Jaishankar says US has deliberately become a lonelier power

External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar has said the United States has “deliberately become a lonelier power”, arguing that Washington’s changing global posture and the rise of China are reshaping the international order.

Speaking at the 62nd Munich Security Conference, Jaishankar said the global landscape was increasingly defined by sharp US-China competition, greater self-reliance among emerging and middle powers and efforts to diversify partnerships and reduce risks.

“No one in the room would disagree with the fact that the landscape today is primarily marked by a radical repositioning of the United States,” he said, describing the shift as “a posture of choice”.

Jaishankar identified China’s rise as another major feature of the changing order. He said China accounts for about one-third of global manufacturing and that its economic strength was translating into political influence. He said US-China competition had also led to the “weaponisation” of leverage held by other countries.

At the same time, he pointed to the “complexity of interdependence” between countries.

Jaishankar said emerging and middle powers were becoming more conscious of their interests and seeking greater self-reliance. He said these countries were pursuing diversification and de-risking, developing resilient supply chains and agenda-based cooperation.

He argued that countries no longer needed complete agreement on every issue to cooperate. A “reasonable degree of convergence” and sufficient common interests could provide a basis for cooperation, he said.

Jaishankar cited the Quad, BRICS, the India-Middle East-Europe Economic Corridor, the International North-South Transport Corridor and the Northern Sea Route as examples of emerging cooperative arrangements. He also referred to the International Solar Alliance and the Coalition for Disaster Resilient Infrastructure.

He said countries were increasingly forming partnerships based on specific interests, developing organisations and habits of cooperation. This flexibility, resilience and diversification, he said, were contributing to an “evolving global order”.