Multilateralism must Trump US-first policy

Donald Trump's America-first stance reflects his belief that the US has lost global dominance, and he aims to restore the US to its former glory by ensuring that the world 'respects' the US. On Sunday, Trump injected himself into the summit of the BRICS group of nations in Rio de Janeiro, warning countries that aligning with the 'anti-American' policies of the grouping would attract a 10% tariff. At the summit, BRICS leaders expressed 'serious concerns' about the rise in unilateral tariff and non-tariff measures'. Though the US was not mentioned by name, the signals were clear.

Whether it is BRICS, of which the US is not a member, or the Quad, of which it is, what is increasingly clear is that the Trump administration is focused on pursuing an 'America for itself' policy. Washington has hosted two Quad foreign ministers' meetings in the last six months, with a focus on security. There is little doubt that this recalibration is driven by China's ambitions and influence in the Indo-Pacific region. But then, Trump's US is not the poster child for steady ties-consider the renewed engagement with Pakistan. The BRICS summit was about what lies ahead-how emerging economies deliver on their promises. Contrary to Trump's apprehension, the US remains the pre-eminent global power. That explains China's response to the 10% additional tariff.

The Rio summit and the Quad foreign ministers' meeting point to the same thing: multilateralism remains the only viable response. To ensure that the world does not move from a US-dominated world order to one defined by the Beijing-Kremlin combine, countries like India need to step up and engage more globally to build a multilateral system that is fit for the 21st century.