India’s aim to surpass China as Global South leader unaffected by its support for Israel

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi's staunch support for Israel and his country's abstention from a United Nations resolution for a Gaza ceasefire may not earn diplomatic points for New Delhi in its quest to outpace Beijing and become the leader of the Global South, according to analysts. However, they argue that India's leadership in the Global South will not be determined by its stance on a single issue. Instead, pragmatic developing countries are more concerned with what India can offer to enhance their interests.

Daniel Markey, a senior South Asia adviser at the United States Institute of Peace (USIP), stated that India would not gain diplomatic points with the Global South by fostering closer ties with Israel at the expense of the Palestinians. However, he also noted that India's leadership in the Global South has never been solely based on its position on that one issue. He believes that New Delhi rightly understands that the Global South is an incredibly diverse group of nations and that there will be other issues on which India can demonstrate its leadership.

When India assumed the year-long G20 presidency last December, Modi outlined visions that included championing the Global South, a term referring to developing countries in Asia, Africa, and Latin America. At international forums and United Nations meetings and conferences, India raised a variety of issues concerning the Global South. During the G20 summit in September, India persuaded the United States and Europe to soften a statement on Russia's invasion of Ukraine so that the forum could focus on the concerns of poorer countries such as global debt and climate financing. At the meeting, India also played a crucial role in admitting the African Union as a permanent member of the G20.