The Hindu Editorial Analysis
20 January 2026
In a changing world, it is ‘small tables, big dividends’
(Source – The Hindu, International Edition, Page no.-8 )
Topic: GS Paper – GS-2 : International Relations, Multilateralism, Global Governance, India’s Foreign Policy
Context
On January 26, 2026, India’s Republic Day celebrations will signal a significant shift in diplomatic practice. The chief guests will represent the European Union’s institutional leadership, rather than a single nation-state. This departure from tradition reflects a deeper transformation in global diplomacy. As global power diffuses and major multilateral forums struggle to deliver outcomes, India’s foreign policy increasingly operates in “white spaces”—gaps in leadership where smaller, flexible coalitions can shape rules and deliver results.
Core Issue
The central issue is how India can maximise diplomatic returns in a fragmented global order where large multilateral platforms are losing effectiveness.
The editorial argues that while bilateral diplomacy remains demanding and necessary, the greatest dividends for India now lie in small, functional coalitions rather than unwieldy global forums.
The Limits of Big Multilateralism
Global institutions face growing strain:
- The United Nations remains vital for legitimacy and norm-setting but lacks delivery capacity when major powers are divided.
- The G-20, once the premier forum for economic coordination, is increasingly paralysed by domestic politics and agenda conflicts.
- Major power rivalry has made consensus-driven multilateralism slow and unpredictable.
As a result, outcomes are shifting away from universal forums toward coalitions that can move even when the centre cannot.
Diplomatic White Spaces
India’s strategic opportunity lies in recognising and occupying “white spaces”:
- Areas where global coordination is necessary,
- But no single power can credibly lead.
In such crowded rooms without convenors, India can:
- Build issue-based coalitions,
- Shape rules incrementally,
- Deliver global public goods aligned with its capacities and interests.
Working with Europe: The First Test
Europe represents the first major test of this approach.
The presence of EU leaders on Republic Day signals:
- Momentum toward concluding the long-pending India–EU Free Trade Agreement,
- A broader engagement on trade, competition, climate policy, data standards, and sustainability norms.
For India, treating the FTA as a de-risking compact offers multiple benefits:
- Enhanced access to European markets,
- Integration into reworked value chains,
- Partial insulation from U.S. trade unpredictability.
However, this engagement will also impose higher compliance and regulatory burdens on Indian firms.
Why the European Window Matters
The EU’s interest in India is driven by:
- A desire to reduce overdependence on China,
- Hedging against U.S. policy volatility.
This creates a narrow but valuable window for India. The editorial cautions that:
- Delhi must move quickly,
- Opportunities in such geopolitical realignments close faster than they open.
BRICS and the Question of Purpose
BRICS presents a contrasting challenge.
- Its expansion has broadened reach but blurred focus.
- Members do not share identical priorities or timelines.
- While many seek stronger Global South representation and alternatives in development finance, consensus on direction remains elusive.
As chair and host in 2026, India faces the task of redefining what BRICS is for:
- Steering it away from anti-West rhetoric or de-dollarisation crusades,
- Focusing instead on delivery through instruments such as New Development Bank guarantees and practical development tools.
India’s guiding principle must be balance: reform without rejection.
The Quad as a Functional Coalition
The Quad represents a third “white space” with high delivery potential.
If India hosts a Quad leaders’ summit, it could:
- Add political weight to the grouping,
- Elevate its agenda from dialogue to execution.
Key areas include:
- Maritime domain awareness,
- Resilient ports and supply chains,
- Capacity-building for Indian Ocean littoral states without forcing alignment in great-power rivalries.
India’s Operation Sagar Bandhu, demonstrated during disaster response in Sri Lanka, shows how deployable capabilities can translate strategic intent into tangible public goods.
Risks from External Pressures
External risks remain:
- U.S. tariff threats against countries seen as aligning with BRICS,
- Strategic signalling that could raise the cost of missteps.
India gains little by letting groupings drift into ideological postures that undermine access to Western capital, technology, and markets. The challenge is to keep coalitions functional, not confrontational.
The Message for India
India’s foreign policy momentum in 2026 will depend on:
- Turning diplomatic white spaces into working arrangements,
- Aligning forums with specific outcomes:
- Europe for standards and trade,
- BRICS for development functionality,
- Quad for public goods and security.
The forthcoming AI Impact Summit in Delhi (February 2026) exemplifies this approach by convening governments, companies, and researchers to bridge gaps where interests overlap.
Conclusion
In a divided and volatile world, it is rarely the biggest table that shapes the future. It is the smaller, focused tables where trust, function, and delivery converge.
For India, the strategic advantage lies in choosing the right tables—and making them work. In 2026, success will depend not on grand declarations, but on quiet coalition-building that delivers big dividends.