Tracey Beatrice On March 19, 2025, at the Raisina Dialogue 2025 in New Delhi, India’s External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar delivered a powerful speech titled Commissars and Capitalists: Politics, Business, and New World Order, where he sharply criticized the United Nations (UN) and the old world order, accusing them of being outdated mechanisms that serve the vested interests of a few Western powers. Jaishankar’s remarks, which echo sentiments he has expressed in recent years, highlight Bharat’s growing assertiveness on the global stage, questioning the legitimacy of a system that has long marginalized the Global South. This article explores the context and background of Jaishankar’s critique, why his stance resonates as a truthful mirror to the West, and how Bharat, through its 360-degree development, is emerging as an undisputed world leader, giving the West a taste of its own medicine.
Jaishankar’s Critique of the UN and Old World Order
In his Raisina Dialogue speech, Jaishankar described the UN as a “frozen 1945-invented mechanism” that is “simply unable to articulate the wider concerns of its membership.” He argued that the international order, established post-World War II, is a Western construct designed to perpetuate the dominance of a few nations—namely the five permanent members of the UN Security Council (UNSC): the US, UK, France, Russia, and China. Jaishankar pointed out that some of these nations are no longer among the top global economies, yet they continue to wield disproportionate power, sidelining the voices of emerging powers like Bharat.
He further criticized the “vested interests” that have shaped global norms, stating, “The virtues of the old world order are exaggerated,” a sentiment he also expressed in an interview with the Financial Times on March 15, 2025. Jaishankar highlighted how the West has selectively applied principles like sovereignty and territorial integrity, often ignoring these when it suits their political convenience—such as their historical imperialism and the “plunder of India,” which he has previously noted cost Bharat an estimated $45 trillion in today’s value. At the UN General Assembly (UNGA) in September 2024, he had similarly remarked, “The problems arise from a combination of structural shortcomings, political calculations, naked self-interest, and yes, disregard for those left behind,” emphasizing the need for a more equitable global order.
Jaishankar’s critique extended to the West’s hypocrisy on issues like terrorism and climate change. He accused Western nations of “cherry-picking” their responses to terrorism—supporting separatists under the guise of democratic freedoms while condemning others—and failing to address historical responsibilities in climate action, a point he reiterated at the UNGA in 2023. He argued that the current globalization model has left many in the Global South behind, with the UN failing to bridge the North-South divide or address the East-West polarization.
Context and Background: The Jaishankar Doctrine and Bharat’s Rising Global Stature
Jaishankar’s remarks are rooted in what has been termed the “Jaishankar Doctrine,” a 21st-century foreign policy framework that prioritizes Bharat’s national interests over ideological alignment with any global power bloc. This doctrine, shaped by Jaishankar’s pragmatic realism—a trait inherited from his father, Krishnaswamy Subrahmanyam, often called “India’s Kissinger”—rejects the binary polarity of the old world order. Instead, it positions Bharat as a Vishwa Mitra (friend to the world), engaging with diverse partners through strategic autonomy, as seen in groupings like the Quad, BRICS, and the India-Middle East-Europe Economic Corridor (IMEC).
The context of Jaishankar’s critique is Bharat’s dramatic rise in global geopolitics over the past decade, particularly under Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s leadership since 2014. Bharat’s successful G20 presidency in 2023, its COVID-19 diplomacy—supplying vaccines to over 100 nations—and its economic growth, making it the fifth-largest economy, have elevated its stature. Jaishankar noted in a January 2024 speech in Nagpur that “New Delhi is now consulted in every major international issue,” a stark contrast to the UN’s “dwindling relevance” due to the stranglehold of the five permanent UNSC members.
Historically, Bharat has faced centuries of exploitation, first under Mughal rule and later British colonialism, which drained its resources and suppressed its cultural identity. The post-1945 world order, dominated by Western powers, continued this marginalization, with institutions like the UN reflecting a colonial mindset that prioritized Western interests. Jaishankar’s speeches, including his 2023 UNGA address, emphasize Bharat’s civilizational ethos—rooted in ancient democratic traditions and modernity—offering a model of development that contrasts with the West’s often exploitative approach.
Why Jaishankar and Bharat Are Right: Showing the West a Mirror
Jaishankar’s critique is not just rhetoric; it is a factual reckoning of the West’s historical and ongoing double standards. The West’s selective application of international norms—condemning Russia’s actions in Ukraine while ignoring their own imperial histories, such as the UK’s colonial plunder of Bharat—exposes their hypocrisy. Jaishankar’s reference to the $45 trillion drained from Bharat by the UK, as cited in his book The India Way, underscores the economic devastation caused by colonialism, a reality the West often glosses over in its narrative of global leadership.
