Global Politics Takes an Unusual Turn with the Interaction Between the Elephant and the Dragon Nations
In a series of significant meetings, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi met with Chinese President Xi Jinping in Tianjin and Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga in Tokyo. These encounters, occurring during one of the most consequential meetings of the year, marked a pivotal moment in global geopolitics.
In Tianjin, China, India, Russia, and other member states of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) reiterated their support for a multipolar world order. This stance reflects their interest in counterbalancing US global dominance and promoting a more diversified international power structure. The participation of leaders such as Xi Jinping, Vladimir Putin, and Narendra Modi highlighted the importance of this multipolar approach.
Meanwhile, in Tokyo, India and Japan discussed economic security in critical sectors like semiconductors, rare earth minerals, pharmaceuticals, and information and communication technologies. Japan pledged to bring $68 billion of private investment into India over 10 years, a move that could significantly boost India's industrial capabilities.
The discussions in Japan took place in the context of a massive global churning in trade. India, shaken by the fear that Trump's US could be a principal destabilizing force for the world order, may have found comfort in Xi Jinping's words to join China for the sake of peace and prosperity in a multipolar world.
The relationship between India and China is being reassessed in the context of their ties with the United States. India and China have agreed to look at their relationship from a strategic and long-term perspective, rather than as a band-aid antidote to Trump's actions. The two nations might trade more to meet the needs of nearly 40% of the world's population, which comprises 2.8 billion people.
PM Modi's observation on the potential of a melding of Japanese technology and Indian IT talent was particularly sanguine. A ride in a "Shinkansen" in Japan suggested high-speed rail connectivity could be a future possibility for India.
However, the relationship between India and the United States has been strained under the Trump administration. The US has pushed India into "derisking" from the United States due to irritating and impossible demands from Donald Trump. Trump's egomaniacal pursuit of the Nobel Peace Prize has placed trade talks at risk and threatens to bring about a fundamental change in ties with India.
In an unusual turn of events, one of Trump's close loyalists called India a "laundromat" for sustaining the war on Ukraine, which they termed as "Modi's war". This accusation has further strained the already tense relationship between the two nations.
Yet, India and Japan, as prominent voices of the Global South, are focusing on diversifying trade while promoting a world less dominated by the US. The meeting in Tianjin and Tokyo may have carried a message to the United States about reassessing their relationship. A 10-year roadmap was shared, prioritizing cooperation in eight areas, symbolizing success in easing pressure from a rupture in ties with the United States.
Narendra Modi and Xi Jinping's handshake may have carried a message to the United States about reassessing their relationship. The future of global trade, geopolitics, and diplomatic relations is shaping up to be a complex and intriguing landscape.
