ShodhPatra: International Journal of Science and Humanities

Leading from the South: India’s Quest for Institutional Legitimacy in the Emerging World Order

The end of the world with a center of its gravity that was still a clear post-Second World War order around the United States‚ around Western institutions‚ means that the elements of this new world are unknown․ New voices and new ideas are responsible for the building of a new world order․ India's role is especially critical․ It is an important and growing player in global climate change governance‚ transitioning from a passive norm-taker‚ adapting to rules made by others‚ to a norm shaper‚ a country looking to propose an alternate and to speak for the Global south․ The chapter covers India's evolution from a non-aligned power struggling to avoid subjugation to the Cold War superpowers (given India's limited global reach) to its current position covering Global South Summits and leading the promotion of the International Solar Alliance (ISA) and India's turn at the G20 presidency to promote the philosophy of inclusion summed up in the slogan Vasudaiva Kutumbakam ("One Earth‚ One Family‚ One Future")․ India's climate diplomacy and development partnership are beginning to change the norms of legitimacy and cooperation through innovation‚ albeit with some limitations․ However‚ there remain numerous concerns around India's ability to lead‚ whether it is willing and capable of rising to the occasion‚ whether it can reconcile its aspirations of leading the world with its domestic constraints and whether it will truly represent the South․ However, India's evolving role highlights an important fact: the Global South is no longer just a place where norms are acted upon, but is now a place where norms are actively created. By analyzing India's history, this chapter seeks to show how the Global South is reimagining its future from the South, with India acting as one of its primary architects.