India’s Role in a Disordered World

High-quality diplomacy has become a critical necessity for India as it navigates an increasingly disordered global environment characterized by rising conflict and the breakdown of international norms.

Shivshankar Menon, the visiting professor at Ashoka University and chair of the Ashoka Centre for China Studies, argues that the current international system is failing to provide the stability required for national development. According to Menon, the absence of a functioning world order creates significant obstacles for India’s primary foreign and security policy goal: the transformation of the country into a secure, prosperous, and modern nation.

The Breakdown of International Order

The current global landscape is defined by a decline in the effectiveness of multinational and international institutions. This disorder is evidenced by the dismantling of established stability mechanisms, specifically the nonproliferation regime and the international trading system.

Menon observes that some of the world’s greatest powers are now displaying contempt for norms and international law. While basic international systems—such as global telecommunications and aviation—continue to operate, the rules intended to prevent aggression between states have eroded.

Notice no rules or institutions or inhibitions that prevent the powerful from attacking another country, despite commitments in the United Nations Charter and elsewhere.

Shivshankar Menon

This environment means that the pretense of a world order has largely vanished, leaving a system where power often supersedes legal commitments and international agreements.

Impact on Indian Development

For India, this lack of global structure is more than a diplomatic challenge; This proves a developmental risk. The process of becoming a modern and prosperous country requires a level of peace and predictability that a disordered world is unlikely to provide.

The instability of the current system makes the fundamental tasks of security and foreign policy significantly harder. Without predictable international behavior and reliable institutions, the security environment becomes volatile, potentially hindering the economic and social transformations India seeks.

Strategic Adaptation and Diplomacy

Despite these challenges, Menon suggests that the current instability presents an opportunity for India to evolve its diplomatic approach. The necessity of adapting to a world without a clear order allows for a reconsideration of how India engages with other powers to ensure its own security and growth.

Recent diplomatic engagements reflect this ongoing effort to maintain strong international ties. On January 12, 2026, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi met with German Chancellor Friedrich Merz during a visit to a kite festival in Ahmedabad, India.

Such interactions occur against a backdrop where the diplomacy of the highest quality is required to manage the risks of a system where traditional inhibitions against conflict have weakened.