Multilateralism

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  • Multilateralism Matters: Adoption of the Treaty of the High Seas and its Significance

    The adoption of the Treaty of the High Seas by the United Nations represents a significant triumph for multilateralism.

    July 04, 2023

    Ayan Singh asked: What is the significance of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO)?

    Rajorshi Roy replies: The Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) has emerged as a prominent Eurasian organisation in the last few years. Today, it has expanded in geographical reach, scope and importance. Along with its eight full members as well as dialogue and observer partners, SCO today straddles Central, South, West and North Asia. This makes it one of the world’s largest pan-regional organisations. SCO’s growing heft is reflected in it contributing 30 per cent of the global GDP and 40 percent of the world’s population.

    Saurav Pandey asked: What is the significance of the G20 Summit of 2023 in India's foreign policy? What are the expectations that the world has from India?

    Rajeesh Kumar replies: The Group of Twenty (G20) is an informal grouping of the world's largest 20 economies. It accounts for nearly 80 per cent of the world GDP, 75 per cent of global trade, and 60 per cent of the world population and has become one of the most prominent multilateral groupings in contemporary global politics. India took over the G20 Presidency from Indonesia on 01 December 2022. 

    Ajay Kumar asked: How are rising powers challenging the US and Western dominance in IMF and the World Bank?

    Rajeesh Kumar replies: Western powers, particularly the United States (US), predominate the two major post-World War international financial institutions, the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the World Bank. The US is the only country with sufficient voting power to have a de facto veto right in both these institutions over certain decisions.

    Principled but Evolving: India's Approach to Multilateral Peace and Security

    India's multilateral approach has been influenced and guided by multiple strategies, interests, values and has transformed significantly through the decades. However, most foreign policy scholars have argued that India has often acted like a "spoiler" or "rule-breaker" in multilateral negotiations.

    2021

    Nagaraju Kollu asked: How the shift in US presidency will likely impact the position of liberal international institutions which the current presidency completely ignored?

    Rajeesh Kumar replies: Donald Trump’s presidency and his ‘America First’ policy have done irreversible damage to the liberal international order, particularly international institutions. From the initial days of his presidency itself, Trump has attacked several multilateral institutions and agreements and reduced the US funding.

    Mangesh Shinde asked: In what ways has India played a leadership role in WTO negotiations and what has been its strategy up till now?

    Rajeesh Kumar replies: India was one of the 23 original signatories to the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT) concluded in 1947. Since then, India has effectively involved in the formulation of all significant multilateral trade agreements. In the multilateral trade negotiations under GATT, India has often positioned itself as a leader of developing countries and led these countries in challenging some of GATT’s fundamental principles, including the reciprocity.

    Suchak Patel asked: How has COVID-19 impacted multilateral diplomacy? What should be India’s stand regarding post-corona multilateralism?

    Rajeesh Kumar replies: The implications of the COVID-19 pandemic on multilateral diplomacy are multifold. First, it has exposed the current crisis of multilateral institutions and exacerbated their decline. For instance, while the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) seemed more paralysed, agencies like the World Health Organisation (WHO) suffered scepticism of accountability and effectiveness.

    Asia between Multipolarism and Multipolarity

    • Publisher: KW Publishers
      2020
    This book aims to map the Asian power trajectory and the continent’s contemporary journey towards greater multipolarity. This volume examines the impact of plurilateral and multilateral dialogues and cooperative mechanisms on Asia’s security and economic architecture. It is based on the proceedings of the thought-provoking 20th edition of the Asian Security Conference which was held from March 26-28, 2019 at the Manohar Parrikar Institute for Defence Studies and Analyses, New Delhi.
    • ISBN: 9789389137439 ,
    • Price: ₹.1280/-
    • E-copy available
    2020

    Ayush Shukla asked: What is the difference between multilateralism and multi-alignment, and what India needs to follow in International Relations?

    Arpita Anant replies: Simply put, multilateralism refers to the coming together of three or more states, in formal or informal institutional settings, to discuss issues of mutual interest and coordinate their policies. If such a grouping is small in size, it is best referred to as a mini-lateral or plurilateral forum. One example of a plurilateral forum is BRICS, of which India is a member along with Brazil, Russia, China and South Africa.

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