Shashi Tharoor writes: A new world order needs a credible architect. India must claim that role
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Context
In this editorial, Shashi Tharoor analyzes India's diplomatic and economic response to a major geopolitical conflict in the Middle East that led to a severe blockade of the . He argues that while India has shown tactical dexterity in securing its energy needs through diversification, New Delhi's silence on major power transgressions risks undermining its credibility as the voice of the . The piece urges India to transition from cautious hedging to becoming a proactive, principled architect of a new multipolar world order.
UPSC Perspectives
International Relations
Shashi Tharoor highlights the tension between India's strategic autonomy (the ability to make independent foreign policy choices based on national interest) and its moral aspirations as a global leader. Historically, India has championed principled diplomacy and adherence to the , firmly condemning violations of state sovereignty. However, in the face of complex major power conflicts, India often adopts strategic restraint to protect its immediate interests, such as diaspora security and energy imports from the Gulf. The editorial argues that this passive hedging creates a diplomatic leadership vacuum that adversaries like China can exploit. For UPSC Mains (GS Paper 2), aspirants must analyze how India transitions from a balancing power to a leading power in world affairs. Maintaining silence on aggressive blockades may ultimately undermine India's pursuit of a permanent seat at the , as true leadership demands active, principled rule-making rather than mere crisis management.
Economic & Energy Security
The blockade of the presents a severe, practical test for India's energy security framework and macroeconomic stability. This narrow maritime chokepoint between Oman and Iran is critical, handling a massive portion of global oil shipments, including over half of India's crude imports. When supplies through such chokepoints are disrupted, India faces immediate macroeconomic risks: imported inflation, widening current account deficits, and severe fiscal strain from slashing fuel taxes to protect domestic consumers. To counter this, India demonstrated tactical dexterity through energy diversification, pivoting rapidly to alternative suppliers like Russia and utilizing American liquefied natural gas. However, from a GS Paper 3 perspective, long-term economic resilience requires a shift from reactive supply management to building deeper strategic petroleum reserves in alignment with standards. Furthermore, it necessitates accelerating the domestic transition towards renewable energy to permanently insulate the Indian economy from external geopolitical shocks.
Global Governance
The current geopolitical crisis underscores a fundamental transition in the global order, characterized by multipolarity and the waning influence of traditional western security guarantees. As the US behaves disruptively and NATO's utility is questioned by its own leaders, regional powers in the Gulf are seeking new strategic alignments to secure their interests. Concurrently, China is quietly advancing its influence through economic integration and promoting oil trade in the yuan, which accelerates the trend of de-dollarisation (reducing reliance on the US dollar in international trade). For India, this structural shift in global governance is a double-edged sword that exposes its vulnerabilities but also provides a rare strategic opening. India must leverage its unique multi-aligned relationships—from Western partnerships to memberships in forums like the —to propose a coherent, inclusive security architecture. By actively shaping a framework that prioritizes open maritime corridors and collective stability, India can legitimately claim its role as an architect of the new world order.