—Dr. Mohmad Waseem Malla (The Indian Express launches a new series of articles for UPSC aspirants written by seasoned writers and erudite scholars on issues and concepts spanning History, Polity, International Relations, Art, Culture and Heritage, Environment, Geography, Science and Technology, and so on. Read and reflect with subject experts and boost your chance of cracking the much-coveted UPSC CSE. In the following article, Dr. Mohmad Waseem Malla, a Research Fellow with the International Centre for Peace Studies, explicates the idea of the Global South and examines its origin, evolution and recent surge with India staking claim of leadership for the bloc.) On May 24, 2024, the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) Treaty was signed in Geneva to safeguard the traditional knowledge systems of developing countries from ‘misappropriation’ by developed countries and multinational firms. India described it as a ‘historic’ and ‘significant win’ for both the country and the broader Global South. But why did India describe the WIPO Treaty as a victory for the Global South? What is meant by the term Global South and why has it gained currency in recent years? Global South and Global North In the simplest sense, Global South refers to the countries of Asia, Africa, Latin America, and Oceania. Most of these countries, where 88 per cent of the world population lives, experienced colonial rule and historically lagged in achieving substantial levels of industrialisation. The developed countries of North America and Europe, on the other hand, are often referred to as the Global North. These countries have a history of pursuing imperial policies. According to the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development, Global South countries typically exhibit lower levels of development, higher income inequality, rapid population growth, agrarian-dominant economies, lower quality of life, shorter life expectancy, and significant external dependence. The term Global South, thus, denotes political, geopolitical, and economic similarities between nations. Hence, it should not be conflated with strict geographical connotations. For instance, most Asian countries fall under the Global South. Yet, countries such as Israel, South Korea, and Japan are considered part of the Global North because of their higher levels of development. From ‘Third World’ to Global South Carl Oglesby, an American political activist, coined the term “Global South” in 1969. He used the term to describe countries suffering from political and economic exploitation by developed nations of the Global North. Initially, the term Global South did not gain much attention as the world was classified into First World (Capitalist bloc), Second World (Socialist bloc), and Third World (non-aligned countries). But with time “Third World” became increasingly associated with negative connotations of economic powerlessness, chronic poverty, and political instability. Resultantly, the term Global South replaced older terms like “Third World”, “developing”, and “under-developed” and gradually became popular due to its neutral connotations. It helped unify diverse nations as they sought to restructure the global economy, rebalance global power dynamics, and push for a New International Economic Order. The Global South in the (new) world order Recent years have seen a resurgence in debates around the Global North-South divide, stressing the need to renegotiate the contours of global political and economic order. This was highlighted when the United Nations General Assembly adopted a resolution entitled “Towards a New International Economic Order” in December 2022. This resurgence is significant given the qualitative reduction in broader wealth inequality across the North-South divide, particularly with the faster-expanding economies of countries like India and China. According to a World Bank report, “the gross domestic product (GDP) of the South, which represented about 20 percent of world GDP between the early 1970s and the late 1990s, doubled to about 40 percent by 2012.” As such, countries like India, China, Brazil, Indonesia, South Africa and Saudi Arabia, with their considerable economic prowess, have emerged as major global and regional players. Besides, these countries are no longer submissive international actors but rather navigate independently and have resisted bandwagoning with the West on issues of international concern. The North-South divide was most vividly demonstrated in the aftermath of the Russian invasion of Ukraine in 2022. Though a majority of Global South countries condemned Russia’s military aggression, nearly 85 percent, including India, resisted aligning with the US-led Global North consensus supporting Ukraine and ignored Western calls for sanctions against Moscow. India as the voice of Global South India, with its history of a leading role in the Non-Aligned Movement and G77 through the Cold War, has taken a considerable lead in assuming a leadership role and representing the collective interests of the Global South countries. This was demonstrated during India’s presidency of the G20 in 2023. Following the assumption of the G20 presidency on December 1, 2022, India convened a landmark virtual Global South Summit, themed “Unity of Voice, Unity of Purpose”, in January 2023. With leaders and ministers from 125 countries of the Global South in attendance, Prime Minister Narendra Modi stressed the need for collective action to reshape the emerging global order. He highlighted that the Global South holds “the largest stakes in the future” as three-fourths of the world population “lives in our countries”. However, alongside India, China too has staked claims to lead the Global South consensus on major international issues. The two countries have consistently advocated for a renegotiation of the global economic and political order. Nevertheless, Beijing has attracted criticism for pursuing predatory economic policies, especially under its Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), adding to the economic distress of dozens of countries across the Global South. India, on the other hand, has accrued significant diplomatic capital to buttress its claims of leadership for the Global South through its persistent calls for collective action and development. For instance, during the G20 Summit in Delhi in September 2023, India succeeded in its efforts to induct the African Union as a permanent member of the major economic bloc. The expansion, the first since the formation of G20 in 1999, allows the African countries to voice their economic concerns directly to the world’s most influential countries. Secondly, during the COVID-19 pandemic, India distributed around 163 million doses across 96 countries under the ‘Vaccine Maitri’ humanitarian drive between January 2021 and February 2022. This symbolises India’s commitment to go beyond rhetoric to take tangible actions for the collective welfare of the Global South. In conclusion, the recent resurgence of the Global South reflects the evolving geopolitical landscape and the growing influence of developing nations in global affairs. India’s leadership exemplifies this transition through its championing of the interests of the Global South and advocating for a recalibration of the global economic and political order. Post Read Questions Evaluate the significance and emergence of the term Global South. What are the challenges for India as a leader in the Global South? Discuss the significance of Africa for India in its vision for the Global South. The rise of the Global South as an economic and political force has brought focus on the changing global order. Comment. (Dr. Mohmad Waseem Malla is a Research Fellow with the International Centre for Peace Studies, New Delhi. He holds a doctorate in Middle Eastern Studies from Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi.) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wsnxUastCeM?si=ydw6A1dlrBvSS_sL&w=560&h=315
