itself as a bridge between diverse global interests, ensuring a more inclusive and equitable world order. 

Drishti Mains Question:

India’s leadership in the Global South comes with the challenge of balancing its aspirations with its growing engagements with the West. Discuss the measures India can adopt to effectively manage its leadership in the Global South while maintaining strong ties with Western powers 

UPSC Civil Services Examination, Previous Year Question (PYQ)  

Mains

Q. “If the last few decades were Asia's growth story, the next few are expected to be of Africa’s.” In the light of this statement, examine India’s influence in Africa in recent years. (2021)  

Q. Evaluate the economic and strategic dimensions of India’s Look East Policy in the context of the post Cold War international scenario. (2016)