Head-on | The West’s veto over India’s rise has expired

Since the collapse of the Soviet Union, the US and its Western allies dominated global affairs, keeping rising powers like India in check. While China’s economic and technological ascent forced the West to acknowledge its influence, India remained a country to be managed rather than celebrated. Today, India’s demographic strength, growing economy, and strategic position in Asia have made it a decisive global player. Western attempts to slow India’s rise—through regional alliances, political pressure, or economic measures—have largely failed. With China already a peer competitor, the emergence of India as another Asian power marks the expiration of the West’s veto over India’s ascent.