‘US Has Deliberately Become Lonelier’: Jaishankar At Munich Security Conference
Jaishankar said the US has “deliberately become a lonelier power” as China rises, reshaping global geopolitics and accelerating the shift towards multipolarity.
- Jaishankar observed US repositioning and China's rise reshape global order.
- This intensifying rivalry weaponises economic and strategic global leverage.
- Emerging powers form new alliances, flexible arrangements, and hedge strategies.
External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Sunday said the global order is being reshaped by a “radical repositioning” of the United States and the rise of China, while warning that growing competition is leading countries to weaponise their economic and strategic leverage. Speaking at the Munich Leaders Meeting, Jaishankar said the US had “deliberately become a lonelier power” and described the emerging landscape as one of sharp competition alongside deep interdependence.
US, China Rivalry
Jaishankar said the changing international landscape was primarily defined by Washington’s altered posture and China’s emergence as a major global power.
He said the US repositioning was a “posture of choice”, while China viewed itself as a unique country with a strong sense of its position.
According to Jaishankar, the resulting competition extends beyond Washington and Beijing. Countries are increasingly using whatever leverage they possess, creating what he described as the “weaponisation” of available leverage.
At the same time, he said, competition exists alongside complex economic and strategic interdependence.
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New Alliances Emerge
Jaishankar said emerging and middle powers would strengthen cooperation among themselves while maintaining relationships with both the US and China.
He cited the Quad, the India-Middle East-Europe Economic Corridor, the International North-South Transport Corridor and the Northern Sea Route as examples of such cooperation.
He also pointed to BRICS as a platform where countries believe their collective voice can carry greater weight than individual positions. The International Solar Alliance and the Coalition for Disaster Resilient Infrastructure, both initiated by India, were cited as examples.
Multipolar World
Jaishankar said the accelerating emergence of multipolarity means countries will increasingly maintain relationships with powers whose interests may not always be easy to reconcile.
He described this as a strategy of “advancing by hedging”, while questioning what the trend would mean for multilateralism.
He said the United Nations was already facing visible pressure, with the organisation’s main multilateral body appearing increasingly gridlocked. The evolving order, he suggested, could be shaped by smaller groups of countries forming flexible arrangements around shared interests.
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