Bharat’s stance is a mirror to the West, reflecting their own contradictions. For instance, Western nations have criticized Bharat for buying Russian oil during the Ukraine conflict, yet Jaishankar pointed out in Nagpur in 2024 that their experiences with Russia differ from Bharat’s, and the West itself has not fully severed economic ties with Russia. This pragmatic approach—refusing to bow to Western pressure while prioritizing national interest—gives the West a taste of its own medicine, challenging their moral superiority with hard facts.
Moreover, Bharat’s call for UN reform, including a permanent UNSC seat, is justified by its contributions to global peace and development. From supplying 50,000 metric tonnes of wheat to Afghanistan to extending $3.8 billion in credit to Sri Lanka during its economic crisis, Bharat has filled humanitarian gaps the West often ignores, as Jaishankar highlighted in his 2022 UNGA speech. The West’s resistance to UNSC reform, despite Bharat’s growing global influence, reveals their fear of losing control, further validating Jaishankar’s critique of vested interests.
Bharat as the Undisputed World Leader with 360-Degree Development
Bharat’s rise as a global leader is undeniable, driven by its 360-degree development across economic, cultural, technological, and diplomatic spheres. Economically, Bharat is the fifth-largest economy, with initiatives like Make in India ensuring self-reliance in critical infrastructure, as Jaishankar noted in a May 2024 article in The Indian Express. Technologically, Bharat’s Chandrayaan-3 moon landing and its 5G rollout showcase its innovation, while its digital governance model—praised by Jaishankar at the 2023 UNGA—has become a template for the Global South.
Culturally, Bharat has globalized its 5,000-year-old heritage, with yoga becoming mainstream worldwide, as Jaishankar highlighted in Nagpur in 2024. Diplomatically, Bharat’s multi-vector approach—engaging with the US, Russia, and the Middle East simultaneously—has made it a pivotal player in global affairs. Its leadership in climate action, such as the Global Biofuels Alliance, contrasts with the West’s failure to address historical responsibilities, as Jaishankar emphasized in his 2023 UNGA speech.
For the Hindu community in Auckland, particularly at Shree Hanuman Mandir, Bharat’s rise is a source of pride, reflecting the values of dharma and unity that define its civilizational ethos. Bharat’s development is not just economic but holistic, empowering women, youth, and farmers through targeted policies, as Jaishankar noted at the UNGA in 2024. This 360-degree approach positions Bharat as a model for the world, challenging the West’s outdated dominance with a vision of equitable growth.
Critical Examination of the Establishment Narrative
The establishment narrative, often propagated by Western media and institutions, portrays the UN as a neutral arbiter of global peace and the old world order as a bastion of stability. Jaishankar’s critique dismantles this myth, exposing the UN’s structural flaws—its 1945 framework no longer reflects today’s multipolar reality, where nations like Bharat and the Global South demand a voice. The West’s resistance to UNSC reform, despite Bharat’s contributions, reveals their fear of losing control, not a commitment to fairness.
The narrative of Western moral superiority also crumbles under scrutiny. Their historical imperialism, ongoing support for separatists in the name of “democratic freedoms,” and selective climate action contradict their stated values. Bharat’s rise, by contrast, is grounded in authenticity—its civilizational ethos offers a consultative, democratic model that prioritizes shared interests over imposed values, as Jaishankar articulated in his book The India Way.
However, Bharat must also introspect. While its critique of the West is valid, domestic challenges like economic inequality and social polarization, as seen in recent communal tensions in Nagpur, could undermine its global leadership. Addressing these internal issues with the same vigor as its foreign policy will strengthen Bharat’s moral authority to challenge the West.
Summary
S. Jaishankar’s critique of the UN and the old world order at the Raisina Dialogue 2025 is a bold assertion of Bharat’s rightful place in a multipolar world. By questioning the vested interests of the West and exposing their historical and ongoing hypocrisies, Jaishankar and Bharat are holding a mirror to the global order, giving the West a taste of its own medicine. Bharat’s 360-degree development—spanning economic growth, technological innovation, cultural influence, and diplomatic pragmatism—positions it as an undisputed world leader, offering a model of equitable progress that the West can no longer ignore. As NZB News champions “technology for everyone, empowerment for all,” Jaishankar’s words and Bharat’s rise call for a new world order—one where the Global South, led by Bharat, shapes a future rooted in justice, dialogue, and shared destiny.
Excerpt: Jaishankar’s Raisina Dialogue 2025 speech exposes the UN’s outdated framework and Western vested interests, positioning Bharat as a global leader with 360-degree development, challenging the old world order with facts and a vision for equity.
