BY: KANWAL SIBAL & PETER ISACKSON

An Indian Foreign Secretary Makes Sense of Multipolarity

The Soviet Union's collapse ended the Cold War era, ushering in a unipolar order. Now, a multipolar world emerges.

Kanwal Sibal views multipolarity with nuance, current world power centers are shifting. India's potential pole.

Geopolitical shift tied to economics. Dollar hegemony hinders effective multipolarity, former foreign secretary warns.

Dedollarization speeds up, including in petroleum trade. Dollar hegemony at risk due to financial weapon usage.

"Polycentric world" emerges, replacing "Multipolar." Power shifts East in politics, economics, and military.

Sibal differs: Multipolarity is cooperative, not antagonistic, following UN Charter principles and indivisible security.

World beyond deterrence, ending nuclear arms race, transforming US military-industrial complex, tech for human good.

Culture shapes politics. US competitive, adversarial. Embrace Indian tradition: diversity, tolerance in international relations.