New Delhi: “The global order has completely fragmented, as the major powers of the world have completely retreated from the idea of international cooperation, which has left the credibility of the United Nations & United Nations Security Council in doubt,” said former German chancellor Angela Merkel during the inaugural Manmohan Singh Memorial Lecture in New Delhi Thursday.
Merkel—formerly German chancellor for 16 years—highlighted that the world had changed rapidly. She added that the Russian invasion of Ukraine had also altered the understanding of geopolitics.
“The Trump administration’s walkout from the international order has questioned the role of long-standing institutions, the UNSC,” Merkel said, adding that it had led to a disturbed global order.
Merkel argued that “social media and Artificial Intelligence have blurred the lines between truth and lies, causing many to wonder whether it’s worthwhile to stand for democracy”.
The former chancellor said that major powers, such as China and the US, were now framing their own rules and no longer pressing for a global framework. She cautioned that “If we don’t act fast, the value of multilateralism will disintegrate.”
While providing examples of AI regulation, personal data protection, climate change, ocean protection, and biodiversity, Merkel emphasised the need for a multilateral partnership. But she admitted that such demands currently seemed “utopian”.
The ideals of Manmohan Singh
Reflecting upon her relationship with former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, Merkel described him as a “special person” with a capacity to “cast a spell on you with his intellectual depth and his curiosity to listen”.
Merkel credited Singh with changing her perspective on geopolitical understanding, which she previously limited to a largely “US-centric approach.” She said, “My understanding of the world was limited to maps, but he helped me to diversify it to the globe,” crediting Singh for widening her understanding of the world from maps to a globe.
The ex-chancellor traced Singh’s journey from humble beginnings in Pakistan and the forced move to India following Partition. She said she believed that those beginnings might be why he was “sensible and sensitive” about people.
She also lauded Singh for showing courage in bringing “courageous reforms” in India, as Finance Minister, which opened India’s “Licence Raj” economy.
During his ten-year tenure as Prime Minister, she said, “India’s GDP increased fivefold, driven by his belief that growth needs to be inclusive participation”.
While appreciating the diversity of India, Merkel also said, “Singh was the first prime minister who came from the minority group”. She praised his commitment to social pillars, including free and fair elections, an impartial election commission, an independent judiciary, a fearless press, and an open and thriving civil society.
She stressed that he brought major social reforms, including the Right to Education and the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act, which made growth accessible to all.
Merkel concluded by saying that there had been rapid technological advancements after Singh’s premiership, but his life—particularly his belief that states must abide by the UN charter “not just in letter but in spirit”—provided the “courage to find the solution for today’s issues”.
(Edited by Madhurita Goswami)