Referring to the book written by John Mearsheimer, The Tragedy of Great Power Politics, 2001, “Multipolar systems, characterized by multiple powerful actors, are inherently more prone to conflict than bipolar systems. This is because a greater number of actors with competing interests creates more opportunities for alliances and rivalries to form, potentially leading to a breakdown of stability and escalation of conflict.”
It is essential to understand how the new world order has been governed. One of the most consequential initiatives is the United States' attempt to preserve global hegemony by constructing a buffer state in the Asia Pacific, specifically by placing India in this role. Several factors make the US choose India, including its strategic geographical position in the Indian Ocean and its significant economic and military power. Thus, India can be a key player in preserving regional stability, collaborating with the US to address regional security issues. China, India, Pakistan, and the US have emerged as the primary players in maintaining US hegemony.
Notwithstanding the challenges, the US attempts to preserve its dominion. Concerns over the rise of new powers like China have prompted the US to pursue a number of strategies, including preserving its economic and military might, bolstering its diplomatic and alliance ties, and creating narratives and ideologies that uphold US leadership. Nonetheless, the US is no longer at the center of the currently existing global order. US hegemony has been challenged by other nations, and the world order has become more multipolar; therefore, the US must continue to adjust to the current circumstances.
The United States' primary goal in maintaining hegemony in a multipolar world is to ensure that its influence and interests remain dominant in the global order. This entails preserving US dominance, guaranteeing stability in key areas, and preventing the emergence of new superpowers.
What we can say about US hegemony nowadays is how the US tries to create alternatives, which have been considered "Make America Great Again" as the most important tool for their survival and domination. The US is trying to regain control of the current global order by establishing a shadow player. The United States maintains its hegemony in Asia-Pacific through India. The goal is to mitigate China's influence as a new power. India joined the QUAD alliance, consisting of Australia, India, Japan, and the United States, to advance an open, stable, and prosperous Indo-Pacific region. This alliance brings the United States and India closer in terms of commercial and military connections.
For the US, India can be a barrier to China's expansion in the region, particularly in the South China Sea and the Java Sea. As a strategic partner of the US, India contributes to the containment of China's expansion and the protection of US regional interests. Furthermore, India supports US regional policies, especially those promoting freedom of navigation in the South China Sea and fairness in the international economic system. With India's assistance, the US can be more effective in opposing China's dominance in the area. India is also a US ally in promoting global stability. The US-India collaboration helps to fight several global issues, including terrorism, climate change, and deadly diseases. However, such collaboration increases the potential for greater alliances between the two countries in order to achieve the national interest.
The US, China, India and Pakistan
Past tensions between China and India have caused the two countries' relationship to fluctuate. China and India's rivalry has deep historical origins, particularly about the border disputes in the Himalayas. The most prominent conflict occurred in 2020, leading to incidents such as the Galwan Valley clash of 2020. There are several causes of conflict, such as conflicting claims regarding certain borders and regions, such as Aksai Chin and Arunachal Pradesh; differences in interpretation and mapping of the de facto border lines separating the two countries; increased military power by both countries, including on the border; and geopolitical competition and regional influence between China and India. Responding to the border incident in 2020, Prime Minister Narendra Modi delivered a speech at an Indian military base near the Chinese border, pointing to China's continuous expansionist intentions.
In contrast, China persists in strengthening its ties with Pakistan, India's rival. China has made significant investments in Pakistan recently, contributing over $60 billion through the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) project to ensure important access to the Gwadar Port. For China, this project is essential for trade routes to the Middle East. Furthermore, China has provided military support to Pakistan, including fighter jets, missiles, and other advanced weapons. China has made Pakistan its major business partner—the economic relations between the nations are experiencing consistent growth. China has played a crucial role in resolving regional conflicts. China completely supported Pakistan in Kashmir, while Pakistan supported China in the Xinjiang, Tibet, and Taiwan issues. China plays an important role in Pakistan's foreign policy.
Another issue is an increasingly violent conflict between India and Pakistan. On May 7, India launched a military attack into Pakistan and Pakistani-controlled Kashmir under the name Operation Sindoor. India claimed that the operation targeted nine terrorist infrastructure locations that have long been regarded as centers for preparing attacks on Indian territory. The United States assisted India in this operation via technology, military training, and intelligence.
It is not surprising that the US tried to formulate a proxy war between China and India and between India and Pakistan to counter China's hegemony in global governance. Every country has its objective in the contemporary multipolar order. The current global order is not centered on a single axis. The state actors desire to be a single power, to be dominant. China has continued to support Pakistan in its endeavors to stand against India as an ally of the United States. On the one hand, the US is using India as an outpost to curtail China's dominance in Asia. Yet the examination of India's and Pakistan's international behavior continues to choose the foreign policy track that best serves their respective countries' interests. In this case, India also employs Russian technology. Meanwhile, Pakistan continues to rely upon technology from the US and Turkey.
Views expressed are of individual Members and Contributors, rather than the Club's, unless explicitly stated otherwise.