The Rise of Regional Powers: Is Global Leadership Becoming Decentralized?

Global power is shifting from a unipolar, U.S.-dominated order to a multipolar one with multiple centers of influence. This change is driven by the rise of regional powers like China and India, the use of technology from the Fourth Industrial Revolution, and the impact of geopolitical crises. While the United States still holds significant advantages in military and economic power, its ability to act unilaterally is diminishing.

BIPSS Research Assistant Jannatul Toba discussed in this commentary how the emerging multipolar world is characterized by a more complex, fragmented, and competitive landscape, where leadership is negotiated among various states, and global stability is less certain than in the past.