Rise of the Global South: New blocs challenge decades of Western dominance

The blocs and alliances of the Global South are gaining attention, as they may redraw international balances and create a strategic space that reflects multipolarity after decades of Western dominance over the international system. This would be achieved through proposing reforms to the existing system, making it more equitable and just, at a time when the world is facing complex economic, social, environmental, and geopolitical crises. A look at the map of international alliances shows the rise of powers from the Global South that transcend historical, geographical, and demographic differences, cooperating within the framework of mutual interests.

At the Shanghai Summit 2025 in Tianjin, the Global South’s messages to the West became clear — rejecting unilateral will over the world and expressing a desire to build a new equation in the international system. These messages came from major powers such as China and Russia, alongside India, Iran, and Pakistan, calling for a balanced international partnership. The harmony between Moscow and Beijing stood out as a result of intersecting interests, particularly after the Ukraine war. At the Shanghai Summit, the Global South did not merely offer criticism or place blame on the West for the global state of instability; rather, it pledged to build a system based on “justice and multipolarity” as a roadmap for a long-term strategic project.

In recent years, Western influence has overlapped with the rise of new blocs on the international stage, largely centred in the Global South and predominantly Asian in character, such as Shanghai and BRICS. These two groupings share core members such as China, Russia, and India — signalling a determined push to construct an alternative framework at a time when the West, and specifically the United States, seeks to maintain its place at the top of the global order.

Despite differences among member states, these blocs appear to derive strength from cohesion and cooperation based on pursuing shared interests, mutual trust, common benefit, and consultation. Accordingly, Global South states adopt an international approach rooted in multiple alliances, economic cooperation, and the goal of improving their bargaining positions while better defending their interests with various global powers. Among these alliances, the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) stands out as one of the most prominent international blocs, with a population of about 3.4 billion people (more than half the world’s population) and combined economies that represent a quarter of global economic output.

The SCO is built on the requirements of joint development, shared security concerns, and the pursuit of a multipolar world. It represents a unique model of cooperation aspiring to shape a new global scene characterised by pluralism and openness, offering an alternative to the Western model through consultation and mutual benefit.

The economies of SCO member states are highly diverse, with China accounting for the largest share. China, India, and Russia are three of the world’s largest economies. In 2024, China’s economy reached $18.7 trillion, followed by India at about $3.9 trillion and Russia at about $2.1 trillion. Trade corridors constitute a fundamental dimension of commerce among member states.

Relations between China and India — the two most populous countries in the world — are improving after rivalry for influence in South Asia, particularly amid trade tensions between New Delhi and Washington. While the organisation views escalating trade disputes as a threat to global stability, it promotes economic cooperation among its members as an alternative to Western dominance. It advocates for a fairer global trading system built on dialogue and coordination through international institutions and reform of global trade rules.

The organisation’s stance is close to a “defensive balance,” committing to peaceful resolution of conflicts without external intervention, prioritising regional cooperation over competition to guarantee security, peace, and stability. However, it faces major challenges, given multiple conflicts, such as between India and Pakistan — who have engaged in direct military clashes — and rivalries over influence in Central Asia. These could limit ambitions, though overcoming them could enhance the organisation’s ability to achieve its broad goals and widen its strategic options.

Emerging blocs have moved from political coordination to economic, security, and institutional entities, asserting themselves in global power dynamics. Among them is the BRICS bloc, which was launched in 2009. By 2025, BRICS encompassed around 45% of the world’s population and about 40% of global GDP. The accession of key Middle Eastern states such as the UAE and Iran further boosted the bloc’s economic weight, particularly in energy production. Its goals are not far from those of the Shanghai organisation: advancing multipolarity and a fairer international order.

Although BRICS brings together states with diverse governance models and orientations, they are united by a shared desire to build a more equitable international system and global standards based on common interests, particularly in the face of global economic downturn, international conflicts, and the problems facing many Global South states, such as debt, high inflation, and slowing growth. From this perspective, the group seeks to develop financial and economic mechanisms to rebalance global economic power, avoiding alignment with the interests of any single side, while many Global South states remain mired in unending crises.

The Middle East is central to these international dynamics, and it is not far from BRICS. The UAE, Egypt, and Iran are members of BRICS, while Iran is also a member of the Shanghai organisation, with Arab states as dialogue partners. One arena of competition is the Middle East, where Moscow, Beijing, and New Delhi are emerging as alternative or parallel strategic options for regional states. Engagement in these alliances diversifies international options and enables participation in shaping a more equitable global system.

Economic, political, and security integration secures shared interests and fosters peace, development, and cooperation rather than conflict. Differences among members do not obstruct joint work; rather, they can enhance it when there is a will based on complementarity — especially at a critical moment for the world that could reshape the international structure. Global South alliances are advancing along this path, aiming for peace, stability, and global prosperity.

Shama Ahmed AlQutbah is a Research Assistant at Trends Research and Advisory