India and Global South- Explained Pointwise

India has positioned itself as a strong advocate for the Global South, raising the concerns of developing nations on global platforms. At the 18th Pravasi Bharatiya Divas in January 2025, Prime Minister Narendra Modi highlighted India’s commitment to amplifying their voice. Similarly, during the 3rd Voice of Global South Summit in August 2024, he emphasized India’s role in pushing for inclusive global governance reforms.

Since independence in 1947 to its G20 presidency in 2023, India has consistently voiced the concerns of the Global South. However, these nations remain underrepresented in global forums, leaving their issues largely unaddressed.

What is Global South?

1. The Global South refers to countries that are often categorized as developing, less developed, or underdeveloped, primarily located in Africa, Asia, and Latin America.

2. These nations generally experience higher levels of poverty, income inequality, and challenging living conditions compared to the wealthier nations of the Global North.

3. The Global North consists of richer nations, primarily located in North America and Europe, with some exceptions in Oceania and other regions.

The Brandt Line: Dividing the Global North and Global South

1. The Brandt Line was proposed by Willy Brandt in the 1980s.

2. It is an imaginary line that divides the world into wealthier nations (mostly in the Northern Hemisphere) and poorer nations (mostly in the Southern Hemisphere).

3. The line primarily represents the socio-economic divide between the Global North and the Global South.

What is India’s Historical Association with Global South?

India shares its historical roots of colonial struggles and underdevelopment with the countries of the Global South. Hence, under the leadership of Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru, newly independent India took on a leadership role in advocating for the issues of the Global South.

India’s role in the Global South

Shift in India’s Foreign Policy Post-Cold War

However, with the end of the Cold War and India’s domestic economic crisis, a pragmatic shift emerged in its foreign policy. India began prioritizing its national economic and security interests over broader ideals of justice and equity for the Global South. This shift is evident in the following:

However, with the growing economic and geopolitical heft of India, it has emerged as the Voice of Global South Once again.

What are the challenges faced by the Global South?

1. Limited representation in global decision-Making: Regions like Africa and Latin America lack permanent membership in key global institutions, such as the UN Security Council.

2. Escalating public debt: According to UNCTAD’s A World of Debt Report 2024, developing nations face a debt crisis, with their public debt rising at twice the pace of developed economies.

3. Outdated global governance and financial frameworks: Institutions like the WTO struggle with inefficiencies, such as a dysfunctional appellate dispute mechanism, while developing countries remain underrepresented in financial bodies like the World Bank and IMF.

4. Ideological and policy divergences from the Global North: Differences persist regarding interpretations of democracy, human rights, and climate policies, leading to challenges in global consensus-building.

5. Impact of geopolitical conflicts: Wars involving major powers, such as the Russia-Ukraine conflict, have exacerbated inflation in food and energy prices, disproportionately affecting the Global South.

How is India becoming the Voice of the Global South?

1. New Delhi Declaration- India used the G-20 presidency to build consensus among the G-20 members to include the issues of the Global South like debt financing, climate justice and gender equality in the New Delhi Declaration.

2. Expansion of G-20- India played a key role in giving Voice to Global South Members at the high table of G-20 by inclusion of African Union.

3. Voice of Global South Summit- India has conducted the Voice of Global South Summit to build solidarity among the Global South countries, amidst the unprecedented challenges these countries are facing.

4. Vaccine Maitri- In the wake of COVID-19, India has played a key role in saving the lives of many in the Global South Countries by supplying free vaccine and medicines.

5. More representative multilateral fora- India has also played a key role in making other multilateral fora like BRICS, SCO more representative by inclusion of countries from the Global South. For Ex- BRICS transforming into BRICS PLUS.

6. Climate Justice- India has been playing a key leadership role in climate negotiations to promote the interests of Global South. For Ex- Recently established Loss and Damage Fund at COP28.

What are the headwinds which inhibit India from becoming a leader of the Global South?

1. UNSC Membership- India’s campaign for a permanent seat at UNSC as part of the G-4 group is opposed by the Coffee Club members which consist of Global south countries from Africa and Asia.

2. India’s neglect of NAM and G-77- India has been neglecting the oldest grouping of Global South, which has often caused breakdown of effective communication between the countries of Global South.

3. China Factor- China with its deep pockets has been splurging economic aid and developmental assistance to the countries of Global South. India has been locking horns with China to emerge as the leader of Global South.

4. Lack of consistent engagement- After launching summits with regions of Africa and Indo-Pacific, India has failed to engage with them on a constant basis. For Ex- No India-Africa Summit has been held since the three summits from 2015-2018. India also failed to show up at the Pacific Island Summit in Papua New Guinea in 2023.

5. Big Brother Attitude- India has been accused of meddling in domestic politics of the countries of Global South. This has attracted mistrust among these countries regarding India’s leadership role. For Ex- ‘India Out Campaign‘ in the Maldives.

6. Delays in Project Implementation- India’s aim to become the ‘Voice of the Global South’ is also challenged by India’s incapacity to deliver on the development projects within the agreed time frame. For Ex- delays in Kaladan Project, Asia Africa Growth Corridor, etc.

What Should be the way Forward?

1. India’s own Development Bank- India must establish its own Development bank to provide development assistance to the Global South and emerge as an alternative to China.

2. Revival of NAM- India must revive the NAM forum in the post COVID world, which is seeing increased ideological divide & geopolitical conflicts like Ukraine-Russia War and Israel-Hamas wars.

3. Enhanced project delivery capacity – India must invest its resources in improving the quality and timely execution of its development projects.

4. Fostering mutual respect – India should move beyond a “big brother” approach and build partnerships based on mutual trust and respect with Global South nations.

5. Continued summits- India must engage with the African nations and the Indo-Pacific nations by regularising the Indo-Africa summit.

6. Capacity-Building Initiatives – India can enhance its ties with the Global South by sharing its expertise in micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs), digital infrastructure, climate solutions, and food security.