New Delhi’s Power Play: UN’s Decline In Trump’s Global Shakeup And India’s Chance To Climb Up The Ladder | Explained | India News

The global system built after the Second World War is under visible strain. Prolonged wars, sharp economic nationalism under US President Donald Trump’s tariff regime, and the steady erosion of multilateral institutions are reshaping international power. Amid this churn, long-dominant players are weakening, and a strategic opening is emerging for India to assert itself more strongly on the world stage.

Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, now in its fourth year, has turned into a grinding and costly conflict. Thousands have been killed, cities destroyed, and Moscow is stuck in prolonged trench warfare. The war has not only drained economies and military strength but has also reduced both Russian and European diplomatic influence around the Globe.

Israel’s Gaza offensive since October 2023 has turned the strip into rubble amid a humanitarian disaster. Iran’s proxy battles with internal conflicts and tensions with the United States further shatter Middle East stability, with the UN powerless and irrelevant.

Donald Trump’s obsession with swinging the “tariff wand” with 50% tariff on India, recently announced 10% tariff on European Countries and the continuous threats of 500% tariff under the Sanctioning Russia Act of 2025, and his constant swings keep the world in suspense.

The Declining European Presence

The post-World War II global setup, rigid since 1945, witnesses Europe’s clout erode this decade amid energy woes, Ukraine aid burdens, and internal rifts, which have led to a decline in the European presence.

On January 17, 2026, President Trump slapped 10% tariffs on eight nations: Denmark, Norway, Sweden, France, Germany, the UK, the Netherlands, and Finland—for rejecting his Greenland annexation bid, fracturing NATO unity further.

Earlier in 2025, Trump ordered US forces to seize Venezuela’s Nicolás Maduro on narco-terrorism charges, reviving echoes of unilateral power plays in a shifting world order.

Also Read: Chabahar Port Crisis: India To ‘Wind Down’ Operations Amid Crushing US Sanctions?

The Irrelevance Of The United Nations

The United Nations, crippled by its outdated UN Charter and P5 veto biases, proves powerless in today’s turbulent world order, rocked by wars and Trump’s shake-ups.
Drafted in 1945, the UN Charter grants veto power to five permanent Security Council members, which include the US, Russia, China, the UK, and France, blocking action, with the US shielding Israel in Gaza, and Russia stalling Ukraine.

Trump’s funding cuts and unilateralism with tariffs and Venezuela’s strike further sideline it, amplifying multilateral forums like BRICS.

India’s Strategic Climb In A Shifting Global Order

India has persistently sought a permanent UN Security Council seat amid the body’s fading relevance in today’s multipolar chaos, positioning New Delhi as a key unifier of the Global South through G20 and climate diplomacy.

Amid the growing irrelevance of the United Nations, in March 2025, Prime Minister Narendra Modi sharply criticized the United Nations and other global bodies as “almost irrelevant” during a podcast interview with Lex Fridman.

In March 2025, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar delivered the statement during a Chatham House conversation in London, where he stressed India’s Rise and Role in the World.

It further boosts India’s power play, benefited by a multipolar world that aligns with India’s strategic interests, enabling the country to maintain autonomy while strengthening global partnerships.

EAM S Jaishankar also highlighted shifting alliances benefiting India under US policy, reaffirming stable US ties and citing the Quad with the US, Australia, and Japan as a regional cooperation example.

Further, India’s surges as an economic powerhouse with 7% GDP growth, fueled by initiatives like “Atmanirbhar Bharat” and “Viksit Bharat 2047”.

US President Donald Trump’s shakeup of the static post-World War era global order can be a significant boost to India’s rise and growing presence in the world order, with the growing influence of BRICS in the changing world scenario.

The Expansion Of BRICS

India holds a significant scope to elevate its global standing through BRICS by leveraging the bloc’s expansion. With India’s BRICS presidency 2026 amid shifting world dynamics. India’s chairship prioritizes resilient supply chains, energy, and tech like AI and fintech to counter tariff disruptions.

BRICS cushions against Western slowdowns and US tariffs while opening diversified markets and energy avenues, aligning with ‘Atmanirbhar’ and ‘Viksit Bharat 2047’, with strategic positioning that fosters India’s leadership in the Global South.

BRICS currently comprises original members Brazil, Russia, India, China, South Africa, plus full additions like Egypt, Ethiopia, Iran, UAE, and Indonesia since 2024-2025, nearing 40% of global GDP.

India champions BRICS initiatives in digital payments, such as UPI expansion, energy alliances with Russia for discounted oil and the UAE for trade, and the growing ties with Egypt for regional influence, building balanced supply chains under Atmanirbhar Bharat. These efforts reduce dollar dependence and Western sanction exposure amid Trump’s tariffs.

The collective resistance to ‘tariff blackmail’ boosts bargaining power against de-dollarisation-targeted threats, enhancing Global South leadership, and solidifying New Delhi’s climb in the global ladder.

FTAs And Strategic Reset With Beijing

Apart from the growing stronghold of BRICS+, New Delhi has initiated efforts to warm up its relations with Beijing through high-level dialogues and practical measures, including PM Modi’s 2025 visit to China for the SCO summit.

The 24th Special Representatives’ dialogue signaled renewed trust-building after the 2020 border clashes. The Chinese CPC delegation’s visit to New Delhi in January 2026 stressed a ‘right environment’ for ties, with China supporting India’s BRICS chairship.

Resumed direct flights, expanded Kailash Mansarovar Yatra, and hydrological data sharing reflect people-to-people revival.

With the increased focus on Free Trade Agreements, New Delhi accelerates its trade diversification in 2026, the India-Oman Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) to be effective from 2026 and focusing on the imposing FTAs ​​like the EU deal around the corner and advancing talks with the US, Peru, Chile, New Zealand, Israel, and others, lessening dependence on dominant markets.