Global Politics in Flux: US Role Shifts as China Emerges Stronger

External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar has painted a picture of changing global politics, saying the world is now fast approaching a phase where the role of the United States is changing and China is getting stronger. He said the United States has made itself somewhat of a "lone power" by choice, while the rise of China is rapidly changing global equations. Jaishankar said the US-China rivalry is no longer limited to these two countries. This competition has also "weaponised" the power and resources that different countries of the world have. The biggest feature of today's world, Jaishankar said at the opening session of the Munich Leaders'Meeting 2026 in New Delhi, is America's "deliberate radical repositioning" of its global role. He said this change is America's own choice and that it has become, in a way, a "lone power." The other big thing is the rise of China.