Civilizational states in a changing global order: India’s emerging role in brics

Abstract

The concept of a non-Western civilisational state, which emphasises preserving and promoting a nation’s unique cultural and civilisational heritage, challenges the universality of Western values and contributes to the broader discourse on unipolarity versus multipolarity. India’s multifaceted identity, shaped by thousands of years of spiritual, philosophical, and political discourse, positions it as a pivotal actor in the emerging multipolar world order. Through its evolving multi-alignment policy, India maintains an interest-based approach with emerging and existing powers while asserting its civilisational ethos as a model of governance that blends democratic principles with traditional values. This paper also examines India’s partnership with Russia and China within the Russia-India-China (RIC) grouping within the BRICS framework, where these states collectively aim to challenge Western ideological hegemony and reshape global governance to reflect a multipolar, civilisational plural world. The paper critiques Samuel Huntington’s “Clash of Civilisations” theory and argues for a more dynamic understanding of civilisational identities, emphasising the interconnectedness of civilisations such as India, China, and Russia. In this context, the paper argues that BRICS emerges as a geopolitical and economic coalition, as well as a force for cultural and civilisational pluralism. The civilisational identities of India, China, and Russia provide a counterpoint to Western liberalism, advocating for a world order based on mutual respect, cultural continuity, and cooperation rather than ideological conflict.