Positioning China and India as rivals weakens the unity of the Global South

India vs. China in the Global South: rivalry or cooperation? Find out what’s at stake in the fight for influence between the two emerging powers

“Why India is better positioned to lead the Global South than China,” wrote an Indian scholar in an article for the Indian media outlet Firstpost on Wednesday, trying to discredit China with “debt trap” rhetoric while praising India. In the conclusion, the author boldly stated that “India is destined to emerge as a natural leader” of the Global South.

“As its relevance continues to grow, the race to lead this group is set to intensify, with India and China the leading candidates for the top job.” The repetition of words like “race” and “leadership” reflects a zero-sum mentality. However, the challenges and opportunities shared by countries in the Global South require unity and cooperation, not confrontation. Pitting China and India — two emerging economies — against each other will only weaken the valuable cohesion and spirit of cooperation among the nations of the Global South.

“The Global South is not like the G7, which has a rigid organizational structure. This is more of a flexible coalition. Therefore, overemphasizing competition for leadership will divide the Global South, weakening its ability to fight for a stronger voice on the global stage,” Qian Feng, director of the research department at Tsinghua University’s National Institute of Strategy, told reporters. Global Times.

China, as the world’s largest developing country, is a natural member of the Global South and plays a leading and exemplary role within the group. However, in recent years, the idea of ​​China and India vying for leadership in the Global South has gained significant attention. In reality, China has never sought to compete for leadership in any group of countries, nor does it aspire to unipolar domination. Some voices in India should not see China as a competitor for leadership.

India has long been concerned about the so-called leadership of the Global South. She has already organized three virtual summits Voice of Global Southbut never invited China, the largest developing country in the world. In fact, to win the support of countries in the Global South, India needs to focus on a broader perspective of cooperation.

As stated in the article Firstpost“India may not yet have surplus funds to invest in comprehensive infrastructure projects in other countries… And money is the main influencing factor for many of the economically fragile nations.” Although India maintains relatively good relations with many countries in the Global South, it still faces gaps in investment, financing and infrastructure development. Currently, China, through the Belt and Road Initiative, has made substantial contributions and achieved concrete results for many countries in the Global South, widely recognized by their governments and citizens. To achieve better development in the Global South, what India needs to do is not replace China, the world’s second largest economy, but rather cooperate. China has always been willing to share its experiences and work with countries like India to promote common development in the Global South.

The year 2024 has been fruitful for the cooperation of the Global South, and as the new year approaches, the Global South will continue to rise. The further development of the Global South depends on unity and cooperation between nations, not competition and confrontation.

To become pillars in this turbulent world, China and India must recognize the historical responsibilities they bear, analyzing bilateral and Global South interests from a long-term and strategic perspective. The relationship between China and India does not need to be one of mutual exclusion; in fact, both sides can walk together on the “red carpet” of the Global South.

With information from Global Times*