Global order-It reflects distribution of powers among the nation states in global politics.

 What has been the Global order so far?

First phase:-Treaty of Westphallia(1648) to First World War-It inaugurated a European order based on the concepts of political sovereignty and territorial integrity of independent states.

Second phase:-First World war to Second world war-Multipolar world order with an emphasis on collective security.This led to setting up of League of Nations to avert another world war.

Third phase:- Cold war era-This phase saw a bipolar world led by USA and Soviet Union.

Fourth phase-End of cold war-The collapse of Berlin wall and then disintegration of Soviet Union few years later announced the end of cold war.This phase saw a unipolar global order led by USA.

Present phase-The unipolar world order is facing challenges on many fronts.The phrase 'decline of US'  has become the buzzword in international; politics today.According to Global Politics scholar Andrew Heywood ,the first such major challenge came in the form of 9/11 terror attack on twin towers in USA..Then USA's misadventures in Afghanistan and Iraq have further reduced its strength.The Financial recession of 2008 also rubbed salt in its already festering wounds.

Issues in the present  global order ?

1.The Chinese dragon-

China is posing serious competition to USA in terms of growing economy and increasing footprints of its military all over the world.Its growing assertiveness can be gauged in its claims over South China sea.The Chinese One Belt One Road Initiative and 'MAde in China 2025 project' are posing a great challenge to the US hegemony.

2.Deglobalisation phase-

Deglobalisation means 'erecting new walls' in the movement of goods,people,ideas etc..The ongoing trade war is a loss loss situation for all(Raghuram Rajan).Similarly,there has been increasingly more rejection of H1B visas of Indians in the current US regime.This deglobalisation has taken an antiglobalisation turn also.This can be seen in the rise of right wing parties in Europe,Brexit,continuing conflictrs inside Europe over the refugee crisis etc.

3.Uncertainity in US foreign policy-

The Trump Administration has taken decisions which show that US is withdrawing from sharing the globalism in the name of ‘America First policy’.For example ,it has rejected the Paris Agreement on Climate Change,withdrawn from Iran nuclear deal’ and Trans Pacific Partnership on free trade.

4 Terrorism from governed spaces.

When states use terrorism as an instrument of state policy, especially under a nuclear umbrella or the protection of sophisticated firepower, a comprehensive approach towards regional and global security becomes arduous. Again, the fact that China seeks to curry favour with such states — as it has with Pakistan —and intends to build parochial relationships with these actors significantly muddies the waters.

5.Clash of civilizations-

According to Samuel HuntingtonHuntington, the emerging ‘world of civilizations’ would comprise nine major civilizations – western, Sinic or Chinese, Japanese, Hindu, Islamic, Buddhist,African, Latin American and Orthodox Christian. These civilizations are based on irreconcilable values, rivalry and conflict among them is inevitable, with particularemphasis being placed on the likelihood of conflict between China (wedded to distinctive Sinic cultural values despite rapid economic growth) and the West,and the West and Islam. He also identified the potential for conflict between theWest and ‘the Rest’, possibly spearheaded by an anti-western alliance of Confucian and Islamic states.

What is India’s view of the global order?

Amb. Shyam Saran in his book “How India Sees the World” differentiates between Indian view and Chinese view of the world order.He observes that ancient texts like Jambudvipa mandala do not ascribe centrality and superiority to Bharatvarsha, which is only one among the lotus petals that make up our universe.This is the reverse of the Chinese world view, which sees the Han core as the most advanced and civilized. India will never have a 'middle kingdom complex'. It accepts a world in which there are other dvipa or islands with their own characteristics and values. One can relate this to India’s advocacy for multipolarity in the contemporary context.